Educator’s Corner

By Kai Vacher

The Educator’s Corner podcast offers engaging conversations with educators from all over the world about the issues, challenges and opportunities we are facing in our schools and our communities. Crea... more

· Education

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How many episodes does Educator’s Corner have?

The podcast currently has 30 episodes available.

Educator’s Corner episodes:

May 07, 2026Live Special: Reimagining Secondary Schooling for a Changing World
Hybrid schooling is more than just an emergency fix for a rainy day.
For many educators and families, online learning still carries the heavy baggage of the pandemic. It was seen as a means of survival rather than a promising new model. But as regional conflicts and extreme weather events force schools to close at short notice, is it time to move beyond the "emergency zoom" and embrace a more sophisticated, hybrid model of education?
In this special live episode, Kai Vacher is joined by educational consultant Mark Steed. Together, they reflect on their recent Reimagining Secondary Schooling conference and discuss why hybrid learning is not just a crisis response or a trend, but a fundamental shift in how we approach teaching and learning.
Tune in to discover:
Why hybrid is a credible response to the attendance and recruitment crises
How decoupling learning from childcare can lead to better school design
Why online teaching is a skill set that requires its own training
How remote teaching is enabling schools to recruit talent from around the world
About Our Guest
Mark Steed is the Director and Consultant at Steed Education, which specialises in educational consultancy support for Schools Groups, U.K. independent schools, and English-speaking international schools. Read more about Mark here.

In this episode, Mark and Kai weigh in on:
01:51 Mark’s 20-year journey into educational technology and disruptive models
04:56 Takeaways from the Reimagining Secondary Schooling 2026 conference
06:07 Why hybrid schooling is here to stay: Factors driving school redesign
08:32 Why online learning still has a bad reputation and how we can fix it
10:08 The difference between "Home Learning" and "Hybrid Schooling"
13:41 Case Study: The 6-year evolution of blended learning at British School Salalah
15:05 Why teacher training must include online pedagogy as an annual requirement
21:54 Dealing with "Rainy Day" school closures through hybrid readiness
24:54 How to respond to the rise of the "Digital Nomad" teacher
30:26 Why schools must invest in R&D now to survive.

Resources
Reimagining Secondary Schooling 2026 Report — Steed Education
Ian Yorston on the future of education — Steed Education, YouTubeSelina Boyd on the future of education — Steed Education, YouTube

KaiPod News
Keep the conversation going with KaiPod News — a monthly newsletter from Kai Vacher sharing insights, stories, and strategies from education leaders around the world. Subscribe here.
Save the Date
Join Mark and Kai in person at the Reimagining Secondary Schooling conference🗓️Tuesday 19 January 2027📍Pearson Education, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RLℹ️Register your interest here
Related episodes:
Episode 21 - Heading Towards Hybrid? With Mark SteedEpisode 24 - Inside the UK's fastest growing school (with Hugh Viney)Episode 26 - Why 50% of Secondary School Students Have Stopped Trying (with Jenny Anderson)
CreditsHosted by Kai VacherA BSM BSS productionPost-production by Communicating for Impact
Report Research by Lauren Martin at Simply Copy
...more
38min
February 12, 2026Beyond School Improvement | In Conversation with Professor Deborah Eyre
For nearly half a century, the school improvement model has been the gold standard for educational quality. But in a fast-changing, complex world, is a checklist for general competence enough to prepare students for the future?
In this episode, Kai sits down with Professor Deborah Eyre to challenge the traditional inspection paradigm. Together, they explore how schools can shift from a deficit-based compliance model to a trust-based system of world-class excellence.
Tune into this episode to discover:
Why the current school inspection model takes the joy out of education
How to move from "Good" to "World Class" for every single learner
The power of aligned autonomy in professional development
Why the UK suffers from educational short-termism and how to fix it

About Our Guest
Professor Deborah Eyre is a global education leader, researcher, and the founder of High Performance Learning (HPL). A pioneer in the field of gifted and talented education, Deborah has spent her career helping schools worldwide move beyond median competence to achieve genuine excellence. Her latest work marks the 10th anniversary of HPL, offering a roadmap for schools to redesign their approach to focus on quality and capability instead of compliance.
In this episode, Deborah and Kai weigh in on:
02:46 Why school improvement has had its day
08:36 How school inspection turns professionals into technicians
11:22 What happens when the Ofsted grade trumps a school’s vision
15:46 How to guarantee success for all, not just the few
21:54 A case study in HPL: Wales International School
24:53 Education with students, not to them
28:49 Building a trust-based accountability framework
38:09 The problem of political short-termism in education
43:49 First steps for leaders: Moving toward aligned autonomy
46:16 Why we must never underestimate a child

