Rethinking Education

We’re back for Season 6! In this reflective episode, James and David catch up after the summer and explore the “big idea” that’s been emerging across recent blogs and conversations: there is more to human development than learning about subjects.

They discuss the need for schools to make space for personal growth, wellbeing, and learner effectiveness alongside subject learning – and why our current focus on a purely knowledge-rich curriculum isn’t enough to prepare young people for life beyond school.

Along the way, they talk about theatre, conferences, politics, art, and the Everybody Thriving unconference in Manchester.

⏱️ Highlights

Catching up after summer: Edinburgh Fringe, Fringe Review, and the Lost Lear play at the Traverse Theatre (00:01:00)

James’s trip to the EARLI Conference in Austria and the international focus on learner effectiveness (00:07:00)

Hundertwasser’s art and architecture in Vienna (00:09:00)

Reflections on feedback from recent Rethinking Education episodes (00:11:00)

The Supervision in Education Conference at St Mary’s University, Twickenham (00:12:00)

The Everybody Thriving unconference in Manchester (00:19:00)

Audrey Tang, the Taiwanese civic hacker and politician, and her ideas on digital democracy (Plurality, GovZero, Pol.is, and presidential hackathons) (00:24:00)

The Education Policy Alliance and “slice politics” – bridging the gap between grassroots innovation and executive power (00:28:00)

The “big idea”: more to human development than subjects – learner effectiveness, self-knowledge, wellbeing, and systems thinking (00:36:00)

Why subject knowledge alone isn’t working: phones, attention, and the post-literate world (00:44:00)

The Learning Skills Curriculum and Who Am I? project (00:47:00)

The Welsh Government’s Learner Effectiveness Programme (00:49:00)

The purpose of education: human development vs. transactional outcomes (00:57:00)

Future guests: Dave Whitaker and Rupert Wegerith (01:05:00)

DON'T BE A STRANGER

The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. Drop us a line at https://www.rethinking-ed.org/contact.

SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST:

Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod

Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod

In this episode, David and James sit down with Jaz Ampaw-Farr to talk about her powerful new book Because of You, This is Me: The stories we tell, the stories we change and the power of everyday heroes. We explore the big themes of the book, including:

The lies we’ve agreed to and how to rewrite them

Why we need a new vocabulary for education

And the everyday heroes who changed the ending for Jaz

Along the way we also touch on the importance of listening to voices of lived experience – a conversation that was sparked by Darren McGarvey’s work and led to some of Jaz’s most insightful reflections.

This episode is a rich mix of personal story, educational insight and practical wisdom.

Links and resources:

Jaz’s book: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/because-of-you-this-is-me

Jaz’s TEDx talk ‘The power of everyday heroes’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3xoZXSW5yc

Jaz’s website: https://jazampawfarr.com/

Find out more about the Open School: https://www.theopenschool.uk/

Enjoyed the episode?

Please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with a friend or colleague. You can also support the podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/repod

Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI

The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean.

In this wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation, we're joined by teacher and researcher Richard Bustin, author of the fascinating new book What Are We Teaching?

We delve deep into some of the biggest questions in curriculum and pedagogy today – from the concept of powerful knowledge to the ongoing tensions between progressivism and traditionalism in education. What does it mean to teach in a way that builds pupils' capabilities – not just their test scores? And how can we balance a knowledge-rich curriculum with professional teacher autonomy?

Richard brings a rare blend of classroom insight, research rigour, and philosophical curiosity to this conversation. We discuss:

What powerful knowledge is – and isn’t

How geography “went woke”

Whether the progressivism vs traditionalism debate is helpful or reductive

Why a focus on capabilities might offer a richer way forward

The risks of top-down curriculum mandates

And why teacher professionalism and trust matter more than ever

This is a rich and energising listen for anyone who cares deeply about what – and how – we teach.

Richard Bustin is a secondary geography teacher and doctoral researcher with a focus on curriculum studies, powerful knowledge, and geo-capabilities. His book What Are We Teaching? (2025) is a compelling invitation to examine the deeper messages embedded in our teaching and to reclaim the professional agency of teachers as curriculum-makers.

Links and resources:

Follow Richard https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-bustin-165b7019b/

What are we teaching? https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/what-are-we-teaching

Enjoyed the episode?

Please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with a friend or colleague. You can also support the podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/repod

Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI

The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean.

In this powerful and practical conversation, Dr James Mannion and The Real David Cameron are joined by the inspirational Amjad Ali – teacher, leader, inclusion expert, founder of Try This Teaching and author of A Little Guide for Teachers: SEND in Schools – to explore what it would take to fix the SEND crisis.

