The School Should Be Podcast Zahara Chowdhury

In this episode, I speak to the brilliant, Anita Grant, Assistant Chief Officer for Trust and Legitimacy at Sussex Police all about why students should consider a career in the police force. We talk about Anita's own journey into the police force (from a background in education and Sure Start settings), her relationship and thoughts about the police growing up and why policing is an attractive, purposeful and impactful career of choice for young people today. The opportunities are immense and we need to be the change we want to see in society.

...plus, who wouldn't want to go on a ride along?!

I loved talking to Anita and there is so much for students, teachers and parents to learn from her in this episode, particularly if you know young people who are looking for a little direction with their careers and next steps...

Sufian Sadiq, Director of Talent and Teaching School at Chiltern Learning Trust joins the School Should Be podcast to talk about the importance of teaching and living in the community and how to ensure community engagement and targeted interventions are effective and successful for marginalised and underresourced students.

This is such an engaging podcast and so valuable for anyone looking to engage unheard voices and groups of students who have become victims of 'stereotype threat' at your school. It is well worth a listen for teachers and community leaders looking to overcome barriers and stigmas that face marginalised groups of students. We discuss intervention, lived experiences, exams and so much more.

This was a difficult episode to title. Effectively it is two friends, two educators, one Muslim and one Jewish, coming together in a safe space to talk about how we are feeling amidst the rise of Islamophobia, antisemitism, the war on Gaza, the awful pictures and videos we are seeing day in and day out on social media and the utter feeling of helplessness watching an entire people suffer beyond belief.

I met Penny through Social Media and have so much respect and love for Penny's work in the anti-racism space. I have so much to learn from Penny as do all of us. This is the first of a short series of episodes that we will be recording navigating our understanding of antisemitism, islamophobia. Of course we've had plenty of conversations about this, but Penny was one of the first people I reached out to after the Oct. 7th attack on Israel. We checked in on one another and ever since, we've had much needed, safe and heartwarming conversations to somehow deal with the dread that fills our hearts every day. We hope this podcast provides the same for you.

Please support much needed aid for Palestinian families here: https://linktr.ee/opolivebranch

About Penny:

Penny Rabiger is an ex-teacher who was one of the founding members of The Key for School Leaders and has worked with education start-ups, charities and social enterprises since 2007. She is a school governor and co-founder of the national race equity charity The BAMEed Network. Penny is Lead Coach on the Anti-Racist School Award at the Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality, Leeds Beckett University, where she is also completing her PhD.

In this episode of the BHS takeover, Jasmine, Ellie and Kareena talk all things GCSEs, from choosing your options, to what different GCSEs entail, along with workload, revision and managing expectations in years 10 and 11. A must listen for students choosing their options or students who have just started their GCSE courses.

*if you are a student and you are concerned about your wellbeing and mental health, please get in touch with your teachers at school or a trusted adult. For wellbeing and mental health advice, please visit: mind.org.uk

Jasmine, Ellie and Kareena are back to answer your questions with their tips and thoughts on navigating friendships and peer pressure at secondary school.

Listen in as they share their reassuring thoughts and wisdom on something we all think about on day one of year 7: friendship.

*if you are a student and you are concerned about your wellbeing and mental health, please get in touch with your teachers at school or speak to a trusted adult. For mental health support online, please visit: mind.org.uk

Jasmine, Ellie and Kareena, Sixth Form Students at Beaconsfield High School have taken over the School Should Be episode to help students navigate revision and wellbeing!

Sharing their thoughts, advice and wisdom after successfully completing their GCSEs and now on their A level journey, they reached out to students in years 7-10 to ask what questions and concerns do they have about their wellbeing at secondary school. Over the next few episodes, join them as they answer a range of questions and share their thoughts to get students through a very critical period of time: exams.

Tune in for some brilliant advice, plus they'll make you laugh along the way too.

Jasmine is a Politics Ambassador. She is currently studying A level History, English Literature and Politics. Ellie is an Economics Ambassador and currently studying A level Maths, Economics and Psychology. Kareena is a Philosophy and Ethics Ambassador and currently studying A level English Literature, Philosophy and Ethics and Psychology.

*if you are a student and you are concerned about your wellbeing and mental health, please get in touch with your teachers at school or a trusted adult. For wellbeing and mental health advice, please visit: mind.org.uk