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Why you shouldn’t miss this episode

Heading into an OFSTED inspection can feel like walking into a high-stakes exam: tension in the air, eyes turning your way, and that lingering question—can we show our best selves under the spotlight? This episode dives deep into that exact moment.

Whether you’re a headteacher, senior leader, classroom teacher or part of the support team, this conversation offers practical calm in the middle of the storm. It helps you reframe the prep, face the unknowns and step into the week ahead with clarity and confidence—not just anxiety.

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Lath and Plaster – A Trade Magazine for The Plastering Industry Run by Plasterers for Plasterers

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🎙️ Introducing: “The Final Trailer for the Series – From Trowel to Teacher”

Are you ready to trade your trowel for chalk? 👷‍♂️➡️👨‍🏫

Join hosts Mick Hargreaves and Dave (“That’s Skimming Alright”) — two craftsmen who swapped site-boots for lesson-plans — as they pull the curtain back on their journey in this final trailer of the series. Expect the unfiltered, no-nonsense banter you’ve come to love, as they tease what’s coming next and recap what’s come before.

🎧 What’s inside:

• A snapshot of the full series: from first day on tools to first day in front of a class.
• Raw stories of making the leap from plastering life to teaching life.
• Plenty of laughs, lessons, and more than a few tall tales — because let’s face it, these two never had a clue.
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• A warning: if you’re easily offended, you might want to steer clear — but if you’re up for a good laugh and a real conversation, you’re in the right place.
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🔧 Why you should listen:

• Whether you’re a tradesperson thinking “there’s got to be another way”, or just love hearing what happens behind the scenes — this is your backstage pass. 
  
  
• It’s a trailer, yes — but it’s also a sign-post. The full series digs into interviews, classroom management, assessment, and more. 
  
  
• It’s made by and for craftsmen — no fluff. Just real talk and honest stories from the tools to the classroom. 
  
  

🔔 Don’t miss it
Hit subscribe, grab your headphones, maybe a pint, and tune in wherever you get your podcasts. One mic. Two lads. Lots of plastering talk. Lots of laughter. 💥

This Podcast is brought to you from

Lath and Plaster – A Trade Magazine for The Plastering Industry Run by Plasterers for Plasterers

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🎙️ That’s Skimming Alright – Episode 5: From Trowel to Teacher – The Assessment Process

Join Mick and Dave as they dive into the assessment process — breaking down what it really means to go from the tools to the teaching side of the trade. Expect the usual banter, belly laughs, and great music  that fans have come to love.

This series has been earning rave reviews and hundreds of downloads, and it’s easy to see why — it’s raw, real, and refreshingly honest.

So grab a brew, tune in, and get ready for another unfiltered chat.
 ⚠️ Warning: If you’re easily offended, this might not be the podcast for you!

This Podcast is brought to you from

Lath and Plaster – A Trade Magazine for The Plastering Industry Run by Plasterers for Plasterers

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🧱 The Lath and Plaster Magazine – Issue No. 13 

From Tree to Lath

In this edition:

Two lads, one mic, not a clue – and that’s exactly how we like it.

🏛️ Restoration of a Historic Hotel Ceiling in Stratford-upon-Avon

👷 From Apprentice to Freeman: The Journey of the Plasterer, 1600

🌳 From Tree to Lath – the craft behind the tradition

…and so much more!

 🎙️ Join Mick and Dave for stories, laughs, and a love of the trade.

 📢 Don’t forget to subscribe – it’s totally free!

                                      www.lathandplasters.com 

This Podcast is brought to you from

Lath and Plaster – A Trade Magazine for The Plastering Industry Run by Plasterers for Plasterers

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 Welcome to The Ups and Downs of Classroom and Workshop Management — the podcast where we dive into the real challenges and rewarding moments of teaching. Whether you’re leading a classroom full of students or running hands-on workshops, we’ll explore practical strategies, personal stories, and lessons learned along the way to help you create engaging, well-managed learning spaces. 

This Podcast is brought to you from

Lath and Plaster – A Trade Magazine for The Plastering Industry Run by Plasterers for Plasterers

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Are You Ready for a Change?

