In this episode Iesha and Anna talk to Natasha Porter and Sarah Pearson from Unlocked Grads about why society should care about prisoners. Iesha, Natasha, Sarah and Anna discuss the Unlocked Grads scheme which trains top graduates as Prison Officers; Natasha’s career in education; her journey to setting up a charity; the lack of political will to improve conditions for prisoners and why Natasha believes business leaders should hire former prisoners.

#021 – Natasha Porter: Why Should Society Care About Prisoners

In this episode Iesha and Anna talk to Natasha Porter and Sarah Pearson from Unlocked Grads about why society should care about prisoners. Iesha, Natasha, Sarah and Anna discuss the Unlocked Grads scheme which trains top graduates as Prison Officers; Natasha’s career in education; her journey to setting up a charity; the lack of political will to improve conditions for prisoners and why Natasha believes business leaders should hire former prisoners.

In this episode Iesha, Anna, Natasha and Sarah:

Explain the need for the Unlocked Grads scheme

Explore the story behind the name ‘Unlocked Grads’

Reflect on Natasha’s career in teaching and education policy

Discuss why being a teacher is a privilege

Explore what Natasha disliked about working in education policy

Reveal why Natasha is passionate about working in prisons

Examine the lack of political will to improve prisons

Highlight the impact you can have by working for the prison service

Consider the links between schools and prisons

Reveal how prisons are helping to support families

Highlight that 200,000 children a year have a parent in prison

Discuss the power of parents reading to their children

Chew over Natasha’s number one policy ask in relation to prisons

Examine why education is the key for tackling crime

Resources/people featured or mentioned:

Unlocked Grads

Natasha Porter, CEO Unlocked Grads

Sarah Pearson: External Relations Director, Unlocked Grads

Show notes and links for this episode can be found here.

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Leave a review on iTunes

Contact us with feedback, questions or future suggestions

Music credits:

‘Oui’ by Simon Mathewson and ‘Jump for joy’ by Scott Holmes both from http://freemusicarchive.org

In this episode Iesha talks to Adrian Rogers, Lorraine Hughes and Sam Simkins from Chiltern Learning Trust about system leadership. They discuss the differences between headteachers and CEOs, whether headship is a good preparation for being a CEO and how Multi-Academy Trusts can facilitate flexible working.

In this episode Iesha talks to Adrian Rogers, Lorraine Hughes and Sam Simkins from Chiltern Learning Trust about system leadership. They discuss the differences between headteachers and CEOs, whether headship is a good preparation for being a CEO and how Multi-Academy Trusts can facilitate flexible working.

In this episode Iesha, Adrian, Lorraine and Sam:

Reflect on the differences between headteachers and CEOs

Consider whether MAT CEOs need to be trained teachers

Chew over what counts as effective preparation for system leadership

Consider how school leadership career pathways have changed

Explore what Adrian has learned about teacher recruitment and retention

Discuss how MATs can make use of flexible working

Examine how advertising for new staff needs to adapt to a modern context

Reveal how expensive recruitment costs can be

Discuss the relationships central MAT teams have with individual schools

Highlight the need for MAT leaders to use their coaching skills

Explore the teacher training opportunities available in MATs

Discuss what schools can learn from other industries

Examine why school systems are so important

Resources/people featured or mentioned:

Chiltern Learning Trust

Adrian Rogers, CEO, Chiltern Learning Trust

Lorraine Hughes, Director of Teaching School and Standards, Chiltern Learning Trust

Sam Simkins, Business Intern, Chiltern Learning Trust

 

Show notes and links for this episode can be found here.

 

If you found the show useful

Leave a review on iTunes

 

Contact us with feedback, questions or future suggestions

 

Music credits:

‘Oui’ by Simon Mathewson and ‘Jump for joy’ by Scott Holmes both from http://freemusicarchive.org

In this episode Sam talks to Kate Bowen-Viner, our Associate at LKMco, about a report she recently co-authored on young homeless people’s experience of education. Sam and Kate discuss the extent of youth homelessness, the time Kate challenged Theresa May, the importance of the stories behind statistics and which young people are more likely to experience homelessness.

In this episode Iesha talks to Charlotte Malton, a Senior Research Executive at BritainThinks, about a report she recently co-authored for the Money Advice Service on young adults and money management. Iesha and Charlotte discuss how young people manage their money at different stages of their lives between 16 and 25, as well as trends in their knowledge, behaviours and attitudes, and some practical tips for managing money better.

In this episode Anna and Sam explore a selection of the research that’s been hitting our desks in recent weeks. We discuss a major study of young people’s occupational aspirations using visual methods, a discourse analysis of the ways in which policymakers talk about students in higher education, and a systematic review of the effectiveness of different types of exclusion intervention.

In this episode Iesha talks to Sam Simkins. Sam is a Business Development Intern at Chiltern Learning Trust, where he maintains the social media accounts for the schools within the Trust, helping them to engage with parents and recruit new teachers. Iesha and Sam discuss why people working in education need to be less sceptical of ‘marketing’ and the importance of schools ‘telling their story’. They discuss some of the practical ways in which social media can be used to engage with parents, build school culture and recruit new staff.

In this episode Iesha talks to Ross McGill. Ross is an experienced educator, teacher and school leader, and founded Teacher Toolkit – the most influential blog on education in the UK. Iesha and Ross discuss teacher workload, the use of technology to reduce workload, and verbal feedback.

In this episode, Anna explores a selection of the research that’s been hitting our desks in recent weeks with Dr Sam Baars, Director of Research at LKMco. Sam and Anna discuss a new study which predicts a significant rise in child poverty over the next five years, what’s causing it, and what it means for the young people affected. They also unpick recent evidence that adopted children are particularly at risk of being excluded from school. Finally, they look at a range of research on Further Education, and discuss why the sector needs more attention.