requires improvement

042// SEND help! Annual conference roundup 2026 by requires improvement

In this episode Requires Improvement take a look at recent developments in organizing within our workplaces and local area, followed by a thorough analysis of Labour's curriculum review proposals, flag etiquette, breakfast clubs and the NEU's forthcoming special conference. Hosted by Nik, who is joined by Daisy, Charlie and Lee.

Big ups to the support staff in the Cathedral Schools Trust!

Articles:

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/curriculum-review-all-the-key-policy-recommendations/

https://www.facebook.com/61578378775352/posts/-after-4-days-of-strike-action-demanding-the-missing-5-months-of-cost-of-living-/122141370098945959/

On this episode of Requires Improvement we host a roundup of the highlights of NEU Annual Conference 2025, discussing motions for national postal ballot on teacher pay, support staff, amalgamation with NASUWT, Ukraine, Palestine, Disarming Education. Hosted by Lee and joined by Steven, Charlie and Nik.

Recorded on 9th May 2025 - Bridget released the STRB report on 22nd May 2025!

Links:

https://www.mishcon.com/news/mishcon-de-reya-secures-consent-order-for-nasuwt-to-reopen-general-secretary-nominations

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/27/uk-teaching-union-leadership-election-challenger-emerges-matt-wrack-neil-butler

Previous Episode on School Elections: https://soundcloud.com/user-889935108/037-assessing-our-new-slt-overlords?si=17d20f4791ee43f3a652a8f304ecfe04&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

In this episode we are joined by guests Amy and Emily, to talk about the UK's "prevent duty" - a controversial facet of the government's counter-terrorism strategy which has recently come under scrutiny due to the Stockport Murders of 2024.

Please find these useful links which are referred to in the discussion:

Amnesty International "Radical Safeguarding Workbook" https://03753e94-107a-4e97-9685-a0dfd7dde70c.usrfiles.com/ugd/03753e_03c2cbbc93a84b24a33c39a4456159bf.pdf

Amnesty International "A Messaging Guide on the Prevent Duty" https://www.amnesty.org.uk/files/2025-01/Prevent%20messaging%20v6.pdf?VersionId=ffZf5kcSGUPiBPUBvb31PSOivWZc9j8X

Emily Collins (2021) "Beyond the Race-neutrality of Prevent: White Britain and the Racialised Threat" https://drive.google.com/file/d/18Wk7egM0gkVX9yYfXpjQMR9JWh72w1CG/view?usp=sharing

Amy Rushton (2024) "The Performativity of Safeguarding - "The 'Radicalisation' of Children and Young People under Prevent: Exposing a Procedural Lacuna" https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U8uqQH1q9EBzf5Iuoic2ut61OdqZMn78/view?usp=sharing

Requires Improvement are honoured to be able to share a podcast featuring our co-host Nik, as he talks about the experiences of being an educator on strike with our dear friends and comrades at People Just Do Something, of the Bristol Cable.

Episode: People Just Do Something, with striking teacher Nik on trade unionism’s ‘ethical gravy train’

What is a strike? What are trade unions for? How can you organise your workplace? Teacher and NEU rep Nik steps away from the picket line for a ‘union bro love-in’ with Isaac that answers these questions and more.

People Just Do Something is a relaxing and possibly enraging podcast about people who might self-identify as activists. Join professional busybody Isaac Kneebone-Hopkins, The Bristol Cable’s in-house Columbo, Priyanka Raval and a special guest each week as they attempt to untangle the means of effecting change in Bristol, broken Britain and beyond. Episodes release every other week with the first season spanning 6 episodes. To secure the future of the show and The Bristol Cable, head to www.thebristolcable.org/join

New episodes are posted on the Bristol Cable's page here: https://thebristolcable.org/category/podcasts/people-just-do-something/

Requires Improvement are back again, here to discuss co-hosts Lee and Anu's recent experiences of volunteering for Care4Calais on the English-French border. We conclude by taking a look at recent education headlines and the direction of travel being set by the new government. Hosted by Nik, and joined by co-host Charlie.

Links:

Care4Calais: https://care4calais.org/

Bristol Transformed Education and Socialism Events can be found here: https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/checkout/bristol-transformed

Reading Lists for Session 1 "Bullshit Pedagogy"

Bullshit Pedagogy - Stuart Bracewell - pages 6-7 here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x33gWKSltMyWNASTJXUdAyrKOL-vI8Ua/view?usp=drive_link

David Graeber - ‘On the phenomena of bullshit jobs’ - a short article which inspired the book https://libcom.org/article/phenomenon-bullshit-jobs-david-graeber

Bullshit Jobs - available on Spotify as an audiobook.

Reading List for Session 2 "Deschooling Society"

Quick/Easy:

This short article outlining Illich's arguments with a critique and link to the experience of education under lockdown:

https://davidbuckingham.net/2021/04/14/deschooling-society-revisiting-ivan-illich-after-lockdown/

Core:

Deschooling Society by Illich (1971)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RCdZfnAct3rK_aTjEHBI0sZbwEeg5YFq/view

https://open.spotify.com/show/63Rj31XHonTUXx2VH8I3jA?si=af3f365cd5664fcf

Longer/Advanced:

A critique of Illich by Gintis, a Marxist who came up with a well-know critique of schools under capitalism 'the hidden curriculum

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RCdZfnAct3rK_aTjEHBI0sZbwEeg5YFq/view?usp=drive_link

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1O2brl9WPj3jdhwFIce5U?si=f097c82c8a824de1

Recorded 18th July 2024

In this episode of Requires Improvement we are discussing the recent general election, how mock elections are done in schools, a review of the likely direction of travel for education policy under the new government, and ending with a righteous trashing of the Cass Report and some celebrations of recent local union fights. Hosted by Nik, who is joined by Charlie, Lauren and Lee.

Get in touch with us with any queries, feedback or ideas on twitter/X https://x.com/requirespod

Requires Improvement are back with a round-up of this year's NEU annual conference, the highlights (and low-lights) concerning democratic motions for industrial action on pay, support staff, international solidarity with Palestine and "New Professionals and Young Workers" - and more! Hosted by Nik alongside co-hosts Charlie and Anu, with a debut appearance from our good comrade Steve.

Catch us on twitter @requirespod

Requires Improvement return with a discussion on how to get Palestine on the agenda in schools, with additional topics including the DfE's latest school attendance campaign, and how things appear to be going from bad to worse for the government's favoured entry route into teaching "Teach First". Hosted by Nik alongside co-hosts Anu, Daisy and Lee.

Check out the podcast Surviving Society with guest and friend of the show Vik Chechi-Ribeiro https://on.soundcloud.com/rHVEZ

As the 2022-2023 teacher's pay dispute against the UK government is concluded, the Requires Improvement team offer our reflections on what has been achieved through industrial action, what we need to do better for next time and what the future opportunities could be. We also take a look at Labour's plans for promoting "oracy" in schools alongside concerns regarding rumoured plans by the Department of Education to bring in discriminatory safeguarding regulations for LGBTQIA+ students and what educators can do in response. This episode is hosted by Nik, who is joined by Tom, Lee and Charlie.

If you would like to get in touch for feedback or collaboration please email [email protected] or DM us on twitter @requirespod https://twitter.com/requirespod

Links to the Articles mentioned:

https://www.rs21.org.uk/2023/08/01/school-strikes-results-and-prospects/

https://notesfrombelow.org/article/struggles-railways-critical-reflections-engineer

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/revealed-the-full-details-of-labours-education-mission/