Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Frank and Stan Chats
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Frank and Stan Chats
By Frank Norris and Stan JohnsonEducation
Frank and Stan Chats episodes
- Frank and Stan Chat SPOTLIGHT No.14
Every now our channel is contacted by an individual who asks to be a guest. Some of these requests are rejected mainly because the issue to be covered has already had an airing in a previous chat. When Rebecca Hanson contacted us we felt she was going to bring a fresh perspective on a current issue in schools and she didn't disappoint.
Rebecca works as a supply maths teacher in a number of inner city schools in the north of England. She also provides maths tuition for children who are struggling with maths and support for parents who are home educating. She previously spent years providing professional development for primary teachers and teaching assistants, before free sharing professional development and advice for teachers through her RebeccaTheMathsLady YouTube channel. She is also an experienced conference speaker, facilitator and workshop leader and has substantial experience in national-level education policy development and the press and live mainstream media.
The chat covers Rebecca's recent experience of teaching in socially diadvantaged communities and why she feels too many students find mathematics irrelevant and uninteresting. She is clear who is to blame.
It's a spiky chat but one many should watch/listen to.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
48 min - Frank and Stan Chat No. 221This week the two longtime friends chat about personal loss and how it impacts as life rolls by. They then consider how toxic social media has become and reasonable debate and discussion is proving increasingly difficult. This isn't helped when those who should be claiming the higher ground fall well short of the standards expected. A YouGov survey is then considered and how it is being used to influence responses to an important national survey on the future of inspection. Frank then reflects on the possible peerage for the former Chief Inspector and why it has irked him so much. He also considers why it is important that Ofsted only comments on evidence collected by its own inspectors gathered without fear or favour. No guest, just the two of us, just like old times. Enjoy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
38 min - Frank and Stan Chat SPOTLIGHT No. 14
This special SPOTLIGHT edition of the Frank and Stan Chat considers the work of Alan Braven and Anthony Benedict who have a new book being published 31 March called 'Educating Everyone - An introduction to Relational Inclusion in schools'. The book recognises the struggle schools face around funding, behaviour, attendance, increasing rates of exclusions, lack of SEN support and adequate suitable places and teachers leaving the profession. It identifies the present time as a transitional point in history where two camps have formed: the Behaviourists and the Relationalists. It introduces the reader to the idea of Relational Inclusion, tracking the origins of its concept and exploring current thinking around the causation of some of the issues raised, including epigenetics, automatic negative thinking and the deficit narrative.
The chat enables the four colleagues to reflect on how their approaches to behaviour management, inclusion and relationships have changed over time and how they see the challenges now being faced by many children, young people, their families and those who teach.
A fascinating and highly topical chat that also includes a generous 30% book discount using the code FRANKSTAN30 if bought through the Routledge website.
Enjoy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
40 min - Frank and Stan Chat No. 220
This week the two gents are not joined by a guest. We find it hard to believe that some of our followers like it that way. We know, however, that our guests add so much to our weekly chats and we are grateful for their time and commitment. Anyway, today we cover two main issues
1. The recent documentary on the failings within Thames Water and what the lessons are for leadership in education and elsewhere
2. The Interim Francis Curriculum Review Report
The chat meanders a little but it is punchy and direct in terms of our views.
Also, Frank ends by plugging The Alternative Big Consultation survey he is running wioth Prof Colin Richards. The link is at the end of the chat, if you are on video. If you are downloading the chat as a podcast you can find the link at www.thealternativebiglisten.co.uk. It only takes 5 minutes
Enjoy
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
39 min - Frank and Stan Chat No.219
This week Frank and Stan are joined by Rebecca Leek, the author of the recently published book 'The School Ready Governor'. Rebecca has written an insightful and easily accessible book that covers the history and development of the governor role, how effective governance manages to bridge the operational and strategic divide as well as encouraging governors/trustees to be brave and firm when things do not seem right.
The chat includes Stan drawing attention to a mechanical device his father created that includes a 'governor' which he explains is a speed limiter or controller. Rebecca reveals that she intended to mention this in her book but decided to withdraw it before publication. Stan is experiencing the joy of trying to potty train his 2 year old grandson and considers the latest report that identifies what children are expected to be able to do before they start school. He makes the case for a degree of understanding on such matters.
Rebecca then considers how she is managing supporting her father who is in a care home. She references the James Taylor song 'The Secret of Life' which includes the lyric 'the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time'. Frank is also an avid James Taylor fan so the conversation considers how he is abler to write uplifting lyrics when he was facing significant personal challenges. Rebecca also draws in the importance of spiritual development for children and young people.
Finally, Frank remembers his brother Barry, who passed away nearly a year ago. He was a guest on the FRank and Stan Chat on two occasions and was keen to see teachers grabbing back more of the national assessment process.
It's a positive and fascinating chat. We've already booked Rebecca again for a second chat. Still so much ground to cover.