Resources
High Performance Learning: How to Become a World Class School (10th Anniversary Edition) — Professor Deborah Eyre
High Performance Learning — Founded by Prof Deborah Eyre
The Centre for Education Action Research — Founded by Simon O’ConnorDoes School Kill Creativity? (2007) — Sir Ken Robinson, TED
A New Approach to Look Beyond Academic Learning (2021) —Andreas Schleicher, OECD
Oman Across the Ages Museum
What is Social Mobility (2025) — The Sutton Trust

KaiPod News
Keep the conversation going with KaiPod News — a monthly newsletter from Kai Vacher sharing insights, stories, and strategies from education leaders around the world. Subscribe here.

Related episodes:
Episode 23 — Is Kindness the Key to Effective Leadership (with Joanna Povall)
Episode 12 — Beyond Ofsted, Curriculum Reform and AI (with Lord Jim Knight)
Episode 11 — 4 Simple Ways to Support Staff Wellbeing in Schools (with Mark Leppard)

Credits
Hosted by Kai VacherA BSM BSS productionPost-production by Communicating for Impact
Recorded at Story Ninety-Four, Oxford
...more
51min
January 08, 2026Recruiting In a Teacher’s Market: How Top Schools Attract Top Talent
UNESCO estimates that by 2030, we will need an additional 44 million teachers globally. With teacher recruitment challenges reported in state, private and international schools worldwide, the balance of power is shifting.

How can schools attract and retain quality staff in such a challenging market?

In this episode, Kai welcomes Leisa Grace Wilson (Teach Middle East), Laura Rigney (Teacher Horizons), and Mark Leppard MBE (British School Al Khubairat) to dissect the global teacher recruitment crisis.

Together, this power panel explores:
The changing dynamics of salary negotiation
The rise of the Gen Z teacher who demands flexibility
The potential of hybrid learning for hard-to-fill positions
The importance of safer recruitment in a desperate market

About Our Guests

Leisa Grace Wilson is the Editorial Director for Teach Middle East Magazine, schoolfinder.ae and host of the Teach Middle East podcast, known for connecting and empowering educators across the region.

Laura Rigney is the Director of School Services at Teacher Horizons. A former maths teacher, she has spent over eight years recruiting teachers and leaders for schools worldwide.

Mark Leppard MBE is the Headmaster at the British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi. A veteran education leader in the Middle East, Mark offers a top-tier school's perspective on maintaining quality amidst teacher shortages.

In this episode, experts weigh in on:
03:58 Is it really a teacher’s market?
05:16 The view from a top-tier international school
07:45 What today’s candidates are negotiating (and getting)
11:02 Salary disparities and the stepping stone trend
14:29 What Gen Z teachers look for in schools
17:03 Why salary transparency breeds trust
19:36 Are family packages shrinking?
22:55 The dealbreakers: Age caps, visas, and compliance
25:25 Remote teachers for hard-to-fill roles
30:21 Raising the bar on safer recruitment
37:41 The rise of the TikTok Teacher
40:29 Tips for teachers looking to make a career move

Resources
British International Schools Safeguarding Coalition
How the world’s best-performing school systems come out on top - McKinsey & Company (2007)
Overseas regulatory reform updates - COBIS

KaiPod News
Keep the conversation going with KaiPod News — a fortnightly newsletter from Kai Vacher sharing insights, stories, and strategies from education leaders around the world. Subscribe here.

Related episodes:
Episode 19 — Beyond the Myths: Your Guide to International Teaching (with Laura Rigney)

Episode 16 — Your guide to teaching in the UAE (with Leisa Grace Wilson)

Episode 11 — 4 Simple Ways to Support Staff Wellbeing in Schools (with Mark Leppard)

Credits
Hosted by Kai Vacher
A BSM BSS production
Post-production by Communicating for Impact
...more
46min
November 13, 2025 Understanding the World’s Most Diverse Education System | In Conversation with Avyakt Sethi
With over 240 million students and 1.5 million schools, India’s education system is arguably the most diverse globally. Shaped by its population, governance, culture, and openness to external models, it is an example of pluralism in action. So what does learning look like across such a vast landscape?
In this episode, Kai begins an exploration of the Indian education system with fellow podcaster Avyakt Sethi, the creator of Schoolcast. Drawing on conversations from Indian schools and their communities, Avyakt sheds light on the academic rigour of India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the drive towards holistic development in one of the most varied educational environments.

