SecEd Podcast

In this episode we break-down the secrets to effective adaptive teaching approaches in the secondary classroom.

Our experts define what exactly adaptive teaching is and offer insights to help teachers to know when we should adapt our teaching, how we can adapt teaching, and who we should be adapting it for.

We discuss the importance of using adaptive teaching to maintain high expectations in the classroom and in order to ensure that our ambitious curriculum is accessible for all students regardless of background or need.

We consider what adaptations we can plan in advance of our lessons, with some practical examples, as well as some of the types of live adaptations that we might make use of responsively in the moment. We also consider how teaching assistants might best support some of these approaches.

We consider the use of scaffolds, including what these might consist of and how these can be withdrawn once they have served their purpose.

Finally we talk CPD and offer some specific tips for new and early career teachers to help them hit the ground running with adaptive approaches.

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This episode offers a range of ideas and advice for identifying and supporting students with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) in the secondary school.

SLCN are the most common need for the more than 1.2 million students who are on SEN Support in England's schools – and the evidence tells us that there will be many more who are going undiagnosed.

This discussion features four experts who look at identifying SLCN, screening students, and the problems of underdiagnosis and "masking" that prevent students from getting the support they need.

We discuss what the signs of undiagnosed SLCN are in the classroom and the overlaps between these needs and other challenges such as SEMH, poor behaviour, and school absence.

We hear about the approaches being taken in two secondary schools and discuss a range of ideas for practical interventions to help support students with SLCN in and out of the classroom. We also touch upon how we can support teaching staff in this work, including with CPD.

This episode has been produced with support from our friends at Speech and Language Link.

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This episode considers how teaching staff can effectively support autistic students in the classroom and across the mainstream secondary school.

Our expert panel offers a range of practical insights and advice to help teachers and support staff, including teaching tips and pastoral care.

We begin our discussion by busting some of the common misconceptions and myths about autism and autistic students before dissecting what makes for an autism-friendly school and classroom environment and strong inclusive practice.

We discuss what schools can do to support and foster friendships and social connections for our autistic students – and how can staff build strong relationships with these young people?

We touch upon Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) but also why we cannot rely on the paperwork and must engage with the young person if we are to meet their needs – taking a strength-based approach.

How can teachers adapt their lessons to include their autistic students without overwhelming them – and what part does technology (including AI) play in making learning accessible for young people?

We also ask what needs to change in the school environment to support proper inclusion autistic young people – including asking each of our experts for the one big change they would make in schools…

Finally, we discuss the common teaching methods that make things harder for autistic students. How can teachers combine routine with the flexibility that these students need.

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In this episode, we consider what makes for excellent library provision in the secondary school, including ideas for supporting literacy and curriculum delivery.

We speak with four experienced and expert school library professionals to glean their advice, ideas and tips for excellent library provision.

We discuss the most important elements in effective library provision and why schools should consider employing a qualified librarian as part of their provision.

We consider how school librarians can work effectively with teaching staff to support whole-school teaching and learning and ideas for how librarians can engage with colleagues across the school.

Of course, we focus on literacy and reading and the role libraries and school librarians have to play, including ideas for library-based initiatives, managing library stock, engaging struggling readers, and boosting reading for pleasure.

And it's not just about books, we also consider the hidden roles of a school librarian, including the pastoral side. And we finish with our ideas corner when we ask each of our guests to offer their ideas for library provision that schools can adapt and adopt.

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This podcast discusses teacher training and induction, offering practical advice for trainee and early career teachers (ECTs) and their mentors.

Our expert panel explores the Department for Education's new Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework – due to come into effect in September 2025.

The combined ITT-ECF sets out what trainee and ECTs need to know – and know how to do – at the start of their careers and the panel discuss what is in the new combined framework and how it might work in practice, including how the distinct ITT and ECF elements will work together and key elements such as SEND and inclusive practice.

We also touch upon the eight standards within the framework and invite our guests to pick out some of the elements crucial to meeting these standards.

We discuss the transition from being a trainee teacher to being an ECT, including how trainees can best be supported to progress from trainee to ECT and then to successfully complete their induction and become fully qualified.

We offer advice on a number of specific issues, including how ECTs can manage their priorities and embed themselves into their new schools as well as advice for trainees when applying for their first teaching job, among other "top tips" for new teachers.

