We’re already on episode 5 of the Crown House EduTalk podcast, and this is our very first, not to mention “Unfinished Business – the Life and Legacy of Sir Tim Brighouse” (something David Cameron never misses a chance to plug!).

To make up for it, we have an outstanding guest addressing some of today’s most pressing education issues.

Graham Chatterley brings a wealth of experience as a teacher, school leader, and supporter of disadvantaged children and young people. He draws on his book Changing Perceptions and his work with his company of the same name to discuss behaviour, relationships, attendance, and motivation.

What also sets Graham apart is his perspective as a parent of a child with significant additional support needs. He understands SEND from both sides, offering remarkable insights into diagnosis, over-diagnosis, and school-parent relationships.

This episode is full of thought-provoking ideas and practical advice—truly not to be missed.

There will, no doubt, be plenty of brilliant conversations about Becky Francis’s 2025 Curriculum and Assessment Review, but this one certainly sets the standard!

We have two outstanding guests, Rachel McFarlane and Hywel Roberts (whose website is now live), and they really live up to their reputations.

This discussion doesn’t shy away from the big questions, probing major issues in the review and interrogating its fundamental assumptions. It remains positive throughout, recognising the outstanding work of Becky Francis and her team and the review’s promise for education in England. And it’s frequently, and gloriously, entertaining, packed with analogies you’d never expect in a conversation about curriculum and assessment.

Above all, it offers a courageous and perceptive examination of what the review means for teachers and educators.

It goes far beyond “what does this review mean for me and my stage or subject?” and questions whether this sort of systemic approach to change is the right one to take. And it never loses sight of the reality of classrooms or staffrooms.

We think that it will also make you want to return to Rachel and Hywel’s books and those to which they have contributed, so here are the links:

Obstetrics for Schools: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/obstetrics-for-schools

Powering Up Your School: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/powering-up-your-school

Oops: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/oops

Uncharted Territories: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/uncharted-territories

Botheredness: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/botheredness

We are delighted to be speaking with Jon Coles in episode 3 of EduTalk.

Jon’s career has been remarkable: he was the lead civil servant on the London Challenge and later held senior national roles as Director 14–19 and Director General for Schools and Education Standards. He is now the Chief Executive of United Learning.

Jon is one of our many Unfinished Business: The Life and Legacy of Sir Tim Brighouse contributors and knew Tim well. In this episode, he builds on topics from our previous conversation with Mick Waters and Steve Munby, continuing the discussion on tackling inequity and inconsistency in our education system. He saw the London Challenge from the inside and carried that ambition for higher, more consistent standards into his later roles and into United Learning.

Thoughtful, measured and reflective, Jon’s insights carry real weight. This is an episode well worth the time of anyone committed to a better future for all young people.