Frank and Stan Chats

A regular guest to the chat returns this week as we welcome Carolyn Eyre to discuss developments, insights and future changes to safeguarding arrangements. Carolyn worked in the Local Authority safeguarding arena for many years, first in Education Welfare services before becoming Child Protection coordinator for a large local authority. More recently, she was Head of Health, Safety & Wellbeing for the authority - combining also the roles of Senior Allegations Manager and Safer Recruitment lead officer. Carolyn is well known for her work with FE colleges and is regularly invited to speak at national conferences on topics ranging from 'partnership working' through 'creating a safe school culture' to the 'preventive curriculum'. Carolyn has a particular interest in the protection of children and young adults with disabilities; her knowledge and understanding of the complexities of safeguarding vulnerable groups has won her many friends in the special school sector nationally. She has been the safeguarding adviser to NASS and its members for more than 12 years. As a member of the Safer Recruitment Consortium task group, Carolyn was heavily involved in re-writing the national Safer Recruitment training materials launched in September 2014 and delivers T4T events nationally. So, she knows her stuff! The chat starts with Stan considering the reliability of Ofsted subject reviews which have been heavily criticised this week for the way research evidence appears to have been manipulated to offer a preferred view on pedagogy., Carolyn then explains the significant changes to the VAT arrangements for Independent Special Schools, many of which are not-for-profit organisations and support some of the most vulnerable young people. She then considers the many changes to safeguarding arrangements that are going to be introduced for Early Years settings next year. Frank then reflects on a chat he had with a prominent CEO of a charity where it became clear that more needed to be done to support the literacy and numeracy skills of adults.It's an enjoyable chat. We have already booked Carolyn for this time next year for another chat.Enjoy!

This week the two gents chat with Maxine O'Neill, a Headteacher of a special school in Liverpool and her brother Prof Adam Boddison. They are co-authors of the book 'The Secret Life of SENCOs' and provide a clear insight into the practical and strategic challenges faced by school leaders and the government in improving SEND provision. The chat covers several themes from their book as well as the attention given to SEND by the Secretary of State this week and as Adam points out the focus on SEND funding in the recent Chancellor's budget statement. Stan reflects on the ability of academies to revert back to LA control. He believes it would be very difficult and challenging. Adam considers the National Audit Office report on SEND funding and how it is leading government thinking. Maxine brings us all down to earth by explaining the varied jobs she has had to undertake this week due to some severe staff shortages due to illness at her school. It's an illuminating chat and we believe will offer insight and a high degree of optimism for the future. Enjoy.

In the 11th SPOTLIGHT Edition of the Frank and Stan Chat we meet Phil Naylor, an experienced senior leader, author and advocate for working in the most challenging schools. His new book 'Some schools are harder than others' draws on the experiences of many brilliant teachers and leaders in some of the most disadvantaged communities across the country. Phil interviews these colleagues to help better understand why they are successful and what have they done that's made such a difference. Phil is honest and open about his own experiences and provides a useful insight into the qualities required to be successful in tough schools.

With Stan away on other duties this week's chat is co-hosted by the amazing Kendra Allen. We are joined by a relative of hers, Alun Davies. Both colleagues have been guests on the chat many times so we venture into a host of issues including the need for young people to be given the chance to lead on major global issues such as the use and disposal of plastics, why its not worth anyone's time to consider whether chimps might (or might not) be able to write the works of Shakespeare given enough time and why we all need to consider whether the governance arrangements for inspectorates and regulators are sufficiently robust and independent. It's a belting chat. We hope you enjoy it. There are many upbeat elements to it, so it's not all doom and gloom.

The latest Spotlight edition of the Frank and Stan Chat focuses fully on how to encourage more music, including singing in our schools. Today's guest is Charlotte Wicks, an opera singer who has sung around the world in some of the most prestigious venues, who's now turning her attention to encouraging children and adults of all ages to perform and sing together. As co-founder of Intergenerational Opera, a community based organisation, she has led the development of a programme that brings pupils/students of all ages together through music with older members of society. Charlotte talks openly about the challenges she faced in performing regularly at the highest level and why this forced her to reflect on what she wanted to do with the musical talent she possesses. Reaching out to smaller community groups led to a shift in her career which has seen the establishment of Intergenerational Opera and a Silver Award winner for this year's Pearson Awards. She has her fingers crossed for a Gold Award at the final event in November. The chat is wholesome, thought provoking and ultimately uplifting. If you want to know more about her work just go to www.intergenerationalopera.com.

This week the gents are joined by Kathryn Loftus, Director of Education Alliance for Life Chances, a locally led initiative in Bradford that flowed from the work involved in the city's Opportunity Area. Kathryn explains how the alliance has brought together willing supporters of key service providers delivering for children, young people and families. The alliance understands the complex nature of children's services and how best they are delivered. This has led to a number of fascinating projects including three place-based programmes and a continuing focus on data analysis to ensure services are what the community wants and needs. Kathryn is a strongly committed and principled leader and provides a very reason for greater investment in community programmes. We have limited time for the 'what caught your eye this week?' section but Stan covers the crazy suggestion that young children should not be writing words that they have not yet been formally introduced to. Kathryn references research that links premature death to weak education outcomes while Frank finishes off the chat by covering the government's attempts to strengthen online safety for children and young people. Great chat. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

The Teachertoolkit website is one of the most visited teacher development websites in the world with over 20 million hits. Ross began teaching in 1991 and taught for 26 years in London's national-challenge (secondary) schools; 20 years as a school leader. Today, he works with teachers and schools worldwide, enhancing teaching and learning, reducing workload and improving teacher mental health. A multiple award-winning teacher, in 2015, The Sunday Times featured Ross as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’. He remains the only classroom teacher to feature to this day, and is the author of 11 teaching books.We reached out to Ross and he was keen to chat about his work, why he decided to move from teaching into blogging, writing books and offering keynotes to schools around the world. Our chat covers a lot of ground but focuses on being an entrepreneur, taking the plunge away from a settled career into an unknown future, what shapes his current thinking and how he sees teaching in the future.It's a friendly, relaxed and informed chat and we hope you enjoy it. www.teachertoolkit.co.uk

In May 2020, Frank Norris and Stan Johnson met online. Frank decided to press a button on the Zoom link and a recording had been made. He then decided to post to Youtube so that there could be a permanent record of the chat. Over four years have passed and in this 200th edition the gents are joined by Sir Michael Wilshaw, the former HMCI between 2012 and late 2016. The chat covers a host of issues including Michael's relationship with Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings, his reaction to the Trojan Horse events shortly after his appointment, the shift in emphasis to regional delivery of inspection and his current concerns about the inspection Framework. Michael is honest, direct and reflective. If you are interested in the development of children and young people's services by Ofsted and where it might go in the future then this chat provides some important insights.It's been a treat having weekly chats with a host of amazing guests. The Frank and Stan Chat is not about viewing or listening figures. It is about the relaxed nature of the chat. Invariably our guests tell us they enjoy the experience and many want to come back for a return visit.We have guests lined up into the middle of 2025 but are still keen to hear from colleagues who may bring a different or fresh insight. You can contact Frank and Stan Chat by commenting on the most recent chat. We will then reach out.A big thank you to our supporters and followers, our guests, Kendra Allen and Susan Breckell for standing in for Stan when he's been away and to Rick Dawson and Paul Johnson who produced two amazing theme tunes.Best wishesFrank and Stan

This week the two gents are joined by Chaelsea Slater, CEO and co-founder of the social enterprise organisation called InnovateHer. Chelsea found herself working on marketing within a male dominated tech business and decided to do something about it. She joined forces with Jo Morfee and created Liverpool Girl Geeks. They both left their jobs when they realised the work required their full commitment and began the arduous task of securing funding from business to support their drive to get more females into the tech world and those businesses ready for more female employees. InnovateHer has some impressive businesses backing them but the challenge remains significant both in terms of increasing the reach of InnovateHer and ensuring there is a secure funding base to underpin their work. Chelsea reflects on the ups and downs of being a CEO but she remains committed to the original goal of improving female opportunities.As we chat about recent events Stan considers the wisdom of a Trust CEO considering whether teaching staff should abandon the 1265 contractual hours they are contracted to work. We all add that most teachers we know far exceed those hours at the moment. Chelsea reflects positively on the PM's comments about the power and benefit of the creative arts. She welcomes any move that extends opportunities for pupils. Finally, Frank is heartened by the heavy emphasis placed on digital skills in the recently published Skills England paper. Stan enquires whether InnovateHer would be open to working with Primary aged pupils. They would but, not just yet.It's a great chat. We will definitely invite Chelsea back to provide an update on InnovateHer and whether the renewed commitment to the creative arts has been maintained.Enjoy.