In this episode, Michaela, founder of The Prosperity Project, explores how schools can have conversations about anti-racism and embed anti-racism proactively and consistently in schools. It's not as simple as an anti-racist, equality policy; Michaela advises on how schools, teachers and students can take an intersectional approach to anti-racism work. We also discuss practical things students and teachers can do on a daily basis to navigate racially fuelled incidents in schools and how individual school communities (students, parents, teachers and the locality) can do more to nurture an anti-racist society. 

Michaela, founder of the Prosperity Project. Former Primary School Teacher and Philosophy graduate, Michaela also founded the Black Thought Experiment to enable conversations and topics which concern the Black Community and Diaspora. Now, through the Prosperity Project, Michaela and her team of experts facilitate, train and support schools with anti-racism policies, diversifying the curriculum, leadership and teacher training too.

Follow The Prosperity Project on Socials: 

Twitter: @tprosperityproj

Instagram: @theprosperityproj

Nic Ponsford, Co-Founder and the CEO, Education, of the Global Equality Collective, a movement and community of over 15 000 and a Collective of over 450 diversity, equality and inclusion subject matter experts, joins me to talk about how schools can integrate effective diversity and inclusion education in a sustainable and effective manner. The GEC has designed and launched the world’s first app for diversity and inclusion, which provides workplaces and schools with necessary D&I research and data, education, resources and advice - all tailored and relevant to the organisation's needs.

Nic was also a secondary school leader and is a digital education specialist, and now an education and technology thought leader. Nominated for national diversity and inclusion awards in 2020 and 2021, Nic has long been an inclusion activist for adults and students. The GEC brings together an array of experience, expertise and knowledge to ensure diversity and inclusion are not something organisations just 'do' and tick off; rather, the GEC aims to make D&I an embedded and integrated, working part of every organisation and its stakeholders too. 

Nic talks to me about her experiences in schools, how she managed integrating diversity and inclusion practices in her leadership, systems and processes, and how schools can overcome certain barriers associated with effective diversity and inclusion education, from environment, demography and parents too. Follow the GEC on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Meena Wood, MBA Ed Leadership, FRSA, is an Education Consultant & Trainer, former HMI Ofsted Inspector, Secondary Academy Principal, Principal of Adult Education, DfE & LA Education Advisor. Meena joins me to talk about what makes a great school culture and how schools can embed healthy, effective and successful school cultures into their everyday working practices, environments, staff body and students. 

Culture is everything for any organisation - it is what defines an identity, an organisation's values, ethos and their output too; this is most certainly no different for a school, especially when it comes to student wellbeing, academic success and staff wellbeing too. 

Meena is an inspirational leader with an array of experience in working with schools and students to help enhance and build strong cultures for the benefit of students, staff and their parents. Meena shares her experiences with me along with her experiences as an Ofsted Inspector to provide a real insight into how every school can be great for students, no matter where they are or what school they choose to go to. It's so important we overcome a postcode lottery when it comes to schooling and developing a great school culture is perhaps a key part of making this possible. 

Meena has recently co-authored a book Secondary Curriculum Tranformed: Enabling All to Achieve, which can help headteachers and teachers across the country and beyond create a highly successful, efficient and rich, skills-based and values-led curriculum for all - it should be on reading lists for teacher training, worldwide! 

Anusheh Attique is a teacher, mentor and innovator in curriculum design and training and development in Pakistan. This conversation is such an energetic, lively, engaging and authentic discussion of everything school should be: learning about different perspectives, unlearning our biases and understanding to listen and empathise with compassion, curiosity and an open mind. Anusheh speaks to me about schooling in Pakistan, decolonising the curriculum, the sheer importance of teaching students humanity and understanding and why education is such an important and foundational tool for success no matter where you are in the world. 

A truly uplifting, informative and heart-warming discussion on how students should learn, how we should teach and how we can all connect as students across the world. 

This week, I speak to Harry Moore, Business Management graduate with a Masters in Psychology...and a fitness professional of over 10 years. Harry is founder of Team for Never Lean, a platform of over 19k subscribers, that aims to discuss and centralise topics and discussions that can often make the fitness industry feel like an uncomfortable place. Team For Never Lean is are centred on research and aims to dispel misinformation about fitness and exercise in order to make fitness and health accessible for everyone. 

Harry talks to me about his own school experiences with fitness and how schools, teachers and students themselves can normalise conversations around male body image, a topic that is perhaps not explored enough, especially for impressionable teenagers. The conversation takes many turns and in essence, Harry shares simple yet effective advice on how we can move away from aesthetic body image goals for young people and focus on a holistic approach to mental, physical and emotional health - something all students need to do for their wellbeing. 