You’ve been self-employed in your craft for over twenty years — constantly chasing work, hearing “I’ll pay you at the end of the month”, and juggling suppliers who are chasing you for payment. Forget about sick pay or holidays — how many times have you thought, “There’s got to be an easier way to make a living”?

Have you ever considered teaching but weren’t sure what it involves?

Mick and Dave know exactly how you feel. After many years in the plastering trade, they took the leap and made the transition from the trowel to the classroom.

Their podcast, From Trowel to Teacher, shares their honest journey — and it’s not just for plasterers. It’s for anyone thinking about making the jump from the tools to teaching.

The series breaks down the process into six straightforward episodes:

·       The Overview

·       The Interview

·       The First Two Years

·       Classroom Management

·       The Assessment Process

·       Ofsted and the Inspection out later this month

Fair warning — these podcasts pull no punches. If you’re easily offended, this might not be for you. But if you’re ready for a real, unfiltered look at changing your career path, tune in and hear from two guys who’ve been there and done it.

This Podcast is brought to you from

Lath and Plaster – A Trade Magazine for The Plastering Industry Run by Plasterers for Plasterers

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🎙️ From Trowel to Teacher – Episode 3: The First Two Years (Rabbit in the Headlights)

In this episode, Mick and Dave dive into their early days as teachers — tackling IT skills, surviving the dreaded Cert Ed, and sharing what it really took to make it through those first two years. Expect plenty of laughs, a dose of banter, a few terrible jokes, and a healthy serving of classic dinosaur rock. Tune in for a fun, honest, and nostalgic chat about the rocky (but rewarding) road from trowel to teacher!

This Podcast is brought to you from

Lath and Plaster – A Trade Magazine for The Plastering Industry Run by Plasterers for Plasterers

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🎙 Episode 2: "From Trowel to Teacher" – A Must-Listen for Tradespeople Thinking About Teaching

Attention all tradesmen and tradeswomen!

You’ve spent years perfecting your craft — ten, maybe twenty — but you don’t have a piece of paper to prove it. Most days, you’re chasing work, chasing payments, and barely finding time to breathe. The van needs a service, the taxman’s knocking, and taking a proper holiday feels impossible.

Ever catch yourself thinking: There has to be a better way to make a living?

This episode is for you.

Join Mick and Dave on "That’s Skimming Alright" as they share their journey from life on the tools to life in the classroom. In Episode 2, they break down how they made the leap from trades to teaching — including tips on the college interview process.

Expect a fun, lighthearted chat, plenty of laughs, and some great music to top it all off.

🎧 Tune in now and find out how you could swap the trowel for a teaching career!

This Podcast is brought to you from

Lath and Plaster – A Trade Magazine for The Plastering Industry Run by Plasterers for Plasterers

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Welcome to the 12th edition of Lath and Plaster!

 Why Yellow Pine is Essential for Plastering Techniques 

We’re excited to share some big news – we’ve just launched our very own podcast, That’s Skimming Alright. Hosted by Mick and Dave from our editorial team, this is the first of many episodes to come, so make sure to give it a listen. 

• Why Yellow Pine is Ideal for Devil Floats – by Mick Hargreaves
• Celebrating 25 Years: Dutch Guild of Plasterers in the UK – by Keith Langden
• Why Traditional Plastering Skills Are Disappearing – by David Winchester
• Reviving Norfolk Craft Heritage: A Pargetting Journey – by James Collier

We hope you enjoy this issue, tune into the podcast, and share your feedback with us. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an edition!

Editor David Winchester

Lath and Plaster – A Trade Magazine for The Plastering Industry Run by Plasterers for Plasterers

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Thinking about getting into teaching plastering but not sure where to start?

Mick and Dave have spent years on the tools before moving into the classroom, bringing over three decades of combined experience teaching plastering.

In this episode, we explore the journey from trowel to teacher. You’ll learn what qualifications are actually required, how to make the leap from site work to education, and what it’s really like to train the next generation of plasterers.

Whether you’re ready for a career change or simply curious about passing on your skills, this episode will give you a clear picture of the opportunities — and the challenges — of teaching the trade.

This Podcast is brought to you from

Lath and Plaster – A Trade Magazine for The Plastering Industry Run by Plasterers for Plasterers