With over 20 years of experience across a wide range of educational settings, Amjad brings a wealth of knowledge and deep compassion to the question of how we can better serve learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Together, we explore:

Why the SEND system is currently under such immense pressure

The barriers that children, families and teachers face every day

What inclusion really means – and how to move beyond tokenism

Practical ideas to create more equitable, compassionate classrooms

The mindset shifts needed at every level of the system

This is a must-listen episode for anyone who wants to make education more inclusive, sustainable, and humane – not just for SEND learners, but for everyone.

LINKS

Follow Amjad - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amjadalitrythisteaching/

Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI

DON'T BE A STRANGER

The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean.

SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST:

Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod

Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod

In this joyful and thought-provoking episode, we’re joined by Tom Veck and Andy Hawkings from Rocktopus – the world’s greatest rock band for kids (and educators, as it turns out).

At the last Rethinking Education conference, Tom and Andy did something truly remarkable: in front of a live audience of 500 people, they wrote a brand new song on the spot. With lyrics provided by the audience and four chords chosen entirely at random, they created a tune that’s both hilarious and haunting – and just wait until you hear it. Fair warning: it’s an absolute earworm.

But this episode is more than a musical moment. Tom and Andy – both former teachers – use the lyrics of the song as a springboard for a fascinating conversation about the perks and peculiarities of the English education system. We explore the power of creativity, the limits of conformity, and what it might take to build a system that helps everyone to thrive.

Whether you’re a teacher, parent, policymaker or student, this one’s for you.

In this episode:

A live songwriting experiment with audience participation

Why music and creativity matter more than ever in education

Stories from the classroom – and why Tom and Andy left teaching

Reflections on control, compliance and how to do things differently

We have a narrow curriculum which squeezes out the arts - so let’s rethink education

There is a lack of imagination and not enough fun - so let’s rethink education

Children should be self directed showing us their way let them lead

Transferable skills should be the core of what we teach learn for life

So let’s trust

Let’s be brave

Let’s do what’s right and not what is required

Let’s have fun

Let’s explore

Let’s bring back the love forget the fear of being fired!

We're forced to rank the children as OFSTED ranks the schools - so let’s rethink education

We have a lack of agency - we're trapped inside the system - so let’s rethink education

A place of transformation that embraces community school is the heart

A place to dream a place to play a Place to think and love feeling free

So let’s trust

Let’s be brave

Let’s do what’s right and not what is required

Let’s have fun

Let’s explore

Let’s bring back the love forget the fear of being fired!

Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI

DON'T BE A STRANGER

The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean.

SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST:

Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod

Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod

In this short episode of the Rethinking Education podcast, James Mannion speaks with Dr Kulvarn Atwal – a highly respected headteacher leading not one, but two schools: Highlands Primary and Uphall Primary in East London.

Kulvarn is the author of The Thinking School and The Thinking Teacher, and a long-time advocate of distributed leadership and research-informed practice. He shares insights into how his schools are developing cultures of continuous improvement through collaboration and genuine stakeholder engagement.

This conversation focuses on the idea of slice teams – diverse, representative groups of staff, students, and other members of the school community who lead change initiatives together. Slice teams are a central feature of James's new book, Making Change Stick: A Practical Guide to Implementing School Improvement.

Topics discussed include:

What slice teams are and how they work in practice

Why including pupils in these teams is so important

How this approach can lead to more sustainable, system-wide change

Whether you’re a school leader, a classroom teacher, or someone interested in education reform, this is a thought-provoking discussion on how we can rethink leadership and change in schools.

LINKS

Making Change Stick website - https://makingchangestick.co

Making Change Stick book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Change-Stick-Implementing-Improvement/dp/1398387487

Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI

SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST:

Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod

Buy James a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod

In this powerful episode, we speak with two leading commentators on education and children’s rights – Warwick Mansell, independent investigative journalist and founder of Education Uncovered, and Dr Naomi Fisher, clinical psychologist and author of Changing Our Minds.

We dig into the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill currently making ita way through Parliament, and ask: who gets to decide what’s best for children?

Warwick examines how the academies system has paved the way for growing inequality, secrecy, and reduced local oversight, while Naomi outlines how the Bill could ramp up state control over home education.

From changes to local authorities to parental rights, this episode uncovers what’s at stake – and why we should all be paying attention.

LINKS

Follow Warwick - https://educationuncovered.co.uk

Follow Naomi - https://naomifisher.co.uk/

Follow James - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mannion/

Follow David - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-cameron-72061a15

Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI

DON'T BE A STRANGER

The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean.

SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST:

Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod

Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod

In today’s episode, I bring you a fascinating conversation with John Tomsett and Mary Myatt – two people who’ve done so much to shape thinking about curriculum and leadership in schools over recent years.

Mary Myatt is an education adviser, writer and speaker. She started out as an RE teacher and has written extensively about curriculum, leadership and school improvement – books like High Challenge, Low Threat, The Curriculum: Gallimaufry to Coherence and of course the original Huh.

John Tomsett taught in state schools for over three decades, including 18 years as a headteacher. He’s written widely about leadership and mental health in schools, including Love Over Fear, Mind Over Matter, and Putting Staff First. He’s also one of the leading figures in the evidence-informed education movement and former leader of Huntington Research School in York.

This conversation centres around their latest collaboration, AP Huh, which is part of their brilliant Huh series. The idea behind the Huh books is simple but powerful: to elevate the conversation around curriculum design by listening closely to the people doing the work – subject leaders, senior leaders, teachers, and in this case, those working in alternative provision.

The term Huh comes from the Egyptian god of endlessness, creativity and regeneration – and that spirit runs through everything they write. The Huh books are deeply rooted in the real world of schools, but they always look to what’s possible, what’s better – what could be.

Together, John and Mary bring a huge depth of experience, a deep moral commitment to young people, and a keen eye for what actually works. This was a really enjoyable conversation – and I hope you get as much out of it as I did.

LINKS

Buy AP Huh - https://www.johncattbookshop.com/products/alternative-provision-huh

Follow John - https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-tomsett-38ba74b3/

Follow Mary - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymyatt/

Follow James - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mannion/

Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI

DON'T BE A STRANGER

The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. Drop us a line at https://www.rethinking-ed.org/contact.

SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST:

Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod

Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod

Lewis Wedlock is an academic, mental health professional and masculinities educator from Bristol, England.

He has spent the last five years working with thousands of young men across the UK in secondary and higher education, engaging them in topics such as feminism, allyship, accountability, sexism, misogyny and VAWG.

He has designed and delivered several interventions for schools looking to transform their masculinity school cultures, and has worked with hundreds of educators to support them in the journey towards supporting and empowering young men within their school spaces.

His debut book “Masculinities in Schools” is due to be published by Sage in June.

LINKS

Lewis’s TEDx talk ‘The crisis of masculinity’ - https://www.ted.com/talks/lewis_wedlock_the_crisis_of_masculinity

Lewis’s book ‘Masculinities in school’ - https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/masculinities-in-schools/book291711

Lewis on bringing teachers on the journey towards anti-misogyny work in schools - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7313467595809046529/?originTrackingId=vFhKtaFiTryFt2v9NuWMIA%3D%3D

Lewis on safeguarding women and gender-fluid teachers in conversations relating to anti-misogyny work - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7312383310528143360/?originTrackingId=%2B%2FDoao0qRka%2BXELJ%2BeWPdw%3D%3D

Lewis on why we need to rethink showing Adolescence in schools - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7310952725276446720/?originTrackingId=qEDxB5LuRYqggVUxMjo%2F%2FA%3D%3D

Follow James - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mannion/

Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI

DON'T BE A STRANGER

The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. Drop us a line at https://www.rethinking-ed.org/contact.

SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST:

Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod

Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod

In this special episode, Dr James Mannion and The Real David Cameron take a look at the education systems in the four nations of the United Kingdom and ask: what can we learn from one another?

Graham Donaldson has been central to development in Scotland as chief inspector, advising government as well as leading on quality assurance. And remarkably he has also been central to the development of Curriculum for Wales in the role of chief adviser to the Welsh Government.

Tony Gallagher, from Queens University Belfast, has made a massive contribution to education in Northern Ireland and internationally. He is best known for his work on education in divided societies, a subject that, sadly, continues to be of vital importance.

Lena Carter is the headteacher of two schools in Scotland, Glassary and Tayvallich, in Argyll and Bute, a challenge that Lena embraces with real energy, passion and a tremendous commitment to meeting every pupil’s needs.

And Lucy Kirkham teaches geography at Bassaleg Comprehensive school near Newport in Wales. Lucy has a considerable track record in Environmental Education and has been a real driving force behind a series of conferences where young people can engage with the climate emergency on their terms.

LINKS

Follow Graham - https://www.linkedin.com/in/graham-donaldson-b8a9ba43

Follow Lena - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-carter-27748a39/

Follow Lucy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-kirkham-9b8699279/

Follow Tony - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-gallagher-a845ab9/

Follow David - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-cameron-72061a15/

Follow James - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mannion/