Podcasts

The Headteacher Update Podcast offers practical and useful advise, ideas and insights to support the work of primary school senior and middle leaders. Out on the first Wednesday of every month, each episode features a panel of school leaders discussing best practice relevant to the primary phase.

Listen to our latest episodes via your streaming service or by clicking below.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Protecting headteacher wellbeing during Ofsted inspection

In this episode we offer a range of practical strategies, tips and ideas for protecting the wellbeing of headteachers and other school staff during Ofsted inspection.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Supporting Pupil Premium and disadvantaged children

In this episode, three schools talk about their work to support Pupil Premium and disadvantaged pupils and the impact of the cost of living crisis, offering tips, advice and examples of best practice.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Effective use of teaching assistants in the primary school classroom

This episode looks at the effective deployment of our teaching assistants in the primary school classroom, offering advice for great whole-school practice as well as ideas and tips for teachers on how best to work with their TAs.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Improving teaching with instructional coaching

This episode looks at using instructional coaching as part of your school’s approach to staff CPD and improving teaching and learning, with lots of tips, advice and examples.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Supporting pupils who use English as an additional language

This episode offers practical advice and examples for how primary schools can best support the education and wider development of pupils who use English as an additional language (EAL), including refugee children.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Phonics and early reading

This episode looks at best practice for delivering phonics programmes and teaching early reading, asking what high-quality phonics teaching looks like, how we can inspire a love of reading in pupils, and what inspectors look for in this area

Headteacher Update Podcast: A school leadership survival guide

This episode offers crucial advice and lots of practical tips to help primary school headteachers – especially those new to post – to survive and thrive in the top job while maintaining their own wellbeing and work/life balance.

Headteacher Update Podcast: How to have difficult leadership conversations

This episode considers how school leaders can navigate difficult conversations that often need to take place with staff, parents and others, with lots of tips and examples of effective approaches

Headteacher Update Podcast: Self-evaluation in the primary school

This episode considers simple yet effective ways of conducting high-impact self-evaluation in your primary school in order to support high standards and drive school improvement while also meeting Ofsted expectations.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Community out-reach & engaging with external agencies

This episode advises primary schools on how to engage with the different statutory and non-statutory agencies working to support pupils, especially our most vulnerable.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Evaluating and developing your school’s curriculum

This episode identifies the key aspects of effective and purposeful curriculum evaluation in primary schools, looking at curriculum development, teacher workload, supporting disadvantaged pupils, meeting Ofsted expectations, and more.

Headteacher Update Podcast: School leadership in difficult circumstances

This episode looks at how to be an effective school leader during challenging and difficult circumstances – both expected and unexpected. Three experienced leaders discuss how to lead and manage these situations, how to lead under pressure, and specific examples.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Outdoor learning

This episode is packed full of advice, ideas, and tips for delivering effective and impactful outdoor learning in the primary school.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Coaching & mentoring for school staff

This episode focuses on the use of coaching and mentoring approaches to support the professional development of teaching staff in schools, including important principles to keep in mind, some different models to use, and useful tips.

Headteacher Update Podcast: Improving primary school attendance

This episode looks at how primary schools can boost pupil attendance, including tackling persistent absenteeism and supporting families, with lots of practical ideas, tips and insights from three school leaders