What does it really take to create schools where people feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas and bring their whole selves to work?

In this episode, Julie Liddell is joined by Laura McPhee, Director of Education at University Schools Trust and author of Empowering Teachers, Improving Schools: Belonging, