requires improvement

In this simultaneously reflective and forward looking 1 year anniversary episode of Requires Improvement, we consider the current state of the education sector given the tumultuous events of the last six months both in UK politics and society at large. We start with a focus on the Labour Party and the sacking of shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey, and then we consider what deep organizing and the thinking of Jane McAlevey can offer Trade Unionists in this moment. We also enter into a discussion about a surge of interest in anti-racist teaching in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests and what decolonising the curriculum means, and we conclude by discussing what we see as the dangers lurking ahead for a proposed September re-opening of schools. This episode is hosted by Anu, along with co-hosts Nik, Charlie, Tom and Lee.

Links to discussed content:

UTLA statement: https://www.utla.net/sites/default/files/samestormdiffboats_final.pdf

McAlevey on organic leaders and deep organising : https://youtu.be/bl6P_2jt_Vs

Eric Blanc article on current situation in US: https://www.jacobinmag.com/2020/07/coronavirus-school-reopening-teachers-strikes

Christian Cooper incident:

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/amy-cooper-knew-exactly-what-she-was-doing_n_5ecd1d89c5b6c1f281e0fbc5?ri18n=true

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/amy-cooper-central-park-racist-dog-walker-trump-a9533581.html?fbclid=IwAR019PYXPXgEZ0qLWTZWvgMygofGngdrbyCk_nP9OTtaLvJ9-s-gvDmUiNU

David Olusogah - Black and British: A Forgotten History

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b082x0h6/black-and-british-a-forgotten-history

Akala - Oxford University Address & Q&A on Black History

https://youtu.be/WUtAxUQjwB4

Clips:

"Only had a few ales...get in the back of the van" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ7SzAm92e4

"Meat and you: Partners in Freedom"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR_4h5A5z_A

Following on from our last episode which looked at the history of the Society of Merchant Venturers and their role in promoting the legacy of slave trader Edward Colston, we bring our focus into the present by looking at how the Society of Merchant Venturers has expanded their influence into Bristol's State Education Sector. We discuss their management and ownership of a portfolio of Bristol schools now under the banner of a multi-academy trust, and the questions that should be asked of their approach to education governance, in particular whether comprehensive access to education is safe in their hands. We conclude our discussions by considering the extent to which these issues are emblematic of the academy/faith school system in the UK. We are honoured to be joined on this episode by Christine Townsend, former teacher turned education campaigner and member of the Countering Colston group. Lee is your host for this episode, and he's joined for an initial chat by Requires Improvement co-hosts Nik and Anu.

https://counteringcolston.wordpress.com/

https://twitter.com/countercolston

In this episode of Requires Improvement we react to the recent historic events in Bristol involving the Black Lives Matter protest which saw the removal of a statue of Edward Colston in June 2020. These events have been of international significance and should prompt a deeper discussion and investigation of the slave trade's historical roots in Bristol and the United Kingdom.

We are pleased to welcome interview guest Dr. Roger Ball from the Bristol Radical History Group. We discuss the hidden history of Edward Colston and the Society of Merchant Venturers, the organisation which has sought to enshrine Colston's legacy in Bristol's public places and institutions, a group which still has an influential role in Bristol's governance today - in particular the education system.

We ask questions of what should educators be doing to counter myths in History with the purpose of building an inclusive anti-racist curriculum. Hosted by Lee with co-hosts Lauren and Tom.

Please visit the Bristol Radical History Group's website for more in depth articles on these topics: https://www.brh.org.uk/site/

The book Dr. Roger Ball has co-authored with Mark Steeds on the topic of Bristol's links to the slave trade is available here: https://www.brh.org.uk/site/pamphleteer/from-wulfstan-to-colston/

And an honourable mention to another book referenced in this episode "A Darker History of Bristol" by Derek Robinson: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9214074-a-darker-history-of-bristol

Our guest for this episode is also a member of the Countering Colston campaign, which can be followed here https://counteringcolston.wordpress.com/ and on twitter: https://twitter.com/countercolston?lang=en

In this episode of Requires Improvement we have a full slate of RI co-hosts on board, with Lee as host he is joined by Anu, Charlie, Nick, Lauren and Tom.

We discuss on the government's most recent decision to attempt a re-opening of Primary Schools from 1st June, the response from the National Education Union along with the health and safety implications for education workers. We also take some time to reflect on some of the media and twitter coverage around this issue and close the episode by talking in detail about what we've been doing to help schools get union-organised during this crucial time.

In this 2nd quarantine episode of Requires Improvement your hosts Tom, Nick, Charlie, Lauren and Lee come together in a zoom call to discuss the recent media speculation as to when schools should re-open, the past and future of education policy in the Labour party, and what you can be doing to help build union power under lockdown.

In the latest installment of Requires Improvement, Nick hosts our first episode under quarantine. What does the corona crisis mean for education? We discuss the weeks that led the UK government to announce school closures as well as the implications for teachers, parents, children and beyond. In addition, we'll be hearing what it's like to be an educator in a UK prison right now.

What will it mean for exams to be cancelled? How will education in schools, homes and prisons look going forward? What are the implications and opportunities arising from this present moment? We'll be answering these questions and more, sharing our experiences of what it's been like on the ground as an educator during the covid-19 crisis.

In this bumper episode of Requires Improvement we are treating you to a stacked lineup of guest interviews from March 2020's edition of Bristol Transformed.

Just to briefly explain what Bristol Transformed is, it’s a three-day festival of politics and culture featuring guests from all over the UK and abroad, who gather in Bristol to discuss and debate exciting ideas emerging from the Left.

Coming up we have a chat with Professor Madhu Krishnan and Dr. Vicky Canning who are Bristol-based academics and activists talking to us about colonialism in the education sector, as well as a little bit about the recent University Strikes, followed up by a quick interview with Riley Quinn, host of Trashfuture Podcast about Bristol’s history and the podcasting lifstyle, then we are treated to a conversation with Requires Improvement Co-host (and friend of the show) Nick, talking to us about his workshop on How to Talk about Politics with your Neighbour. Then to round things off we have two larger interviews, firstly with union organiser Matt Hollinshead where we discuss how to practically go about building union power in your workplace, and then we were very fortunate to sit down with journalist Sarah Jaffe about teacher unions and strikes in the USA and the importance of authentic community engagement in building an education reform movement.

Featured Guests and Timestamps:

Professor Madhu Krishnan and Senior Lecturer Vicky Canning - 3m20s

https://www.ucu.org.uk/news

Riley Quinn, host of Trashfuture Podcast - 15m19s

https://trashfuturepodcast.podbean.com/

Requires Improvement Co-host Nick - 25m50s

Simon Munnery as "Alan Parker - Urban Warrior" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrf-PRYPxr8

Matt Hollinshead - Union Organiser - 43m15s

https://www.facebook.com/Bristolunionschool/

Sarah Jaffe - Journalist - 1 hour 19m30s

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/student-organizers-protesting-random-weapons-searches

https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/la-teachers-strike-utla-victory-agreement/

Requires Improvement has returned for 2020 with hosts Lauren, Nick, Charlie and Lee as they take stock of the situation following the UK General Election of 2019. Some personal reflections on this important event are followed by requires improvement insights into school funding, sexism in vintage BBC history clips, the poor showing from the NASUWT in the recent GE and a focus on one particular newly elected Tory MP who was a school rep for the aforementioned union. The episode concludes with a reflection on what we can do going forwards (hint: build the union!)

References to articles/podcasts mentioned in this episode:

1) Nathalie Olah "Steal as Much as You Can" https://repeaterbooks.com/product/steal-as-much-as-you-can-how-to-win-the-culture-wars-in-an-age-of-austerity/

Interview in Tribune: https://tribunemag.co.uk/2019/10/steal-as-much-as-you-can

2) David Graeber article: "The Centre Blows Itself Up: Care and Spite in the Brexit Election"

https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2020/01/13/the-center-blows-itself-up-care-and-spite-in-the-brexit-election/

3) Aufhebunga Bunga Episode 101: A disaster foretold https://aufhebungabunga.podbean.com/e/101-uk-election-a-disaster-foretold/

4) Jeremy Gilbert - 6 articles published between 12th-16th January 2020 https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/author/jeremy-gilbert/

Commencing with: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/it-was-centrist-dads-who-lost-it/

5) Media Lens - The Arrogance of the BBC: https://www.medialens.org/2019/the-arrogance-of-bbc-news/

and additionally Media Lens - Dump the Guardian: https://www.medialens.org/2019/dump-the-guardian/

6) Bristol Transformed - a festival bringing radical ideas and culture to the heart of Bristol. https://bristoltransformed.org/

In this special election episode of Requires Improvement hosts Tom, Charlie, Nick, Lauren and Lee delve into the newly released election manifestos of the Liberal Democrats, the Conservative Party and the Labour party. Evaluating the merits of various proposals and considering what they might mean for teachers, students and wider society is the name of the game this week. How timely!

Link to the Labour Tax Impact Calculator site that Charlie mentions:

https://calculate.forlabour.com/

004// Why be a school governor? Faith Schools, Election, Play as Pedagogy feat. Vivian

In this episode the Requires Improvement hosts welcome our 2nd guest - Vivian talks to us about his experiences of being a Primary Governor and we expand the conversation to consider some of the debates around faith schools in the UK.

In our inimitable fashion we kick things off with a look at the forthcoming general election, solidarity with striking teachers at home and abroad, the issue of play in schools and a quick look atthe NASUWT - another teaching union here in the UK.

Don't forget to check us out on twitter @requirespod