About Our Guest
Avyakt Sethi is the creator and host of Schoolcast, India's first dedicated school education podcast. Drawing on conversations with diverse voices from Indian schools and their communities, Avyakt offers a unique perspective on the rapid changes in India's education sector.

Resources
How School Education Differs in CBSE and International Schools — Schoolcast
ANA Ed Talks interview with Kai Vacher — Aspee Nutan Academy
National Education Policy (NEP) — The policy driving reform in Indian education

KaiPod News
Keep the conversation going with KaiPod News — a fortnightly newsletter from Kai Vacher sharing insights, stories, and strategies from education leaders around the world. Subscribe here.

Related episodes:
Episode 14 — The AI-proof Skills Our Students Need (with Leo Thompson)
Episode 6 — The Global Teacher Recruitment Crisis (with Mark Steed)
Special thanks
Thank you to our listeners, Hannah, Joanna, and Ben, for their excellent questions, and to Deniece Wheeler of COBIS for her insightful query about the international school market in India.

Credits
Hosted by Kai Vacher
A BSM BSS production
Post-production by Communicating for Impact
...more
28min
October 09, 2025Why 50% of Secondary School Students Have Stopped Trying and How We Can Fix It | With Jenny Anderson
Why are so many young people disengaged from learning — and what can parents and educators do about it?
That’s the question that journalist Jenny Anderson seeks to answer in her book, The Disengaged Teen. Alongside co-author Rebecca Winthrop, Jenny unpicks why so many teenagers have switched off from school and presents evidence-based strategies to help reignite their love of learning.

In this episode, Jenny joins Kai to share:
What ‘student engagement’ really means beyond grades or behaviour
The four modes of student engagement and how to identify them
Why 50% of teens spend most of their time at school in one mode - and why this presents a huge challenge
How agency and the “zone of proximal development” support real learning
Simple strategies for parents and teachers to increase student engagement

In this episode, Kai and Jenny discuss:
05:30 What student engagement really means — beyond behaviour
07:41 Why disengagement is one of the biggest challenges facing schools
10:13 The four modes of engagement: passenger, achiever, resister, explorer
17:28 Passenger mode: the “invisible middle” of the classroom
23:24 Achiever mode and the hidden costs of perfectionism
27:32 The challenges and opportunities of Resister mode
32:21 Signs a student is in Explorer mode and how to cultivate it
35:06 Practical strategies for parents and educators to foster agency and increase engagement
43:04 How AI is creating more passengers — and what to do about it
About Our Guest
Jenny Anderson is a journalist and co-author of The Disengaged Teen with Rebecca Winthrop. A former finance reporter for the New York Times, Jenny now writes about education, parenting, and human development. Her work explores how families and schools can support adolescents in moving from compliance or resistance into curiosity, agency, and meaningful engagement.

Resources
The Disengaged Teen — book website
Jenny’s Substack: How to Be Brave
Rebecca Winthrop’s LinkedIn newsletter: Winthrop’s World of Education

KaiPod News
Enjoyed this episode? Keep the conversation going with KaiPod News — a fortnightly newsletter from Kai Vacher sharing fresh insights, stories, and strategies from education leaders around the world. Subscribe here.

Related episodes:
Episode 24 — Inside the Fastest Growing School in the UK (with Hugh Viney)
Episode 17 — Why have Children Stopped Reading (with Daisy Christodoulou)

Credits
Hosted by Kai Vacher
A BSM BSS production
Post-production by Communicating for Impact
...more
51min
September 25, 2025Mental Health in Schools: How Can Leaders Support Student and Staff Wellbeing?
Stress, staffing pressures, and rising student needs mean schools can’t leave mental health to chance. But how do you move from creating policies to embedding awareness across a whole team?
In this episode, Kai talks to George Peterkin, a qualified teacher, accredited therapeutic counsellor, and founder of Mind Your Health. George has been delivering Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training at British School Muscat, equipping staff with practical tools, language, and culture-shaping habits that make mental health awareness part of our everyday.

They discuss:
What Mental Health First Aid is and how it differs from wellbeing
Practical tools staff can use to support student and colleague wellbeing
Why schools should consider using student artwork to deliver mental health education
How to embed MHFA into daily routines across the school curriculum

About Our Guest
George Peterson is a qualified teacher, accredited therapeutic counsellor, and founder of Mind Your Health Limited. He delivers Mental Health First Aid training and practical wellbeing programmes for schools and organisations worldwide, blending evidence-based strategies with engaging, classroom-tested practice.

