In this very special podcast episode, we are joined by members of the Edufuturists Wolfpack from across the UK, all in festive gear and cheer! We loved being joined in the studio by Dave Leonard, Tara Jones, Christine Mayers, Gaz Lewis, Louisa Rose and Naomi Toland. Poppy Lemar was also due to be with us but got struck down by the dreaded small-child-transmitted-end-of-term-itis. Hope you're feeling better soon, Poppy!

We had loads of fun chatting all about our favourite teachers, funniest education moments, what we hope for in 2026 and why it's important to be part of a community. The hour flew by and we definitely could've gone on for hours!

Thanks so much to these folks for joining us. Who knows, next year we might do an in-person Christmas special?! How good would that be - Corden, eat your heart out!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Christmas Special

01:10 Meet the Guests

03:06 Why We Love The Wolfpack Community

06:09 The Importance of Connection in Education

09:47 Radical Candour

11:40 Funny Stories from the Classroom

24:32 Teachers Who Made a Difference

26:47 The Impact of Inspirational Teachers

35:49 The Power of Connection in Education

45:03 Wishes for the Future of Education

51:22 Quickfire Questions

Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.

Ben & Steve x

Championing those who are making the future of education a reality.

Connect with our awesome guests:

Naomi Toland is a wellbeing specialist and founder of Soshi Emoshi.

Dave Leonard is Director of IT at Watergrove Trust and multiple Edufuturists Award winner.

Gaz Lewis is Reference Program Manager at Google for Education.

Tara Jones is the Director of Education for Greenhouse, winner of our Diversity & Inclusion Champion award in 2025.

Christine Mayers is a former teacher and Head of Education & Training at Elementary Tech.

Poppy Lemar is The Teacher with the Pink Hair, an EYFS specialist and education influencer

Louisa Rose is CEO of youth mental health charity Beyond and the founder of Now and Beyond – a pioneering digital platform relaunching in 2026 that bridges the gap in access between educators and mental health lesson materials. It's forward thinking, giving you access to the most engaging resources all in one place but most importantly - it's youth approved.

Louisa is passionate about creating platforms that empower young people like Beyond's Youth Board to use their lived experiences to shape change. A former social media professional, Louisa reflects on the ways that addictive technology and persuasive design has come to intersect the lives of young people, and our own, with dramatic implications. A regular speaker on the subject, Louisa seeks to empower young people and grown ups with the tools they need to reclaim control of their digital habits.

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From 3–6 February 2026, ISE returns to Barcelona, uniting the brightest minds and boldest ideas in the edtech industry. Join us and Push Beyond the possibilities that are transforming the classroom of tomorrow.

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