The emails you draft at 11pm but delete before hitting send. The frustrations whispered in the staff room. The career doubts you're too afraid to voice. In this raw Q&A episode, Ziggy and Rena tackle three real questions from teachers that cut to the heart of what it's really like in education right now.

The Questions:

1. Why does it feel like teachers are expected to manage behavior but no longer allowed to discipline?
2. I work hard, get good results, but my career has stalled—what am I missing?
3. I love teaching but I'm tired. How do I know whether to push through or move on?

Key Takeaways:

• Discipline is subjective—but consistency across staff is non-negotiable
• The "Maverick Teacher" problem: How inconsistency undermines ECTs
• Why parents are now sending AI-generated 6-page complaint emails
• The career killer nobody talks about: Not having an advocate
• Working hard ≠ career progression without clarity and positioning
• Being "uncoachable" often comes down to ego (they went there)
• How to know if it's short-term tiredness or long-term depletion
• Why teaching feels more draining than it used to (spoiler: it's not just age)
• Education adjacent roles you didn't know existed: Virtual schools, museum education, sports clubs, local authority positions

Hosts: Rena Johnson (Future Ed Best School Leader 2025) & Ziggy Moore

The Caribbean Food Analogy: Why asking you to subscribe goes against everything Ziggy was taught growing up (but he's asking anyway—please just hit that button!)

People/Organizations Mentioned:

• Hussain Hussain (Cape Mentors) - "Check your ego"
• Gary Phillips - Career mentorship
• Melissa - Current headteacher & advocate
• Aspiring Heads
• Step Up Network
• Virtual Schools (children looked after)
• Barnardo's, museums, football clubs (alternative education careers)

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!We fund this passion project ourselves. If you listen on your commute, laugh at our banter, or find value in what we do—just hit subscribe. That's literally all we ask.

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Got a question for us? DM us on Instagram or join the WhatsApp community—your question could be featured in the next Q&A episode.

After 25 years in education working with the most vulnerable children, Rena Johnson finally won Best School Leader of the Year at Future Ed Awards—but Ziggy literally had to drag her to the ceremony. In this brutally honest 2nd anniversary episode, the hosts break down why networking makes educators uncomfortable, the imposter syndrome that keeps great teachers invisible, and the events that transformed their careers.

Key Takeaways:

• Why talent alone doesn't guarantee career progression in education
• The fear of judgment that keeps educators from networking
• How imposter syndrome affects even the most experienced professionals
• Why networking in education doesn't feel transactional (when done right)
• The power of being in rooms where you can simply be yourself
• Only 2% of people on LinkedIn actually publish content—why visibility matters
• Your absence has a cost, and your presence creates opportunities

Top Events to Attend in 2026:

• REN Dinner (Racial Equity Networking) - Ann Palmer - End of year, warm & welcoming
• Future Ed Awards - November/December - Top tier, dress to impress
• Aspiring Heads Conference - October, Saturday event - Accessible & inspiring
• Step Up Network CPD - Saturdays - Discover what's possible beyond traditional teaching roles
• Black Educators Event - Birmingham/Manchester
• Black Men Teach events & retreat

Hosts: Rena Johnson & Ziggy Moore

Special Shout Outs:Tracy Marquis, Stafford Scott, David Hermit, Yasmina Bibi, Sayo Hom, Janai Joseph, Dominique, Olivia, Kamoy Walker, Denise Henry, Albert, Jono, Nadine & Ethan Bernard, Ben Hobbis, Viv Amoon, Courtney Brown, Patricia Lamour

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PLEASE SUBSCRIBE! If you recognise us at events, value our content, or listen on your commute—hit that subscribe button. It really helps us continue this work.

About The SLT Podcast:Hosted by Rena Johnson (Deputy Head, Designated Teacher, SENDco & DSL) and Ziggy Moore (Assistant Headteacher & Founder of Moore Education), the SLT Podcast is a bi-weekly series featuring powerful conversations with leaders doing impactful work in education and youth development. Celebrating 2 years of consistent, authentic conversations.

#SLTPodcast #Education #Networking #CareerProgression #TeacherLeadership #PersonalBranding #BlackEducators #FutureEdAwards #EducationLeadership

In this raw and unfiltered Q&A episode, Ziggy Moore sits down with Hussain from Cape Mentors to tackle three challenging real-world scenarios that school leaders face daily. From Year 8 students with multiple fixed-term exclusions to Year 10s whose parents resist assessments, and Year 9s caught in cycles of antisocial behaviour—Hussain breaks down what actually works (and what doesn't).

Key Takeaways:• Why "Cape Mentors shouldn't exist" and what that means for school funding• The problem with behaviour labels like "defiant" and "aggressive"• How to take your ego out of behaviour management• Building trust with parents who are skeptical of EHCP assessments• Why school exclusion as punishment is fundamentally broken• The truth about quick fixes and mentorship programs• What schools can (and can't) realistically do about home life instability

Guest: Hussain from Cape Mentors

Resources Mentioned:• Curtis Worrell & Class 13• Cape Mentors: www.capetm.com | [email protected]

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Follow The SLT Podcast:Instagram: @the_slt_podcastTikTok: @slt.podcast

About The SLT Podcast:Hosted by Rena Johnson (Deputy Head, Designated Teacher, SENDco & DSL) and Ziggy Moore (Assistant Headteacher & Founder of Moore Education), the SLT Podcast is a bi-weekly series featuring powerful conversations with leaders doing impactful work in education and youth development.