Resources
Mind Your Health Limited website
George Peterkin on LinkedIn

KaiPod News
Enjoyed this episode? Keep the conversation going with KaiPod News — a fortnightly newsletter from Kai Vacher sharing fresh insights, stories, and strategies from education leaders around the world. Subscribe here.

Related episodes:
Episode 23 — Is Kindness the Key to Effective Leadership (with Joanna Povall)
Episode 18 — How to Develop Empathy as a Teacher or School Leader (with Ed Kirwan)

Credits
Hosted by Kai Vacher
A BSM BSS production
Post-production by Communicating for Impact

In this episode, Kai and George discuss:
3:34 How George went from classics teacher to MHFA trainer
3:23 What is Mental Health First Aid?
5:42 Why empowerment is key to promoting mental health in schools
6:38 Practical skills for mental health education
10:10 The real impact of MHFA training on staff and students
14:31 Small culture shifts that have a huge impact on wellbeing
25:19 Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable
...more
33min
September 11, 2025How did Minerva Virtual Academy become the UK's fastest growing school? In conversation with Hugh Viney
With 1.28 million students persistently absent from school in the UK, it’s clear that the traditional classroom isn’t the right fit for everyone. But what does that mean for the future of education? For many families, the answer lies online.
In this episode, Kai talks to Hugh Viney, founder and CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy. Starting with just four students in 2021, Minerva now supports over 1,200 learners worldwide. It has become the UK’s fastest-growing school and a shining example of how online learning can help meet the diverse needs of today’s students.
They discuss:
Why online education is better than traditional schooling for some families
How Minerva Virtual Academy grew from 4 to 1,200 students in just four years
The role of one-to-one mentoring, flexibility, and community in student success
Hugh’s vision for the future of global education

In this episode, Kai and Hugh discuss:
2:48 Which students thrive at Minerva Virtual Academy?
5:36 Inside the flipped model, where 60% of lessons are self-directed
6:11 How MVA ensures every student gets personalised attention
7:13 Building a real global community
8:43 What does a typical week at MVA look like?
22:24 The real impact of virtual learning on results and attendance
27:25 How MVA plans to expand beyond the UK

About Our Guest
Hugh Viney is the founder and CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy, the UK’s fastest-growing school. Launched in 2021, Minerva serves over a thousand students across 60 countries, offering GCSEs and A-levels through a flexible online model that combines self-directed learning, live lessons, and weekly one-to-one mentoring. Hugh is also the founder of Minerva Tutors and has been recognised as a pioneer in reshaping education for the modern era.

ResourcesMinerva Virtual Academy website
Classlist (Parent community app)
Pupil absence in schools in England. Autumn 2024/25

KaiPod News
Enjoyed this episode? Keep the conversation going with KaiPod News — a fortnightly newsletter from Kai Vacher sharing fresh insights, stories, and strategies from education leaders around the world. Subscribe here.

Related episodes:
Episode 20 - Going Remote: the solution to the teacher recruitment crisis? With Mark Steed
Episode 13 - Why AI must not replace teachers. With Priya Lakhani

Credits
Hosted by Kai Vacher
A BSM BSS production
Post-production by Communicating for Impact
...more
40min
August 28, 2025Is Kindness the Key to Effective School Leadership? In Conversation with Joanna Povall
What are the qualities of a good school leader? Many people point to traits like confidence, decisiveness and resilience. But could kindness be the real key to bringing the best out in your team?
In this episode, Kai talks to Joanna Povall, Principal of Wales International School in Abu Dhabi, to explore why kindness is the sharpest tool a leader has.
They discuss:
What it means to lead with kindness
Why being kind isn’t a weakness, but a strength
How compassion helps leaders navigate challenges and bring the best out of their staff
Joanna’s CHASE framework to show kindness as an education leader

In this episode, Kai and Joanna discuss:
02:43 How Princess Diana’s legacy shapes school culture
04:04 Why being kind is an important leadership quality, not a weakness
10:09 Joanna’s CHASE framework for leading with kindness
16:26 Why kindness and accountability go hand in hand
20:14 Words we should avoid as educators
25:56 Tips for keeping ego in check while showing strength
29:07 How “chasing kindness” transforms
34:04 Joanna’s advice to aspiring leaders

About Our Guest
Joanna Povall is the Principal of Wales International School, Abu Dhabi, named in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales. A respected international school leader, she is the creator of the CHASE framework for kindness in leadership. Joanna speaks regularly at conferences worldwide and is the author of an upcoming book on leadership and kindness.