Noor-ul-Huda Sheikh and Liberty Thomas, both university students join me to discuss Linda Scott's excellent book, The Double X Economy, in which Scott explores the level of global, female 'economic subordination'. In her book, Scott draws upon an array of sources from her own research and data, to her own exchanges with women in Ghana, Bangladesh and in the US. The book is fascinating and a wonderful read, especially for students aged 17 and above; as Scott says, reading the book is activism in itself and you cannot help but be compelled to work towards global economic equality for women...it really is better for all of us, politically, socially and economically too.  

Noor, a French and Business student and Liberty, an aero engineering student, both attended an all girls' comprehensive school. Now at university, we discuss the impact the book has had on their own thinking and how schools can tailor teaching, learning and school culture to enable equality of opportunities for female students. They draw upon their own experiences along with their experiences in their student leadership roles. Both students are studying very different subjects and they explore the impact of studying STEM based subjects for young women at school too. 

A wonderful conversation, which is of great benefit to those young people and schools interested in Scott's work, justice and equality for women and how we can academically and economically empower women from a young age. 

Bilkis Miah is Co-founder and CEO of You Be You, an award-winning organisation working with primary schools and parents to address and break down gender stereotypes and encourage students to embrace their individual identities. Bilkis explores how teachers and students can address gender stereotypes from as young as 5 and why schools need to challenge gender stereotypes if we are to create equitable opportunities for younger generations and beyond.

In this podcast episode, Bilkis talks to me about particular gender stereotypes students, parents and teachers can challenge; how teachers can begin conversations around gender diversity in the classroom, and parents/ family can help their children in the home environment.  We explore the importance of identity, intersectionality and gender education on the curriculum - and how it can make the world of difference to the opportunities available and accessible for all students.

Bilkis, originally working in management consultancy in the City, discovered early on that although successful in her own career, there were few that represented her identity as a female, British-Bangladeshi woman in leadership. We now see most companies aiming to diversify their workforce and encourage people of all genders to rise to the 'top' when it comes to career success; however, this must be addressed early on if we are to sustain a non-tokenistic approach to gender diversity in our societies. You Be You workshops, resources and CPD training for schools are backed by prominent research and expert advice. Bilkis and her team have successfully led pilot schemes in primary schools which have resulted in a 38% decrease in young girls thinking certain jobs are just for boys and a 52% increase in young children thinking it's ok for girls to play with trucks. It is these 'simple' notions that we need to address from a young age to normalise limitless opportunities for all children, which is the purpose and motive behind You Be You's work with primary school children and primary school teachers.

Sarah Ledger, Director at Lexonik, talks to me about how we can teach literacy skills and education in schools and how we can make literacy about more than just spelling, punctuation and grammar. An award-winning company that works with schools, students, teachers and homeschoolers, Lexonik provides unique resources and transformational programmes to ensure every single individual can access literacy education. Their programmes help students in the UK and beyond to raise attainment and learn the skills they need to reach their potential, all through a confident approach to literacy. 

Sarah speaks to me about the rise in digital literacy and how students can still integrate the foundations of literacy in all areas of their education. We talk about Lexonik's response to the government's concerns around literacy and student learning gaps as a result of the pandemic. We also discuss ways in which reading and writing skills can be accessed by everyone, of every age, regardless of context. As Sarah says, the ability to read is a human right; it is empowering, necessary and something that every individual is entitled too. Learning to read and write isn't just for an exam, but can make a difference to your quality of life and choices, which is why the work Lexonik do with schools to people in prison is so necessary for our society. 

We also speak about Hull University's decision to not mark against poor spelling, and founder of Lexonik, Katy, shared her views with the School Should Be blog, which can be read here. 

Louise is a university student, studying Business and Sociology. Currently on placement as a sustainability and business development intern, Louise has a keen interest in sustainability, micro choices we can make on a daily basis to have a positive impact on the planet and our lives. Sustainability and our need to take care of our environments and planet is an urgent necessity that all of us need to pay attention to. Thankfully, Generation Z and those at school are paving the way, however sometimes it's difficult to know where to start and what we can do, especially as it is not a topic that is taught so widely in school. In this episode, Louise explains what sustainability is and what schools and students can do to lead a practical, sustainable lifestyle. 

Jack Allsopp an Oxford graduate with a first class honours in History and a master's in Global and Imperial History. He attended a leading grammar school and achieved an excellent set of grades. Nearly 5 years on and now part of a programme management graduate scheme at a fantastic company, Jack wrote a blog post for School Should Be, reflecting on his experiences as a student. The blog was honest, nuanced and in many ways uncomfortable to read from a teacher's and parent's perspective. Although Jack effectively played out the 'schooling dream', the reality of his experiences is very different to what we might expect of a student who shines bright with academic success. 

After reading his blog piece I asked Jack if he. would be willing to discuss his experiences and thoughts further. This podcast is everything school should be - an honest, tangent-filled chat on what school should be, how to enable equity and Jack's own views of schooling - neither successful nor unsuccessful, just his personal views which I think students, parents and teachers will benefit from, especially as we think about the future of the education system, school culture and student wellbeing.