#SLTPodcast #Education #SchoolLeadership #SEND #YouthMentoring #BehaviourManagement #InclusiveEducation

In this episode of the SLT Podcast, we’re joined by Hussein, former assistant headteacher and founder of CAPE Mentors, for a powerful, unfiltered conversation about exclusion, behaviour, and the realities facing children pushed out of mainstream education.

Hussein shares his journey from the classroom to pupil referral units (PRUs) and into community-based mentoring, working directly with young people who are out of school, marginalised, or labelled as “challenging.” Together, we explore why behaviour is so often misunderstood, how unmet needs show up as disruption, and why systems frequently fail the very children who need the most support.

This episode goes beyond policy and theory. We talk honestly about:

• School exclusion and alternative provision

• PRUs and the limits of mainstream education

• Why behaviour systems fail when ego takes over

• Mentoring, routine, and trust as pathways back to education

• What real safeguarding looks like on the ground

Hussein’s approach is simple but demanding: do the work, show up consistently, and remove ego from the process.

This is an essential listen for teachers, school leaders, SEND professionals, parents, and anyone working with vulnerable young people.

What really happens behind the scenes of elite football — and how does it shape the emotional lives of boys and men?

In this episode of the SLT Podcast, Rena and Ziggy sit down with Kevin George — former West Ham/Charlton player, therapist, author, and founder of Psychology — for a powerful conversation about resilience, identity, and emotional literacy.

Kevin opens up about growing up in Lewisham, navigating violence, entering professional football, and realising that talent alone was never enough. He breaks down how fear, culture, and systemic inequality shape young athletes long before they ever reach the pitch — and why rejection in football often mirrors the failures of school and society.

We explore:

• The truth about academy culture and “the dark side” of football

• How emotional illiteracy affects working-class boys

• Why football both saves and harms young people

• The role of shadow work, resilience, and self-awareness

• How Psychology uses sport to teach emotional development

• The long-term impact on identity, confidence, and adulthood

Kevin’s story is honest, insightful, and deeply human — a necessary listen for parents, educators, coaches, and anyone who cares about youth development.

💬 “Football reveals society to itself — and unless we deal with the shadow, we keep recreating the same harm.”

Follow SLT Podcast for more conversations that matter.

In this Q&A episode, educator and speaker Joy Mbakwe joins the SLT Podcast to answer parent questions about talking to children about race, representation, and identity.

She explains why these conversations should start early — not as a single “talk,” but as everyday affirmations through books, music, and culture. Joy also shares how parents can spot whether a school’s commitment to diversity is genuine or performative, and how to build an empowering home environment where Black children feel safe, proud, and seen.

💬 “When we raise our children consciously, they don’t have to ‘discover’ they’re Black at fourteen — they’ve known and celebrated it from the start.”

👥 Hosts : Ziggy Moore & Rena Johnson

In this episode, educator Joy Mbakwe joins the SLT Podcast for an honest and powerful reflection on identity, representation, and the realities of teaching while Black. Joy shares how her classroom experiences exposed deep inequalities and how she teaches her students the lesson she had to learn early: “You don’t get to be unlikable.”

We talk about what it means to advocate for change when self-preservation and fear often stand in the way, and why being the only Black voice in the room doesn’t automatically make you an advocate. Joy challenges ideas around curriculum and culture, arguing that “Shakespeare won’t save these Black children” — true empowerment starts with self-knowledge and community.

In one full-circle story, she recalls being told she’d never make it as an English teacher, only to be praised years later by the same mentor who doubted her.

🎧 A grounded, emotional conversation on race, resilience, and the power of representation in schools.

👥 Hosts: Ziggy Moore & Rena Johnson

What does it take to lead a school for nearly 20 years? In this episode, we sit down with Patrick Cozier — headteacher, leadership coach, and co-vice chair of Show Racism the Red Card.

Patrick shares the philosophy behind his Calm Leadership approach, the reality of headship, and why resilience, humility, and honesty matter now more than ever. We also dive into funding cuts, staff support, and the urgent push to embed anti-racism into the curriculum.

💬 “Leadership isn’t about knowing everything — it’s about creating the right conditions for people to thrive.”

📘 Guest: Patrick Cozier – Headteacher & Co-Vice Chair, Show Racism the Red Card

👥 Hosts: Ziggy Moore & Rena Johnson

We sat down with Kemi Oluyinka, educator and co-author of Black in Schools, to explore the rising trend of Black teachers relocating from the UK to the UAE. In this candid episode, Kemi shares her personal journey of over 300 job rejections, her leap of faith to the Middle East, and why she believes more teachers are choosing sanity and safety over surviving the UK system.

From salaries and utility allowances to cultural differences and career progression, we unpack the real reasons educators are making the move — and what life is really like on the other side.

🎧 If you’ve ever considered teaching abroad, this one’s for you.

📚 Follow Kemi at @blackteachersnetwork on Instagram

📘 Book: Black in Schools

💬 Hosted by the SLT Team

In this powerful episode, we sit down with author, community organiser, and education leader Kemi Oluyinka to discuss the heart behind the Black in Schools anthology and her journey building the Black Teachers Network UK.

From surviving SLT roles to the impact of early role models, Kemi shares candid reflections on identity, leadership, and the challenges Black educators face in the UK school system.

💬 “I didn’t realise the impact she had on me until I started writing the book.”

Whether you’re an ECT, school leader, or simply someone passionate about equity in education—this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

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#BlackInSchools #SLTPodcast #BlackTeachersNetwork #EducationLeadership #SeriousLeadersTalking