The Headteacher Update Podcast

Pete Henshaw
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The Headteacher Update Podcast is dedicated to supporting best practice in the primary school – with practical advice, discussion and tips for teachers and school leaders across a range of topics relevant to your daily practice

  1. Headteacher Update Podcast: Preparing for the new Ofsted school inspection framework

    NOV 5

    Headteacher Update Podcast: Preparing for the new Ofsted school inspection framework

    This episode dissects the revised Ofsted inspection framework, setting out actions that school leaders can take now to prepare and offering expert insights and tips. Our panel has extensive experience of Ofsted inspection, and they break down the key changes that schools should be focused on and how best we can respond. We highlight key aspects of the revised framework, including the implications of the new evaluation areas and grading points. We interrogate the new "secure fit" model of inspection and Ofsted's new "expected standard". We delve into the inclusion thread that runs throughout the framework and will dominant inspections from now on and we discuss the new focus on school context, asking how school leaders can best communicate this information during inspection. We offer top tips for the Monday phone call, tips for identifying strengths/weaknesses, touch upon the new role of the "nominee" and the case sampling of pupils. Finally, we list actions that schools should be taking now to set themselves in good stead for inspection under the new regime.

    1h 6m
  2. Headteacher Update Podcast: Dealing with parental complaints

    OCT 1

    Headteacher Update Podcast: Dealing with parental complaints

    This episode offers advice for school leaders on how they can handle parental complaints, including de-escalation tips and dealing with vexatious complaints. With NAHT research showing a rise in parental complaints and vexatious complaints, this episode is packed full of useful tips and practical advice for school leaders. Our three experienced panellists describe what they are seeing on the ground in terms of rising complaints and discuss the reasons why more parents are complaining. We ask how we can best respond to complaints, including the steps we should take to take and how best to communicate with parents throughout the process. We discuss ways to de-escalate complaints and how we can protect ourselves personally and professionally during what can be a very stressful time. We discuss the nature of vexatious complaints and how we should handle these, including how we can response to parents who refer their complaints directly to bodies such as Ofsted or the DfE.

    59 min
  3. Headteacher Update Podcast: Environmental work and carbon reduction in primary schools

    SEP 3

    Headteacher Update Podcast: Environmental work and carbon reduction in primary schools

    This episode looks at environmental work across the primary school, including how we can reduce our carbon emissions and integrate climate education into the curriculum. We look at where school leaders can begin when it comes to reducing carbon emissions across the primary school, including creating a Climate Action Plan and ideas for some quick wins. Our guests include experts from the National Education Nature Park and Let's Go Zero as well as a primary school doing amazing work in this area. We look at how we can engage pupils in this work without worrying or scaring them about the dangers of climate change. We ask how we can create an effective and engaging climate education. We also discuss ways to mitigate the impact of climate change in our schools. Throughout the episode our guests signpost to useful resources, initiatives and tools that schools can tap into to support this work, including educational resources. We also ask what support, grants and resources are out there for schools.

    57 min
  4. Headteacher Update Podcast: Effective school routines

    JUL 2

    Headteacher Update Podcast: Effective school routines

    This episode looks at a range of routines, systems and protocols that can help you to create a calm and efficient primary school environment – with lots of practical ideas to adapt and adopt. Our panel of school leaders discuss a range of evidence-based ideas for useful school routines that help the school day to run smoothly – whether that be in the classroom, corridors or playground. We look specifically at consistent classroom routines across the school, including how to give teachers appropriate freedom and agency within a teaching and learning framework. We look at leadership routines, including effective headteacher practices and we ask: where do you stand during your day as a headteacher in order to be visible, to gauge how your school is doing, and to engage positively with parents, staff and students? We look at lunch-time routines and useful ideas for structuring the beginning and end of the school day. The also discuss the power of the timetable. We also ask what quick wins are available for new headteachers or those beginning in a new school when it comes to establishing effective routines.

