How can you transform your teaching practices to be more engaging and effective? In this episode, we sit down with Mike Gardner, the Teaching and Learning Lead for Maritime Academy Trust, to explore his successful strategies for enhancing education across 13 primary schools in southeast London and Kent. 

From his innovative start-up, The Oracy Shift, which prioritizes communication skills, to his hands-on role in coaching and mentoring teachers from nursery to year six, Mike provides a wealth of insights into tackling diverse educational needs and unifying effective methodologies across different stages of primary education.

Discover the hidden gems of Further Education (FE) as Holly Barnes-Lomax joins Bedrock Talks. 

Holly is the Teaching, Learning and Quality Lead at an FE college in Chesterfield.
She takes us behind the scenes to explore the variety of courses, from vocational training to adult education, and the specialised support provided to SEND students. 

With her extensive experience, Holly sheds light on her role, detailing her hands-on approach to coaching teachers, planning curriculums and ensuring quality education through innovative methods like incremental coaching.

Sarah Davies is the author of Talking about Oracy which focuses on the development of effective communication beyond the parameters of the classroom. 

She is currently an Assistant Head Teacher at a secondary academy in the north-west of England. Alongside her teaching, she has also written articles for SecEd, The Headteacher and the Teaching Times, as well as presenting at regional and National ResearchEd and ReThinking education conferences. 

In this episode, Sarah shares her thoughts on oracy, context switching and how learners can be better communicators. 

After so many comments, thoughts and requests from the first episode, Dani Walley returns to Bedrock Talks to discuss leadership and teacher development.

Dani is an Assistant Principal leading on teaching, learning and curriculum in a large secondary school. Previously a Director of Humanities, Dani is passionate about empowering staff and students to succeed. She has a forthcoming publication focused on middle leadership and passionately asserts that addressing behavioural issues is crucial before diving into the academic curriculum.

In this episode, Dani offers heartfelt views on leadership, including honest reflections about her own journey and learnings. You'll also hear about her ground-breaking new CPD development programme being rolled out at Bedrock partner school, Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy in Stoke-on-Trent.

Katie Chanter is a literacy leader for a large secondary comprehensive school, and has extensive experience of teaching English- including language development in early years. She has successfully implemented Bedrock, both tier 2 and 3 vocabulary, in her school. 

In this podcast, she discusses her gradual approach to a successful implementation, and how she has successfully navigated the territory of gathering and sustaining momentum for tier 3 vocabulary as a whole-school disciplinary literacy tool. 

Discover how to ignite a passion for reading and learning in your students with insights from Val Dewhurst, the dynamic Head of Library and joint Bedrock Learning lead at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School (Quags).

In our latest episode, Val speak to us about the library as the centrepiece of literacy in a school, as well as a place of safety and celebration for young people to come and enjoy reading. 

Ever wondered how AI can revolutionise education? Get ready to meet Patrick Hickey, the AI Teaching Guru, who turned traditional teaching on its head by embracing cutting-edge technology.

This episode features Patrick’s remarkable journey into the world of artificial intelligence, starting with his creative experiment of generating a prequel to the classic movie Home Alone using ChatGPT. We unpack the incredible potential and inherent limitations of AI in the classroom, shedding light on how it can assist in lesson planning, spark creativity, and support both teachers and students - while always emphasising the indispensability of human oversight.

Listen in to discover how educators can leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to simplify administrative tasks, differentiate content, and demystify complex concepts, effectively enhancing the learning experience and granting educators the "superpowers" they need to thrive in today's dynamic educational landscape.

About Patrick Hickey
Patrick Hickey is a teacher of 27 years and one of the UK's foremost thinkers on AI and education. He offers his insights and advice on navigating the exciting- albeit slightly terrifying waters of AI!

What if understanding dyslexia could transform your child's reading experience? Join us as we sit down with dyslexia specialist Sally Raymond, who shares her heartfelt journey into the field, driven by her daughter's struggles with reading. Discover the crucial role parents play in offering unconditional reading support, highlighting how such support can significantly enhance a child's confidence and enjoyment in reading.

Dive into the complex world of dyslexia as Sally explains the brain's difficulty with symbolic language and how it impacts reading fluency. Learn about the concept of unconditional reading support, where parents provide immediate help on any word a child hesitates on, thus maintaining the flow of meaning and making reading enjoyable. Additionally, we chat with Sally about her books and her journey as an author, offering our listeners a chance to understand her creative process and the inspiration behind her work. Don't miss this enlightening conversation that promises to empower parents and educators alike.

About Sally Collard:
Over the past thirty years Sally (a qualified teacher) has studied dyslexia and associated subjects to constantly gain further experience and qualifications in this fascinating and varied topic. She has worked in many different settings supporting learners of all ages, teaching staff and parents to promote approaches to teaching and learning which aim to meet the specific learning needs of the individual.  To explore further, read Sally's book.

Ever wondered what it takes to transform behaviour culture in schools, especially in a post-pandemic world? In our latest podcast, we sit down with Dani Walley to discuss how the pandemic and social media have reshaped student behaviour, leading to challenges like shortened attention spans and reduced socialisation.

Discover the groundbreaking concept of a behaviour curriculum inspired by Tom Bennett's work and learn how to put it into practice. We discuss the essential steps of defining core values such as kindness and resilience, and how these can be translated into observable actions and explicitly taught. This episode offers practical strategies for developing a unified language among staff and creating a safe space for students, aiming to reduce suspensions and exclusions through constructive behaviour management.

By building clear expectations and routines, both students and teachers can thrive. This episode is packed with actionable insights and strategies, making it a must-listen for educators looking to create a supportive and effective learning environment.

About Dani Walley:
Dani is an Assistant Principal leading on teaching, learning and curriculum in a large secondary school. Previously a Director of Humanities, Dani has held a number of middle leadership roles and is passionate about empowering staff and students to succeed; she has a forthcoming publication focussed on middle leadership. She passionately argues that addressing these behavioural issues is crucial before diving into academic curriculum, setting the stage for a more effective learning environment.

In this episode we are joined by Richard Duffy, Assistant Principal for the ARC at Trinity Academy in Halifax. We explore Richard's diverse experiences, including working with NEETs and managing behaviour in school settings, and how these shaped his unique approach to supporting vulnerable learners.   We discuss how the transition from traditional teaching methods to more interactive, discussion-based sessions enriches students' learning experiences and helps them apply these values in real-life situations.

About Richard Duffy:
Richard has had an inspiring career path, taking him from being a military physical training instructor to a pivotal role in education.  He is currently Asst. Principal the ARC, where Richard and his team work tirelessly to instil core values like empathy, honesty, and respect in their students.