🎙️ Teaching Matters – A Sunday morning panel show brought to you by Education Matters and presented by Lucy Neuburger with guests: Hannah Wilson, John Gibbs & Shaniqua Edwards Hayde🎯 Topic OverviewHiring More Male TeachersGirls’ Safety in SchoolsSafeguarding Qualifications👨‍🏫 More Male Teachers: A Silver Bullet?Bridget Phillipson recently proposed that more male teachers could counteract misogyny in schools by providing positive role models for boys.Shaniqua emphasised misogyny isn’t solved by simply having more men in classrooms.John argued that society, not schools alone, shapes boys' views, wider culture—media, leadership, advertising—still sidelines women.Hannah reflected on respect dynamics, sharing how some boys treat male teachers differently from female ones, linking this to wider issues of women being underrepresented in school leadership.⚖️ Takeaway: Role models matter, but tackling misogyny requires systemic, societal, and cultural change—not just tweaking the staffing profile.🛡️ Girls’ Safety & Belonging in SchoolsFollowing recent data showing a 22% drop in girls' sense of safety at school since 2019, the team reflected on the growing crisis—especially for Year 9 girls.In 2019, 43% of girls felt safe; in 2023, it was just 21%.Boys also reported a drop, but far less steep—from 41% to 31%.🧠 Contributing Factors:Earlier and less supervised access to the internetOngoing sexual harassment in school becoming “wallpaper”Lack of female leadership reinforcing skewed power dynamicsInadequate responses to harassment and harmful online behaviour💬 Notable Moments:Hannah questioned uniform policies that still sexualise girls.Shaniqua emphasised that safety must go beyond behaviour charts—it’s about trust and being emotionally safe.John urged a rethink of secondary school culture: smaller, more personal environments could bridge the caring gap seen in post-primary.📘 Should DSLs Have a Qualification?TES reported growing calls for safeguarding leads to gain a formal qualification. The panel explored what this would mean in practice.⚖️ Points Raised:Shaniqua: A qualification could ensure consistency and validate the role—but what exactly would it include?John: While sceptical of qualifications (which can exclude as much as they include), he supports proper training, status and recognition for DSLs.Hannah: Suggested an NPQ-style course for DSLs, with real-life case studies and collaborative learning—focused less on ticking boxes, more on shifting practice.🕒 The Time & Money Question:With teachers already overstretched, who funds and facilitates this training?📣 A call emerged for systemic investment, ensuring DSLs aren’t juggling full timetables and critical responsibilities without support.Banana Time 🍌🧳 John: Shared a story of lost wallets in Belfast—all of them were returned, reminding us that people are often kinder than we expect.🎟️ Shaniqua: Finally nabbed concert tickets, despite the frustrating 10am Ticketmaster rush. “Justice for teachers!” she declared.🦴 Hannah: Discovered fossils in Lyme Regis while slowing down—linking the metaphor to teaching: we notice more when we go slow.📚 Lucy: Celebrated the power of children’s books, especially when teaching younger pupils. A reminder that joy can be found in the simple things.Lucy wrapped up with an open invite to teachers everywhere: “Come chat with us, learn along with us.”🎓 Key Messages for Educators:Representation matters, but structural reform is crucial.Girl safety must be taken seriously—beginning far earlier than we may assume.Safeguarding deserves professional development, time and funding.Teachers need space—not just to learn, but to care.Thanks for reading! Whether you’re in the classroom, in leadership, or still training—this summary brings you right into the discussion 💬Follow us, we're worth it:🔗 Website🔗 Spotify🔗 Instagram🔗 Bluesky🔗 X (Twitter)