If a student fidgets, forgets equipment, interrupts, or fails to start work, we often label it as poor behaviour or low motivation.

But for many students, what you are seeing is ADHD.

In this re-release episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I break down what ADHD actually is, how it really presents in classrooms, and what genuinely helps without adding to teacher workload.

This episode covers:

• Why ADHD is not a lack of effort or poor parenting
• How ADHD affects executive function, attention, and regulation
• Why ADHD is so often misinterpreted as defiance or laziness
• The real barriers ADHD students face in school systems
• Practical classroom strategies that make the biggest difference
• How predictable structures improve outcomes for all students

If you work with students who struggle to start tasks, regulate emotions, manage time, or cope with change, this episode will shift how you see their behaviour and your role in supporting them.

How much of your lesson is spent talking… and how much is students actually thinking?

In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I’m breaking down flipped learning in a practical, realistic way for busy secondary teachers.

This is not about reinventing your teaching or becoming a full time YouTuber. It’s about reclaiming lesson time from chalk and talk and using it where it actually makes the biggest difference.

I cover:

Why traditional lessons feel rushed and overloaded

What flipped learning actually is (without the buzzwords)

How flipping lessons increases challenge and feedback time

Why student independence improves rather than declines

The real fears teachers have and what actually happens in practice

How to use flipped learning sensibly without increasing workload If curriculum content keeps growing but lesson time doesn’t, this episode will give you a realistic strategy to make lessons work harder without burning yourself out.

Perfect for: Secondary teachers GCSE and A level teachers Science and content-heavy subjects Teachers short on time but high on expectations If you found this useful, share it with a colleague who feels permanently behind on content.

Home education is growing fast in the UK, and for many families, science is the subject that causes the most anxiety.

In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I’m joined by Amanda Childs, founder of Sparking STEM, to explore why more families are choosing home education, the challenges of teaching science outside a traditional school setting, and how high quality practical science can still be delivered safely, rigorously, and in line with exam expectations.

We talk about what parents are seeing on the ground post pandemic, common misconceptions schools have about homeschooling families, and where misunderstandings often arise.

Amanda shares why science is often the sticking point for families, what goes wrong when it is not properly supported, and how Sparking STEM bridges the gap through curriculum aligned, AQA endorsed practical science sessions.

We also look ahead to the future of science education, asking whether home education is a short term trend or a long term shift, and what flexible, skills based science learning could look like over the next five to ten years.

This episode is essential listening for teachers, parents, and anyone interested in how science education is evolving beyond the classroom.

Guest Amanda Childs, founder of Sparking STEM

www.SparkingSTEM.org

Inspire To Learn IGCSE Biology Hub https://www.sparkingstem.org/igcse-biology-hub.html

For Home Educators https://www.sparkingstem.org/home-education.html

Effective Outreach With Children - Training for STEM researchers https://www.sparkingstem.org/outreach-training.html

Are students’ attention spans really getting shorter, or is something else happening in the brain?

In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I unpack the neuroscience behind student attention, executive function, and focus.

I look at what research actually says about attention spans, the role of the prefrontal cortex, dopamine, and digital distraction, and why staying focused feels harder for young people than ever before.

More importantly, we tackle the question teachers are asking everywhere right now: should we be adapting lessons to shorter attention spans, or actively training students to focus for longer?

This episode explores:

• The neurobiology of attention and executive function

• Why novelty and distraction are rewiring attention habits

• The difference between catering for attention limits and training focus

• Whether more activities, images, and movement actually help

• Evidence-based strategies to build attention stamina in the classroom.

If you want neuroscience informed, realistic strategies that improve engagement without turning lessons into entertainment, this episode is for you.

Leaving teaching is often framed as a dramatic overnight decision.

That was never my reality.

In this episode, I share the honest, six year journey of how I built a business alongside full time teaching and why I stayed in the classroom long after I could have left financially.

I talk through my career from classroom teacher to Head of Science, how a flipped learning CPD accidentally led to a YouTube channel, how tutoring and small income streams added up over time, and why timing mattered more than money when it came to leaving teaching. This is not a quit your job episode.

It is a realistic, behind the scenes look at side hustles, multiple income streams, fear, identity, and what it actually takes to create financial and time flexibility as a teacher.

If you are interested in one to one coaching to explore side hustles, business ideas, or content strategy, details are linked below. https://www.missestruch.co.uk/coaching

We all agree that A-level students need to be independent learners.

But what does independent learning actually look like in practice?

In this episode of Teach and Tell, I’m joined by Maria Bateson to unpack a question many teachers wrestle with daily: Is it really independent learning if we tell students exactly what to do?

And can students ever become truly independent if we do not explicitly model the process first?

We explore the tension between scaffolding and autonomy, why students do not magically arrive at sixth form knowing how to organise themselves, and how removing support too early can actually damage outcomes.

Maria shares a four step weekly independent task her school has embedded across KS5. We break down exactly how it works, why it is effective, and how it has contributed to improved student grades. (view a sample here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nZvzj4fgQOz-HcrjUt6z8H_ZdUOtVr0Mt78_NSeTm2Q/edit?tab=t.0)

We also discuss collaborative learning, group work, and whether heavy scaffolding undermines independence or enables it.

This episode is ideal for teachers, heads of sixth form, and anyone interested in evidence informed practice at A level.

Loneliness is often framed as an issue affecting older adults.

But the evidence tells a very different story. In this episode of Teach and Tell, I’m joined by Farhana Mann ( https://www.youtube.com/@DocFMann) to explore what research from the past 10–15 years shows about social isolation in teenagers, why 13–17 year olds are one of the most lonely age groups, and how this links to mental health, neurodivergence, and school experience.

We discuss:

• Why loneliness follows a U shaped curve across the lifespan
• Why teenagers experience such high levels of social isolation
• How loneliness in adolescence links to anxiety and depression
• Whether young people with ADHD and autism are more vulnerable to mental health difficulties and why
• The role of masking, unmet needs, and school environments
• Why schools play a critical protective role
• What teachers can realistically do to build belonging and prevent long term harm.

This conversation is essential viewing for teachers, pastoral leads, SEND teams, school leaders, and anyone working with young people.

Loneliness is not just a wellbeing issue. It is an early warning sign. And schools are one of the most powerful places for prevention.

Listen to the full episode to understand the science, challenge common myths, and reflect on how school culture, relationships, and everyday classroom practices can make a lasting difference.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9636084/ further reading (paper discussed in episode)

If you’ve ever wondered how to actually use AI safely and effectively in your teaching, this episode is for you.

Today I’m joined by Matthew Wemyss, international school leader and bestselling author on AI in education, to dig into the realities of AI in schools: the opportunities, the risks, and the mistakes teachers need to avoid.

We talk about:
• The GDPR traps teachers fall into without realising
• What you must not upload into AI tools
• How to reduce AI bias in your resources
• Which AI tools are safest for schools (Microsoft Copilot, Gemini, NotebookLM)
• Why AI should support teacher autonomy, not replace it
• How to turn your existing teaching into more efficient, higher-impact practice
• How students’ use of AI is already shaping classrooms
• The future of AI governance in schools

Whether you’re experimenting with AI or still feeling cautious, this episode gives you the clarity you need to feel confident, protected, and efficient.

Listen in and learn: how to use AI, how not to use it, and how to keep your workload under control without compromising student data or safeguarding.

Matthew Wemyss Linkedin

Books