It is not every week you get to put the questions teachers are actually asking straight to the person in charge. For our 200th episode, Dylan and Hayden are joined by the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, for a wide-ranging and honest conversation about the issues facing schools, staff and families right now.
We begin with the SEND white paper, 'Every Child Achieving and Thriving', and the proposed move from Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) to the new Individual Support Plans (ISPs). We discuss what this means for children with the most complex needs, the questions being raised about legal protections and the right to appeal, and how the reforms will be funded.
From there the conversation broadens out to the wider pressures on the profession:
Parental leave and pay, and how provision for teachers compares to other parts of the public sector and to other countries in Europe
The falling birth rate, the effect of smaller cohorts on school funding, and whether this is an opportunity to bring down class sizes
Falling rolls, school closures, and the uncertainty facing staff
The projected 6.5 per cent pay award over three years, how it will be funded, and what that means for school budgets
The Department's recent social media collaboration with Gemma Collins and the response it received from the sector
Whatever your role in education, this is a chance to hear the Education Secretary respond directly to the questions teachers and leaders have been raising.
Our thanks to Bridget Phillipson for joining us, and to everyone who has listened across our first 200 episodes.