Our panel also discusses mentorship – what skills do good ECT mentors need and what support should they be offering to new teachers? What should new teachers expect from their mentors?

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To celebrate the 100th edition of the SecEd Podcast this episode counts down our top 10 most popular podcasts of all time. Have you listened to them all?

Launched in early 2020, the SecEd Podcast has been on air for five years and to mark episode 100 podcast co-hosts Pete Henshaw and Matt Bromley reveal our top 10 most listened to episodes – interspersed with clips and highlights from each one.

Without giving the game away, themes include oracy education, senior and middle leadership, quality first teaching, classroom management, Pupil Premium, inclusion and SEN, and much, much more.

Matt and Pete also pick out their own favourite episodes from the last five years.

All these episodes and indeed all of our 100 episodes are available to listen back to via the SecEd website – www.sec-ed.co.uk/podcast – or via your streaming service of choice.

Our thanks to you – the teachers and educators of the UK – for listening. Here's to the next 100 episodes!

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This episode looks at the opportunities and risks presented by the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in education.

We speak to three experts who are working in schools to develop AI in effective and safe ways.

We kick off the discussion by asking our panel to list what they consider to be the three biggest benefits of AI in schools and the three biggest risks/threats.

We then look at whole-school AI strategy and policy. What does a good AI strategy look like and what elements need to be included in a school's AI policy? What does effective staff training look like? How should education around AI be fed into the curriculum? What kind of "rules" need to be in place? And what does Ofsted have to say about AI?

We also talk AI in the classroom. How might teachers use AI in their lesson-planning and resource-creation? We discuss a number of ideas for using AI to create resources/plan lessons.

Also, what risks should teachers be aware of when using AI? What pitfalls do teachers need to avoid?

We talk about diversity in resource-creation, the pitfalls of prompt engineering, and data protection.

We name drop a few resources that our panel are using with success, and we end the podcast with their biggest "lessons learned" so far and their final reflections.

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This episode looks at what it means to be a research-informed school and how we can use research to improve teaching, learning, and student outcomes.

We talk to three experienced and research-engaged educators about what kind of research it is best for schools to use – and how we can know that any particular piece of research is valid and trustworthy.

We then consider how we can balance external research studies and findings with our own evidence collected internally in our schools.

Our panel advise how we can help teachers to engage with academic research, including via in-school CPD as well as further study such as doctorates.

We also discuss how we can use research evidence in decision-making processes and school improvement planning.

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This episode offers practical advice and examples for how we can protect the wellbeing of our teaching staff – with ideas for teachers and schools.

The episode has been inspired by the recent publication of Education Support UK's Teacher Wellbeing Index 2024, which has once again painted a worrying picture about the wellbeing of those who give so much to educate our children and young people in schools.

As such, we hear from Education Support about the findings of this year's Index research findings and speak to our guests about the wellbeing challenges that teaching staff face.

Our expert panel offers practical ideas, discussing what schools can do to develop healthy working cultures, including promoting good working practices, building positive working relationships, and preventing staff burn-out.

We discuss preventative action including coaching/mentoring, wellbeing audits, and more.

We also consider how teachers can maintain a healthy work/life balance and discuss what individuals can do, including setting boundaries, saying 'no' effectively, safeguarding personal time, and good habits at home.

We touch upon diversity and inclusion too, including the wellbeing challenges faced by staff from minority backgrounds and how schools can ensure they are supporting all colleagues.

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In this episode we discuss ideas for how we can build a positive and inspiring whole-school culture which is inclusive of all, drives high standards, and sustainable in the long-term.

We ask what we mean by "school culture" – the way we do things here – and consider how a school culture intersect with its vision, ethos and values, rules, attitudes, and social norms.

We speak with three school leaders about how they have developed the culture in their institutions and offer a range of practical ideas and "lessons learned". We ask how a school leader can go about creating and establishing the right culture in their school – what questions should we ask ourselves?

We consider how to communicate your school culture and make it consistent and concrete. How can you sustain your school culture over the long-term and how can you handle any challenges to your culture?

We also consider behaviours that can help establish culture – and how we can "nudge" students to adopt these behaviours.

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