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Frank and Stan Chats
Frank and Stan Chat No. 199
Season 6, Ep. 4
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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.
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3. Frank and Stan Chat No. 198
39:24||Season 6, Ep. 3We've always been interested in chatting with teachers who have undertaken research into areas we have not chatted about. This week Caroline Popplewell, a Primary School teacher from the North West joins the gents to discuss her school based Masters research into the introduction of the Eco-School programme. She explains the challenges she faced in balancing her other school commitments but ultimately was pleased to see such a positive response from the children. We then considered how best to spread the practice so that more children could benefit. Stan reflected on some of the leadership issues that have appeared within the new government and whether they could or should have been avoided. We shifted these issues into school scenarios where it is relatively easy to be conflicted through receiving a small gift or a favour. Caroline then praises the efforts of a local business that supplied fans of Morecambe FC ear defenders and spinning widgets for those that might be anxious about the noise and hustle and bustle during the game. Frank then reflects on a wonderful session provided by Everton Nursery at a major Liverpool Education conference today. The emphasis was on the meaning of education and it aligned so neatly with many of our videocast and podcast chats. An uplifting and positive experience.Highly enjoyable chatting with Caroline and we hope you gain some important insights and areas to reflect upon to improve your teaching and leadership. If that's the case (or not) then please let us know.Until next week when we are joined by Chelsea Slater, CEO and joint Founder of InnovateHer.
2. Frank and Stan Chat No. 197
41:30||Season 6, Ep. 2This week the gents are delighted to welcome Prof Mel Ainscow back as a guest. Mel is Emeritus Professor of Education, and an internationally recognized authority on the promotion of inclusion and equity in education. Previously a head teacher, local education authority adviser and lecturer at the University of Cambridge, he's also a long-term consultant to UNESCO. He led the Greater Manchester Challenge a three-year project that involved a partnership between national government, ten local authorities, 1,150 schools and many other stakeholders, and had a government investment of around £50 million. He went on to lead Schools Challenge Cymru, the Welsh Government’s multi-million pound flagship programme to accelerate the rate of improvement across the country’s schools. He is currently steering an inclusive cross schools project for the city of Dundee.Mel has a new book out called 'Developing Inclusive Schools' and this dominates, in a pleasant way, the discussion. We dropped the usual 'what's caught your eye this week?' slot due to the genuine interest in Mel's contribution to the discussion. It is a wide ranging chat but offers hope for a better future if local, regional and national leaders are willing to grasp the nettle.Sit back and enjoy what Mel has to say. It will probably change your view on SEND, behaviour, attendance, culture and collaboration.Enjoy.
1. Frank and Stan Chat No. 196
47:29||Season 6, Ep. 1The two gents are back for another academic year. The seven week break they have had has recharged the batteries and much has happened in education, especially in the past week. Fortuitously, they are joined by John Malynn, a long serving senior Civil Servant at the DfE and for four years at Ofsted. Frank and John would meet regularly to discuss developments such as new Frameworks when Frank was responsible for such matters as a senior HMI. The publication of the Big Listen including the report from Dame Christine Gilbert this week means that John has a rather unique perspective on such issues. Stan reflects on the announcement but lack of detail on how regional school improvement teams will work. John then considers the insight provided by Rory Stewart in his book 'Politics on the Edge' with Frank trying to get out of his Ofsted 'rabbit hole' by considering how realistic is the timetable for a new inspection framework with surrounding other issues to be delivered by September 2025. It is a fascinating insight into how the relationship between Ofsted and the DfE has changed over time and how important it is to get the next phase of development right.
42. Frank and Stan Chat SPOTLIGHT No. 8
32:08||Season 5, Ep. 42The two gents chat to Tom Zebedee about cyber security. Tom explains why it is vital that senior managers create a strong culture of openness and trust to ensure the chance of security breaches is reduced. He makes clear that it is all centred around effective leadership and a desire to demonstrate this at all times. He points out how some fairly recent breaches took place and how they were resolved. It is a fascinating chat. Tom has set up a cyber security business based in the North and is open to discussions with schools and trusts. Tom is available to support schools and trusts and can be contacted at Tom@cyber-culture.org.
41. Frank and Stan Chat No. 195
37:58||Season 5, Ep. 41The gents are delighted to welcome back as a guest Emma Ainsworth. Emma is currently a Chair of Governors at a Primary School in Bradford, a former senior manager at The Coop and currently working on strategic architecture at Biffa. Stan draws attention to a rugby medal he found in his attic which led to him researching the relative who played Rugby Union in the 1880s. Emma reflects on grief and how schools cope with tragic news and support the family and the wider community. Frank then considers the events in Harehills last night as well reveals that the chat has seen 26% increase in views, 24% length of watching and 10% increase in subscribers in the past year. This is the last chat of the academic year. We are back on 6th September and have guests lined up well into 2025. Thank you for your support and encouragement. Oh, the chat with Emma is great cos she's a fascinating individual. Enjoy.
40. Frank and Stan Chat No. 194
35:00||Season 5, Ep. 40This week Frank and Stan chat with Jill Gray, former Principal at Blackpool 6th Form College and now a leading figure in the creation of The Coastal Collaborative Trust, a new multi academy trust that includes her former College. The chat opens with Stan having mixed emotions around the news that the new Government intend to undertake a Curriculum Review to ensure there are wider opportunities for pupils and students. He worries whether having such a clear stance on improving the time devoted to the arts and physical activity is a good starting point for an independent review. Jill then reflects on her recent visit to Australia and how members of her family out there are showing amazing resilience. Frank completed that chat by drawing attention to the publication of The Alternative Big Listen and how the authors have been able to draw on support from a colleague and friend steeped in experience in the media and public relations. Time to start trusting the experts a bit more is the general theme. A very enjoyable and relaxed chat. Amazing where the 35 minutes disappears. Enjoy.
39. Frank and Stan Chat No. 193
35:14||Season 5, Ep. 39A momentous night followed by a Frank and Stan Chat. What more does education need? The two gents chat about their views on the past 14 years, what might happen in the next 100 days and what they hope for in the future. It's just a gentle glide through a range of issues. For those who have been up half the night and had to teach today, it might be just what you want. We hope so!39. Frank and Stan Chat No. 193
35:14||Season 5, Ep. 39A momentous night followed by a Frank and Stan Chat. What more does education need? The two gents chat about their views on the past 14 years, what might happen in the next 100 days and what they hope for in the future. It's just a gentle glide through a range of issues. For those who have been up half the night and had to teach today, it might be just what you want. We hope so!