The Team Teach Podcast

In this episode, Clare is joined by Baroness Ruth Lister to talk about some of the challenges posed by child poverty.

They talk about the definition of child poverty and its impact on children and their wider family. They discuss some misconceptions around poverty, and how practitioners can devise the best supports for those facing financial hardship.

Baroness Ruth Lister worked for the Child Poverty Action Group for the first half of her career, including eight years as Director, and now serves as its Honorary President. She moved into higher education in 1987, first as Professor of Applied Social Studies at the University of Bradford and later as Professor of Social Policy at Loughborough University, where she is now Emeritus Professor.

Since 2011, Baroness Lister has been a Labour member of the House of Lords, where she speaks primarily on issues relating to poverty, social security, children, asylum and migration. She has published widely throughout her career, including the second edition of her book, Poverty (2021).

Baroness Lister leaves us with an important key insight:

• Try and put yourself in the shoes of the child or their parents, to understand their perspective and foster an empathetic approach.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

In this episode, Clare talks to Dr Emma Clarke, Primary PGCE Programme Lead at the University of York, about school exclusion and girls.

They discuss some contextual factors around girls and school exclusions, and why some girls might be at higher risk of self-exclusion. They also explore how relationships are central to promoting engagement and reducing the risk of exclusion.

Emma has a long history working with pupils in schools, both as a teacher and a researcher. Her research has focused more widely on pupils whose behaviour challenges or causes concern, and more specifically with girls at risk of exclusion.

Her PhD focused on the TA’s role in managing behaviour. In her day job, she leads a Primary PGCE programme, supervises PhD students, and continues to research issues around gender, exclusion, and mental health in schools.

Find out about Emma’s book, ‘Contemporary Approaches to Behaviour and Mental Health in the Classroom’ here.

Emma also shares three tips during the episode:

Personal touches, like saying ‘hello’ or ‘good morning’ can be a powerful way to build relationships.

When a girl shouts, if possible, try not to respond. Give it some time to see if they come back, and encourage repair.

Many girls in the research said that they love it when teachers smile at them, which is something we can all do.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgement to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

In this episode, Clare is joined by Erica Thornton, CEO of the Breck Foundation, to discuss young people and online grooming.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, they talk about what we mean by ‘online grooming’ and how feelings of shame and stigma can be a barrier to seeking help and support. They also explore the factors that might make a child or young person more vulnerable to online grooming.

Erica Thornton is CEO of the Breck Foundation, leading its mission to educate and protect young people from online harm. With over two decades’ experience, spanning policing, probation, youth offending services and national charities, Erica has dedicated her career to safeguarding vulnerable people and developing preventative services that create lasting impact.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

In this episode, Clare is joined by Dr Pooky Knightsmith to discuss how practitioners can create neurodivergent-friendly classrooms.

They talk about how masking can affect children, young people, and staff members’ mental health, and identify some of the challenges presented by a typical school environment. They explore a range of practical strategies for adapting classrooms, communication style and expectations, to meet the needs of neurodivergent learners.

Dr Pooky Knightsmith is an autistic speaker, author, autism assessor, and educator who works across education and health settings in the UK and internationally. She holds a PhD in Psychological Medicine and supports professionals to better understand and include autistic and ADHD learners and colleagues.

Find out more about Pooky’s work here, and take a look at her new book, 10 Steps to a Neurodivergent-Friendly Classroom.

Pooky leaves us with 3 top tips in the episode:

• Aim for small, sustainable tweaks, as these can often be enough to make a real difference.
• Be aware of the possible overlap of behaviour and neurodivergence. A child or young person who may appear defiant may be struggling to communicate what they need.
• Always be curious and look for a student’s strengths. Celebrate these and seek to find out more about their interests.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

In this episode, Clare talks to Shaheen Myers, founder of Balance:ed, about the human side of school leadership.

They discuss the pressures faced by school leaders in the current educational climate, and how this can contribute to overwhelm and burnout. Shaheen also highlights the interplay between culture and wellbeing and suggests ways for school leaders to best support themselves and others.

Shaheen Myers is a leadership wellbeing advisor, keynote speaker, and former system leader in education with over two decades’ experience across schools and children’s services. She previously served as a Deputy Director for Learning within a large city’s Children’s Services, where she led strategic work to improve inclusion, wellbeing, and outcomes for more than 100,000 children and young people.

Shaheen is the founder of Balance:ed, an organisation dedicated to improving wellbeing, culture, and connection across schools and academy trusts. Through keynote speaking, training, coaching, wellbeing supervision, and organisational audits, she supports headteachers, CEOs, and education staff to navigate the pressures of modern leadership while building healthier, more sustainable school cultures.

She is also the author of, The Human Side of School Leadership, where she explores how care, culture, and connection can transform schools into environments where leaders and staff feel seen, heard, and valued.

Find out more about The Human Side of Leadership Conference here.

Shaheen shares three top tips in the episode:

• It’s ok to look after yourself and to prioritise your own wellbeing.
• Reflect on the role of connection within teams and across your organisation.
• Lean into the ‘humanness’ of your role.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

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In this episode, Clare talks to Murray Hodge-Neill, Assistant Director of the PBL team at the ACT Education Directorate, Australia, about restorative approaches in education.

In Part 2 of a two-part series, they discuss reasons for resistance to change amongst staff, and how we can successfully shift mindsets in our schools, especially around behaviourist approaches and the notion of consequences.

Murray is a teaching professional in Canberra, Australia. He is an accredited Team Teach trainer and currently manages Team Teach training for all 93 schools in the ACT Education Directorate, including supporting approximately 150 Foundation trainers.

Murray has expertise in restorative processes in schools and is a trained Restorative Conference Facilitator. Murray leads the Restorative School Communities initiative in ACT schools, providing professional learning and implementation support directly to schools.

He shares three top tips for practitioners:

• A restorative disposition is more important that specific practices.
• Don’t attempt restorative facilitation beyond your training, skills, and experiences, and seek professional guidance when required.
• Start with having a restorative mindset in both your personal and professional relationships.

Murray also recommends some books for further reading:

Brummer, J. & Thorsborne, M. (2024) Becoming a Trauma-Informed Restorative Educator: Practical Skills to Change Culture and Behavior. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Evans, K., & Vaandering, D. (2022) The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education: Fostering Responsibility, healing, and Hope in Schools. New York: Good Books. 

Kelly, V. C., & Thorsborne, M. (Eds.) (2014) The Psychology of Emotion in Restorative Practice: How Affect Script Psychology Explains How and Why restorative Practice Works. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Moore, D. B., & Vernon, A. (2024) Setting Relations Right in Restorative Practice: Broadening Mindsets and Skill Sets. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

Warning: This episode includes candid discussions around suicide and self-harm which some listeners may find distressing. Please use discretion when listening and take a break if needed.

In this episode, Clare talks to Marie Greenhalgh, Relationships Director at Inclusion Education, about how to have sensitive conversations around suicide and suicide prevention.

Marie explains what ‘suicidal ideation’ means and what some risk factors might be. They discuss the role that education can play in suicide prevention and the importance of training, to help prepare staff to have sensitive conversations and keep everyone safe.

Marie also highlights the need to look after our own mental and emotional wellbeing as practitioners, as suicide can be an upsetting topic for everyone involved.

Marie is Relationships Director at Inclusion Education, where she has worked for over 16 years, building programmes and education provision that support young people with mental health needs and neurodivergence.

She was Project Lead for Baton of Hope Tour, Basingstoke in 2025 and co-authored ‘All the Things They Never Told You About Teaching: Facilitating Sensitive Conversations with Our Learners’ and 'Supporting Bereaved Children in the Primary Classroom’, both of which are published by Routledge.

She is also a Community Ambassador for Winston’s Wish, and monthly columnist for Fusion Magazine UK. Marie is passionate about diversity, inclusivity, wellbeing, and challenging the stigma and discrimination that surrounds mental health and suicide.

You can find Marie on LinkedIn or go to Inclusion Education to find out more about how to support children and young people in your organisation.

Marie also shares three tips during the episode:

• Normalise discussing suicide and practise having sensitive conversations, as talking can save lives.
• Get to know the warning signs that indicate someone might be struggling with their mental health.
• Look after your own mental and emotional wellbeing.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

In this episode, Clare talks to Dave Smallwood, Principal Team Teach trainer and Director at SENse Training and Consultancy, about reducing spitting.