Resources
Scott, K. (2017). Radical Candor. St. Martin's Press
Folkman, J. (2022). The Power of Kindness in Leadership. Forbes
Wales International School, Abu Dhabi (@walesinternationalschool6422)

KaiPod News
Enjoyed this episode? Keep the conversation going with KaiPod News — a fortnightly newsletter from Kai Vacher sharing fresh insights, stories, and strategies from education leaders around the world. Subscribe here.

Related episodes of Educator’s Corner:
Episode 18: Connecting with Empathy with Ed Kirwan
Episode 14: Could this be more important than AI? with Leo Thompson

Credits
Hosted by Kai Vacher
A BSM BSS production
Post-production by Communicating for Impact
...more
47min
July 02, 2025Saving the Ocean, the Planet and Our Future (with Jeroen van de Waal)
What does it mean to find your ikigai, and why might that be the key to saving our planet?
In this episode, Kai talks to Jeroen van de Waal, founder of OrcaNation, the BlueBeat Group and The Reef Company. Following a lively keynote session at British School Muscat, Jeroen reflects on his journey from corporate CEO to ocean conservationist and how he's on a mission to reconnect 8 billion people with nature.
In this episode, Kai and Jeroen discuss:
01:49 Jeroen’s mission (and how it started)
05:30 Unlocking a different way of thinking
07:14 A corporate social responsibility plan
10:38 Discovering ikigai during garden leave
12:30 How the BlueBeat Group was born
14:15 Why experiential learning matters more than ever
18:03 The power of purpose and how to find it
23:22 Why life skills are critical in the age of AI
25:55 Practical steps we can take to support ocean health
32:20 Quickfire student Q&A
About Our Guest
Jeroen van de Waal is the founder of the BlueBeat Group, OrcaNation, and The Reef Company. A former corporate CEO turned conservationist, Jeroen now leads global initiatives in ocean education, reef regeneration, and tech-for-good projects, including underwater satellite systems. His mission: to save the ocean, the planet, and ourselves.
Resources
OrcaNation website
The Ocean Cleanup – Boyan Slat website
Chan Kim, W. and Mauborgne, R. (2005). Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant. Harvard Business Review Press.
Waal, J. (2024). Together We Can Turn Tides: A Manifesto to Save the Oceans, Planet & Ourselves. Rethink Press
Related episodes of the Educator’s Corner podcast:
Episode 14: Could this be more important than AI? With Leo Thompson
Episode 13: Why AI must not replace teachers with Priya Lakhani
Special Thanks
A big thank you to Brody, Joel, Hassen, Vrinda, Nour, and all the students who asked Jeroen questions during his visit to British School Muscat.
Credits
Hosted by Kai Vacher
Produced by Alfie B, Stuart Pardoe, Zoe Snell, and Marion James
A BSM BSS production
Post-production by Communicating for Impact
...more
37min
May 31, 2025Heading Towards Hybrid? With Mark Steed
Could hybrid schools be the answer? Mark Steed returns to the Educator’s Corner podcast to continue the conversation on remote teaching, flexible models, and reimagining the future of schooling.
Following their packed session at the COBIS Conference in London, Kai and Mark pick up where they left off. In this episode, they explore how innovative teaching models could help address two major challenges: teacher recruitment and student attendance.
In this episode, Kai and Mark discuss:
01:26 Why some schools have no choice but to go hybrid
06:21 Why paying teachers more isn’t the whole solution
07:15 What good remote teaching looks like post-COVID
10:01 The 25% problem: student absence and disengagement
13:10 The rise of online schools and the case for hybrid
22:30 Designing the Hybrid Academy: layout, tech, and student flow
27:10 How hybrid offers flexibility for both teachers and learners
30:47 From cost-cutting to curriculum expansion: the hybrid advantage

About Our Guest
Mark Steed is the Director and Consultant at Steed Education, which specialises in educational consultancy support for Schools Groups, U.K. independent schools, and English-speaking international schools. Read more about Mark here.
Resources
COBIS website
The Good Schools Guide
Jestico + Whiles - Architects of the ‘hybrid academy’
Steed Education – consultancy services
Related episodes of the Educator's Corner podcast:
Episode 19: Beyond the Myths: Your guide to international teaching with Laura Rigney
Episode 20: Going Remote: the solution to the teacher recruitment crisis? With Mark Steed
Save the Date
Join Mark and Kai in person for an open conversation about hybrid schooling and reimagining the future of education.
🗓️ Tuesday 20 January 2026
📍 Location TBC. Follow Kai and Mark on LinkedIn for updates
Credits
Hosted by Kai Vacher
A BSM BSS production
...more
43min

FAQs about Educator’s Corner:

How many episodes does Educator’s Corner have?

The podcast currently has 30 episodes available.