    57 min
  5. Headteacher Update Podcast: A headteacher's guide to retirement planning

    JUN 4

    Headteacher Update Podcast: A headteacher's guide to retirement planning

    This podcast discusses the retirement choices open to school leaders and headteachers, tips for effective pension planning as well as the implications of early and phased retirement options. We speak with two experts from Wesleyan Financial Services to discuss principles of effective retirement planning and what headteachers need to think about and plan for. We focus on the provisions within the Teachers' Pension Scheme including how benefits are calculated under the 80th Final Salary, 60th Final Salary, and Career Average schemes. We explain the McCloud judgement and how it is likely to affect headteachers who have been in service a long time. We advise how headteachers can set about working out how much income they might need at different stages of retirement and what action they need to take to achieve this. We also consider tax-planning for higher earners. A large part of the discussion focuses on understanding the available retirement options, including early retirement and phased retirement and the implications for headteachers' pensions and planning. This episode has been produced in partnership with our friends at Wesleyan Financial Services. Visit www.wesleyan.co.uk/teachers

    49 min
  6. Headteacher Update Podcast: A brilliant primary school library

    MAY 7

    Headteacher Update Podcast: A brilliant primary school library

    This episode offers advice, ideas and examples for effective library provision in the primary school, including tips for whole-school literacy support. We meet with two primary school professionals and an expert from the National Literacy Trust to get their view of what makes for excellent primary school library provision. We discuss how to create a thriving school library provision when space and budgets are limited – including advice for schools that do not have a dedicated library space. We also look particularly at how school library provisions can support literacy and reading outcomes, including reading for pleasure, as well as offering support for all curriculum subjects. Our panel – which includes the school librarian from the School Library Association School Library of the Year – offer a lot of practical, tried and tested ideas for school library provision and library initiatives, including numerous ideas to help pupils develop their reading skills and love of reading.

    1h 1m
  7. Headteacher Update Podcast: Speech, language & communication needs in the primary school

    APR 2

    Headteacher Update Podcast: Speech, language & communication needs in the primary school

    This episode describes ideas and advice for identifying and supporting pupils with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) in the primary school classroom. SLCN are now the most common need for the 1.2 million pupils who are on SEN Support in England's schools – and the evidence tells us that there will be many more who are going undiagnosed. The podcast features two SENCOs and a speech and language therapist who offer advice for school leadership teams (especially SENCOs) and classroom teachers. We consider the prevalence and impact of SLCN on pupil outcomes and the extent to which these needs fly under the radar. We look at common signs for SLCN and how SENCOs and teachers can work together to pick these up. We also discuss the overlap between SLCN and other common issues, including SEMH, the impact on friendships and social interaction, challenging behaviours, poor attendance and more.   And we discuss lots of in-class techniques and interventions to support these pupils, as well as wider support and intervetions, and other examples of good practice from our guests' schools.   This episode has been produced in partnership with our friends at Speech and Language Link. Visit https://speechandlanguage.link/

    1h 15m
  8. Headteacher Update Podcast: Nurturing your school's future leaders

    MAR 5

    Headteacher Update Podcast: Nurturing your school's future leaders

    In this episode we discuss leadership succession planning and how primary schools can spot, develop and nurture the school leaders (and headteachers) of tomorrow. Across two halves, the podcast speaks to four school leaders to find out how they spot, encourage and develop potential leaders in their schools and trusts. We ask how we can talent-spot these leaders – what kind of leadership traits and characteristics are we looking out for in our teachers and school staff? Then, once we have identified these potential leaders, how do we support them to hone their leadership skills and what processes and CPD should schools have in place to encourage and inspire them? How do you nurture leaders pastorally to keep them energised? And what makes for an inspirational mentor or coach who might inspire the potential school leaders of the future? We discuss all this alongside lots of good examples and ideas from our guests' schools and trusts.

    1h 12m
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The Headteacher Update Podcast is dedicated to supporting best practice in the primary school – with practical advice, discussion and tips for teachers and school leaders across a range of topics relevant to your daily practice

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