Teachers Talk Radio

In this show, Tim sits down with Simon Lightman, teacher, philosopher, researcher, and the driving force behind a cross-sector open letter to Parliament calling for curriculum renewal. Together, they ask one of the most pressing questions facing schools today: can education really afford to keep treating sustainability as an optional extra?

Industrial action at Llantwit Major High School has brought issues of workload, behaviour and funding into sharp focus. The NASUWT has raised concerns about staff safety, excessive workload and working conditions, while school leaders and the local authority point to financial pressures, falling pupil numbers and ongoing negotiations. In this show, we speak to a NASUWT representative Sharron Daly to explore the claims behind the dispute, the response from leadership, and what this situation tells us about wider pressures across the profession.

In this week's show, Claudia Tumba and Martin Sketchley chat about what job English teachers should consider when applying to work in South Korea.

The panel (JP, Rae Whitehouse, Lucy Trimnell, Yasmin Omar and Tom Rogers) explore various stories emerging from the upcoming NASUWT annual conference. Reports of rising violence in schools – and claims that incidents are being under-reported or even discouraged – have sparked serious concern across the profession. The NASUWT warns that some teachers face regular physical injury, while inconsistent behaviour policies and leadership responses may be compounding the problem. But it’s not just behaviour in classrooms under scrutiny. New data suggests nearly one in five teachers now faces an “unmanageable” volume of parent contact, with growing expectations to call home for behaviour and attendance issues. Some schools reportedly require calls for every sanction, raising questions about workload, boundaries, and whether teachers are being turned into “call centres.” At the same time, a new threat is emerging: AI-driven digital harassment, with fears that manipulated videos and recordings could damage teachers’ reputations and safety. In this week’s Points of View, we ask: How widespread is violence in schools? Are reporting systems failing staff? Is parental contact becoming excessive? And are schools prepared for the risks of AI misuse?

On 13th March, Sir Martyn Oliver defended robust criticism from many in the profession that the new OFSTED framework unfairly penalises schools in disadvantaged areas. He says context should not trump outcomes. Tony talks to his guests about their opinions on the comments and the framework.