Anseo.net - If I were the Minister for Education

In this week’s podcast I focus on Budget 2027, outlining an alternative primary education budget and arguing that annual measures like capitation increases, extra teachers, and more SNAs prop up a flawed system rather than changing it. After summarising Sinn Féin’s proposals (additional teachers, special education staff, SNAs, higher capitation and allowances) and the Social Democrats’ plans (free education measures, lower ratios, counselling access, prefab phase-out, meals expansion), I propose a 15-year transformation towards a publicly managed system built around local education authorities, removing patron bodies. Key ideas include the State paying schools’ utilities, insurance, cleaning and procurement; moving to maximum class sizes; reforming school meals through localised, simplified, on-site preparation; embedding wraparound services in schools (counsellors, social workers, nurses, therapists) via expanded training; ensuring public capital spending creates public assets by increasing State ownership of school buildings; funding implementation of the primary school survey; piloting the model in one county; and properly paying all education staff while aiming for two adults per classroom.
00:00 Welcome and Subscribe
01:39 Budget 2027 Preview
02:33 Beyond the Usual Budget Questions
03:56 Opposition Education Pledges
06:53 A 15 Year Transformation Plan
07:38 Local Education Authorities Vision
09:20 State Pays School Bills
15:54 Fixing Class Size Rules
20:02 Rethinking School Meals
25:07 Rethinking School Meals
26:11 Wraparound Support Teams
28:41 Training the Workforce
30:30 Who Owns School Buildings
34:07 Funding Survey Changes
37:13 Pilot Local Authorities
40:04 Scaling the New Model
43:09 Pay and Classroom Assistants
44:15 Stop Piecemeal Fixes
45:34 15 Year Vision Wrap Up


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In this first report on patronage, I introduce my Unconvention fringe to the Convention on Education, where I gather public responses and research (using AI to help collate and draft) into reports and podcast episodes; this second report focuses on school patronage. I explain that patronage is not merely historical but gives patrons major power over boards of management and school ethos, including faith formation during the school day, within a system where 88.3% of primary schools are Catholic and only 5.5% are multi-denominational. I explore how admission reform since 2018 does not resolve unequal daily experiences for children of other faiths or none, and I challenge “parental choice” as unrealistic and often prioritised over children’s rights, especially in rural areas with one school. Emerging recommendations include separating admission from ethos reform, defining a minimum entitlement for every child, measuring children’s experiences, testing a state-run local school model with optional after-school faith formation, and explaining patronage clearly; I end with key unanswered questions about opting out, consistency, pupil views, survey choices, and protecting minority faith rights.00:00 Convention Kickoff00:57 Podcast Format Explained02:38 Patronage Question Raised05:35 What Patronage Means07:24 How Schools Operate11:27 Parental Choice Debate15:29 Rights Over Whims17:13 Reframing The Debate21:29 AI Recommendations26:45 Unanswered Key Questions28:47 Wrap Up And Next Steps


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In this episode, I speak with Ciara O’Connor Walsh, Creative Director at youth mental health charity A Lust For Life, about the transition from primary to secondary school. We discuss how practical worries (lockers, timetables, getting lost) often mask deeper concerns about belonging, relationships, peer judgement, bullying, puberty and identity, especially in the move from small primary schools to larger secondary schools. Ciara outlines signs a young person may be struggling, including headaches, tummy pains, sleep issues, tearfulness, irritability, withdrawal, defiance and difficulty concentrating, and stresses noticing early changes and starting honest conversations. We explore what schools can do to build safety and belonging, and Ciara introduces Rising Minds, a 10-lesson first-year programme using evidence-based approaches and skills for emotions, self-compassion, relationships and loneliness, alongside calls for protected wellbeing time and better support pathways.00:00 Back to School Feelings01:47 Meet Ciara O’Connor Walsh03:57 Why Transition Is Huge07:06 Big Schools Big Impact08:12 Common First Year Worries11:13 Spotting Struggle Signs18:01 How Schools Build Belonging21:41 Resilience Not Sink Swim24:47 Rising Minds Explained29:11 Loneliness And Social Skills31:42 Minister For A Day36:46 Support Pathways And CAMHS38:47 Where To Find Resources40:09 Wrap Up And Unconvention


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I welcome Noel Davidson to the podcast to discuss entrepreneurship education and practical problem-solving in Irish schools. Noel shares his own education and career journey from horticulture into starting businesses and becoming Head of Training and Strategic Partnerships at the Entrepreneurs Academy, arguing that programmes like the Junior Entrepreneur Program (primary) and the Student Enterprise Program (post-primary) build confidence and life skills such as creativity, communication, resilience and learning from failure. We discuss why these human skills matter even more alongside AI, which Noel frames as a tool that should save time but cannot replace empathy or leadership. Noel highlights student success stories, including Anthony’s Wooden Crafts, and introduces First Bell (firstbell.ie), a new Irish app launching this September to help schools source substitute teachers more efficiently than phone calls or WhatsApp, with location-based matching, cascading preferences and GDPR-aware design. I close by inviting listeners to anseo.net’s Unconvention.

We’ve developed a course that makes sense of the revised primary curriculum and shows you how to enact it over the next two years and beyond. As a thank you for being a member, you are welcome to use it for free if you pay an annual licence. Simply get in touch with your details and we’ll get you signed up. (schoolpolicy.ie/cpd)

Are you interested in making sense of the revised primary curriculum and enacting your whole school plans over the next two years? We’ve developed a course to do just that. More information on schoolpolicy.ie/cpd or upgrade your account for free access.

00:00 Welcome and Purpose01:16 Meet Noel Davidson03:07 Noel’s Education Journey05:13 Mentors and First Business08:02 What JEP and SEP Teach10:00 Entrepreneurship in the AI Era13:02 Student Success Stories15:59 First Spell Origin Story19:46 How First Spell Works22:03 WhatsApp Limits and GDPR25:32 Launch Details and Access26:53 Minister for a Day29:29 Failure and Ken Robinson33:40 Wrap Up and Unconvention


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In this episode of If I Were the Minister for Education, I speak with Grace Brennan, founder of Higgle, about process-driven visual arts and creative thinking in primary classrooms. Grace shares her education journey from County Wexford to art and design studies and entrepreneurship supported by Enterprise Ireland and local programmes, and reflects on how third-level art opened her mind to experimentation and careers. We discuss how art can become outcome-focused “cookie cutter” work influenced by social media, often because teachers lack training and time to explore materials, and why this can harm children’s creativity and confidence. Grace explains Higgle as a digital prompt generator that supports open-ended, cross-curricular art problems adaptable to available materials and diverse classroom needs, and she outlines her EPV courses for teachers.00:00 Welcome and Art Chat01:24 Grace Brennan Journey03:35 Simon Art Teaching Roots04:56 Mentors and Creativity07:57 Leaving Cert Art Reality09:03 Fixing Cookie Cutter Art16:31 Why Art Foundations Matter20:00 STEAM and New Curriculum22:55 What Is Higgle24:47 Inside the Prompt Generator26:12 Pencil and Paper Challenge27:45 Minister for a Day30:32 Where to Find Higgle31:52 Final Thanks and Wrap


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe