Ollie Frith is back this week and shares a great conversation with Chris Kilkenny. Chris’ Twitter bio is: ‘care leaver – speaker/campaigner – passionate about equality – ACES – I am a black box for the failed system’. Chris came himself from adverse childhood experiences and now uses his experiences to spread the word about …
Read the full article…

Tara Elie is back on the podcast this week after about a year away! She speaks to Emma Brown, a Practice Development Coach working in Social Care with clients who have learning disabilities and/or Autism. She shares a great deal of her knowledge which is equally applicable to those in mainstream settings who come into …
Read the full article…

Andy Oliver was appointed as an NQT at Holte School, Lozells, Birmingham in 1998. Holte was graded ‘Outstanding’ in 2009 and 2012, is an Inclusion Quality Mark Flagship School and also recently achieved the Equalities Award. Andy undertook a variety of pastoral posts at the school including Head of Year, Assistant Headteacher and now Deputy Headteacher. …
Read the full article…

For Mike’s last episode of the academic year, he speaks to the remarkable Clare Erasmus who shares her insights around wellbeing – what a great end to a great year! Clare is Head of Faculty for Mental Health and Wellbeing at Brighton Hill Community School and describes herself as very fortunate to have experienced unconditional love …
Read the full article…

As we start a ‘new era’ for the Pivotal Podcast (actually it’s just that we have gone past episode 200…), Jon Tait makes a very welcome return. You can listen to his first interview on the podcast here. Jon is Director of the Acklam Grange Teaching School in Middlesbrough and joined Paul to talk about ‘flipping’ CPD and how …
Read the full article…

Paul met Tony for the first time as part of the TBAP Multi-Academy Trust. He is a headteacher, a consultant, Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and an expert in working with some of the most vulnerable “and damaged young people. What do teachers most often get wrong when dealing with the most challenging …
Read the full article…

Pivotal Education trainers visit the office to update colleagues on their experiences and areas of work. This week, Ollie has selected some fascinating clips of Senior Trainers Hannah Hall and Alastair Burnett which cover some diverse topics such as gang culture and the new territories Pivotal is working in! Trainers Briefs: Crossing the Lines – PP199 …
Read the full article…

  Pivotal Education’s own Mike Armiger has personal experience of children who find themselves in foster adoption care. This week, he has an opportunity to share his experience and expertise around: The practicalities of being an adpotive parent or carer The challenges faced by adopted children which are not encountered by others How practitioners can …
Read the full article…

Dr Emma Kell has been teaching for two decades, mainly in inner-London secondary schools. She is now a middle leader with several years of senior leadership experience. In 2016, she completed her doctorate with Middlesex University on balancing teaching and parenthood and in January 2018, her book, How to Survive in Teaching, was published by Bloomsbury. …
Read the full article…

Ollie catches up with one of the pivotal people in his own life story – his old drama teacher, Carole Davies. They discuss the importance of arts subjects, positive relationships and much more in this fascinating episode. Here’s how Carole describes her ‘life in drama’: “It all started when I was quite young at school …
Read the full article…