Managing Behaviour - Pivotal Podcast - Behaviour Management, Safeguarding, Teaching And Learning

Jodie is A Senior Leader at Laurence Jackson Secondary School in North Yorkshire. Last year, she undertook Pivotal ‘s Leading Behaviour Change in School course with a colleague which she describes as: “A bit of a game-changer.” It convinced her to proceed to the Pivotal Behaviour Management Instructor Course: “[The course] gave me the vision … Continue reading On the up and up with Jodie Downs – PP178 →

We speak to Ceri Stokes about her role as a Assistant Head and Designated Safeguarding Lead at a residential school to find out about how she found herself looking after this crucial area of school life. Ceri works at Kimbolton School, which is a co-educational day and boarding school of 950 pupils aged 4 to 18. In … Continue reading Ceri Stokes – Empowering Safeguarding Leads – PP177 →

In a varied episode, Ollie Frith speaks to Primary Headteacher, Anne Cooper, from Bell Farm Primary. She has taken her school from ‘Serious Weaknesses’ to a ‘Good’ rating and shares some of her successful approaches. She felt that the decision on her school’s original rating was made very quickly at the start of the day … Continue reading Hanging with Miss Cooper in the Time Out Room – PP176 →

This week’s inhabitant of the Time Out Room with Mike Armiger is Daryn Simon. Daryn works in teacher training as well as working in schools. He tells us a little about his classroom philosophy as well as what he would change if he went back into the classroom. Daryn had his own experience of being … Continue reading Daryn Simon’s Education Confessions in the Time Out Room – PP175 →

There’s a new flavour to this week’s episode as we join Hywel Roberts who finds himself in the Pivotal Podcast Time Out Room. Hywel reveals more than ever before about himself and his educational thinking in this fascinating trip into the mind of a man who never ceases to educate and entertain. Paul asks Hywel … Continue reading Hywel Roberts in the Time Out Room – PP174 →

In a very special episode, Chris Dyson returns to the Pivotal Podcast to tell us the full story of his recent Ofsted inspection. Chris is headteacher of the larger than average size Parklands Primary School, on the Seacroft Estate in Leeds where up to a third of the children join or leave the school in … Continue reading Yabba Dabba Dyson! PP173 →

This week, Paul spoke to the headteacher of the school which is at the centre of the Channel 4 series, Educating Greater Manchester, Drew Povey. His school is Harrop Fold in Salford and he became head there at the age of 32. Harrop Fold was infamous for being ‘the worst school in the country’ when … Continue reading Relentless Povey – How to turn around the impossible with less than nothing – PP172 →

After a twenty-year journey to get to headship, via teaching  and advising roles, Simon began leading East Whitby Academy in 2014. Simon has leaned a lot about trusting your instincts in a particular role – and particularly acknowledging when a job is not for you and having the strength to make a change. How important … Continue reading Headteacher Simon Smith – Literature and Imagination! PP171 →

Paul interviewed Dr. Ian Cunningham from The Self Managed College in Brighton this week. He has some amazing things to share about handing control of everything over to students. There’s also lots of education news and Pivotal news! The Self Managed College works with children from a variety of contexts and allows them total control … Continue reading Dr. Ian Cunningham – How to Hand Control of Everything to Students! – PP170 →

Before introducing Ben, Ollie shares some thoughts on school uniforms; do share your own views in the comments below. Ben is the new Pivotal Education Head of Sales. He has spent more than 20 years working in International Education. He has a wealth of knowledge about the International Baccalaureate and how it is taught in … Continue reading Ben Toettcher – Stories and connections – No Man is an Island – PP169 →

In our first episode of the new academic year, Paul went to speak exclusively to Ross Morrison McGIll you may well know better as Teacher Toolkit. Ross announces that his situation has changed radically. He has resigned form his job as a teacher and has decided to move into providing the training he has been … Continue reading Teacher Toolkit – Ofsted and beyond! PP168 →

Mike interviews Tim Browse this week for our final episode of the academic year. Tim is headteacher at Hillcrest Primary School in Bristol although he is moving on in September. Mike went on a two-day visit to Hillcrest and was struck by the great learning going on inside but it was in the playground that … Continue reading A head’s reflections on playtime and a job well done – PP167 →

Ollie Frith has spent this week with some amazing educators on Pivotal’s Fast Track residential training. 6 of them volunteered to talk to him for the podcast about the importance of culture change in schools. As Ollie says, ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’. If we get the culture right in our schools and colleges, then … Continue reading Fast Track – Culture Change – PP166 →

Nicholas is assistant head at a large, East London secondary school. After a career of work in areas such as underachievement, he is currently working on a PhD in race and education. Do schools take the understanding of why certain groups underachieve seriously enough? Nicholas believe we generally take it as a ‘given’ that certain … Continue reading Race Against The Odds with Nicholas Taylor-Mullings – PP165 →

Joe is Director of Learner Services at Bridgend College. After realising that Primary teaching wasn’t for him, he did some work experience as a teaching assistant in an FE college, working with learners with complex needs and emotional and behavioural difficulties. He loved this work so decided to do a PGCE. After projects with young … Continue reading How to help young people be all that they can be with Joe Baldwin – PP164 →

Sinéad is Senior Lecturer in Primary English Education at The University of Brighton. She has been involved in very exciting research into creativity in the classroom. As a primary teacher for 15 years, Sinéad has been looking at how we can hold onto creativity in the classroom, particularly around the use of drama, despite the … Continue reading Sinéad Kennedy on how to use drama and creativity in the classroom – PP163 →

Chris Dyson is Headteacher of Parklands Primary School in Leeds. Chris loved school himself and always wanted to be a teacher. He worked in Stoke on Trent and York before moving to several different schools in Leeds and helping one of them move from Special Measures to Outstanding. Finally, he became headteacher at Parklands. How … Continue reading From ‘Tig on the Roof’ to ‘Heroes of Maths’ with Chris Dyson – 162 →

Andrew Swartfigure is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA). Andy has worked with children and adults with Autism, language difficulties and ADHD for more than 17 years. He has worked as a self-employed ABA Consultant as well as working for organisations such as Childhood Autism UK (PEACH), Jigsaw CABAS School, Ambitious about Autism-(TreeHouse School, Ambitious … Continue reading Andy Swartfigure on Analysing Behaviour – Everyone is Unique – PP161 →

GOAT DISCLAIMER – You may notice some strange changes in the audio quality in this episode. This was in no way connected to us goats eating the sound equipment. This week, Tara Elie visited Varndean School in Brighton. As well as being a co-education state maintained comprehensive school for 11-16 year olds, it’s also home … Continue reading The Varndean Goats – Behaviour, Therapy and Carrots! PP160 →

Sarah Wild is headteacher of Limpsfield Grange School, Surrey, which caters for the needs of girls with autism. She shares some amazing insights into a side of the autistic spectrum which is widely misunderstood. Isn’t autism a boy thing? Sarah points out that the majority of what we have known about autism is based on … Continue reading Sarah Wild on girls and autism…it’s not just a boy thing – PP159 →