They discuss the contextual factors that can lead to spitting and explore what this behaviour might be communicating. They also highlight the fact that reducing spitting is not a ‘quick fix’ but is an ongoing and individualised process.

Dave has worked in special schools, for both the local authority and the National Autistic Society and has extensive experience of supporting young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities.

When he worked as a staff development co-ordinator for the National Autistic Society, Dave developed and delivered training in autism, and equality, diversity, and rights.

You can find Dave on LinkedIn.

He also shares three tips during the episode:

• We need to take an individualised approach to spitting, remembering that what works for one person may not work for another.
• There is a need to balance ‘in the moment’ safety with longer-term solutions, to keep everyone safe.
• Work together as a team to reflect on what an individual might be trying to communicate with this behaviour.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

In this episode, Clare talks to Murray Hodge-Neill, Assistant Director of the PBL team at the ACT Education Directorate, Australia, about restorative approaches in education.

In Part 1 of a two-part series, they discuss the history of and terminology around restorative approaches. They also explore the key principles and components of a restorative approach and what some of the barriers might be for staff and schools.

Murray is a teaching professional in Canberra, Australia. He is an accredited Team Teach trainer and currently manages Team Teach training for all 93 schools in the ACT Education Directorate, including supporting approximately 150 Foundation trainers.

Murray has expertise in restorative processes in schools and is a trained Restorative Conference Facilitator. Murray leads the Restorative School Communities Initiative in ACT schools, providing professional learning and implementation support directly to schools.

He shares some useful terminology around restorative approaches:

Restorative approach – Conducting oneself in personal interactions in ways that prioritise relationship, seek to understand with empathy, and value each individual. A restorative approach is collaborative, looks for solutions, and strives to be at peace with those around you.

Restorative culture – An environment where all people use a restorative approach. Relationship, empathy, and collaboration are central when making decisions and addressing harm or conflict.

Restorative conversations – An approach to resolving conflict or harm that centralises mutual understanding, identifying harm, and agreeing on how to repair harm and interact more positively in the future. A restorative conversation explores what happened, what harm was caused, how it is currently affecting people and relationships, and deciding the way forward. Restorative conversations also look beyond what was done and said, to include what people are thinking and feeling.

Restorative conference – A more formal and structured form of restorative conversation that is used for incidents that have a higher level of complexity or harm. Restorative conferences are not scripted, but they follow a structured and consistent format. Restorative conferences should only be facilitated by someone with the skill required for the complexity of the situation.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgment to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.

In this episode, Clare talks to Lisa Pinkerton, Head of Education at Widgit Software, about how to use symbols to support emotional regulation.

They talk about what self-regulation and co-regulation mean and how the ability to regulate emotions can impact behaviour. They also discuss how visuals and symbols fit into the teaching of emotional regulation, helping to support individuals, provide scaffolding, reduce cognitive load, and create calm, safe and consistent environments.

Lisa joined the Widgit team in 2025, having been an avid symbol-user and enthusiast throughout her 26 years of teaching in the primary sector. Until recently, Lisa was a Deputy Head Teacher and Inclusion Lead at a large primary school. Alongside this, she worked as a SEND consultant for alternative provisions, and as a qualified specialist teacher for literacy-related difficulties. Lisa’s lifelong passion has been effective inclusion for all pupils, regardless of background, needs or ability. She continues to share this enthusiasm through being a Lead Facilitator for the NPQSENCo award with the Best Practice Network.

You can find out more about Widgit Software on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, or on their website.

Lisa also shares three tips during the episode:

• Focus on consistent routines and relational practice, to help individuals feel safe, understood, and empowered to self-regulate.
• Use inclusive scaffolds to discuss and develop emotional literacy.
• Plan the environment with intention and care.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.

Find out how Team Teach can help your organisation.

The Team Teach podcast is created in the UK, adhering to UK law and guidance. Practitioners should exercise their professional judgement to determine the appropriateness of any Team Teach material for their specific sector and geographic region, and be aware of the applicable laws and guidelines governing their organisation.