Enjoy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
41 min - Frank and Stan Chat No. 218This week the gents are joined by Paul Ainsworth, a Director of school improvement for a Primary Phase MAT in Eastern England. He's also the author of the seminal books 'No Silver Bullets 1' and 'No Silver Bullets 2'. Frank and Paul have worked together in programmes designed to support future school and trust leaders. Paul's previous guest appearance was very well received and we enjoyed it immensely so we were happy to have a further chat. This week we consider a range of school improvement issues before we got stuck into what caught our eyes this week? For Stan, this was the growth in the number of complaints being handled by schools and how these never seem to reach a conclusion. Paul then considers the topsyturvy world of international politics and what it says about effective leadership before Frank closes the chat with a clip of Frank Dick, the former acclaimed athletics coach explaining what winning really is all about. A great chat, at least we thought it was. We hope you do too. Enjoy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
45 min - Frank and Stan Chat No. 217
Due to Frank's personal circumstances, it has been necessary to move some planned weekly chats around. This has meant that the chat with amazing Rebecca Leek, author of 'The School-Ready Governor', planned for the end of this week has been delayed until the middle of March. We had a planned chat with Ross McGill as part of the SPOTLIGHT series so we asked him if he would follow the usual weekly pattern of our chat, and he agreed.
Ross was our guest last year and proved very popular. His Teacher Toolkit website has over 250k visits each month with nearly 20 million visits to the website since it launched in 2007. He has become particularly interested in neurological conditions and during this chat he explains hopw the knowledge he has gained has affected how he views pupils with ADHD. He also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Ofsted's Parentview survey and how his recent visits to schools is influencing his work. He is left with a deep respect and gratitude for the work of many in the teaching profession.
Stan considers the role of play and whether it is reasonable to expect school to be fun? He prefers it to be enjoyable...most of the time. Frank then summarises his involvement in the Alternative Big Consultation which launched earlier in the week and how he hopes it leads to a better form of inspection.
Enjoy!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
46 min - Frank and Stan Chat No. 215The latest chat is with Kerry Harrison, the Digital Skills Coordinator for the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub. Frank worked with Kerry when he was chair of the Blackpool Education Improvement Board and she was a key figure in engaging schools and Colleges in the digital and STEM drive that Frank led on. In addition to Kerry chatting about her varied career which leads the discussion into skills for employment, transition arrangements, the benefits of cross curricular planning and managing work while also being a parent we also chat about 'the dead cat' theory, gene therapy to regain sight and the negative impact of 'uncontrolled leadership based on false promises'. We loved the chat and we hope you do as well. Enjoy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
39 min - Frank and Stan Chat NO. 214
Our planned guest Ross McGill was unable to make the recording date for this edition so we decided to record a chat between the two of us. Apparently, some of our followers like to have this sort of chat every now and again so here is a treat...for some.
This week we announce that our little video cast/podcast won an award as the most popular education podcast in......wait for it.....OTTAWA! Who would have thought five years ago when these chats started that it would lead to this.
Our chat kicks off with Stan considering the positive and possible negative impact of machine learning on how children learn. Frank makes clear that he is experiencing this sort of learning through his grandchildren and there are some clear benefits but some really significant problems. We then move on to a certain high profile headteacher who met the Secretary of State this week. And then we close by reflecting on the latest SPOTLIGHT edition of our chat with Dr james Mannion that is due to be published on Monday.
Hope you enjoy the return of the two of us.
Frank and Stan
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
31 min - Frank and Stan Chat No. 213Sometimes the choice of guests aligns with a major development in an area they have a keen interest in. This was the case this week when Tracey O'Brien, Headteacher at Wallington High School for Girls and author of 'Rethinking School Inspection' joined the chat to consider the launch of a draft school inspection framework and the announcement by the Secretary of State of a fresh approach to school improvement. With a deep understanding of inspection drawn from 30 years experience Frank and Stan were able to discuss in detail some of the key proposals with Tracey. It's not a complete wipeout in terms of criticisms but there is no holding back. We hope it is helpful and we encourage everyone to contribute to the Ofsted consultation. Enjoy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
43 min
About Frank and Stan Chats
From the publisher's feed
Frank Norris and Stan Johnson have been friends since 1995. Both have had successful and lengthy careers in education. Frank was a very senior HMI with Ofsted for 11 years and was the CEO of the Coop…
Academies Trust for 6 years. Stan was seconded to Ofsted for a year and then returned to headship before working as a senior adviser with Lancashire LA. He has latterly led a successful education consultancy in the North West. Prior to Covid-19, the two gents would meet in Manchester for a pint or two but the pandemic put an end to that. On 1 May 2020, they recorded their first video chat as a way of recording their emotions and reactions to the pandemic. After putting the video on Youtube as a safe place to store it they realised that some followers began to appear. Now, with nearly 180 episodes and having chatted to Professors, CEOs, journalists, teachers, former HMI, education thinkers and Frank's Key Stage 1 leading daughter they have a loyal following and a rapidly increasing number of viewers. The reach of the Frank and Stan Chat stretches from Bogota to Ottawa to Greece and their first Live Edition was recorded in front of nearly 200 Headteachers in York. The Chats are not undertaken to attract followers or for financial reward (nothing is received and nothing will be received). It is a way of airing views on education matters between two professional friends with a focus on leadership. We are honoured to be invited to host the weekly chats on the Leader-connect website www.leader-connect.co.uk. The chats helped the gents get through the pandemic and they are delighted that they have been enjoyed by others and appear to have helped in developing leadership thought and actions. If you fancy being a guest then just reach out. We never post a video unless the guest is comfortable with it. So, it is a relatively risk-free environment. Thank you. Frank and Stan. PS. We were honoured to be identified as one of the Top 50 education and leadership podcasts in THE WORLD!!! We can't believe it, but it appears to be true.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.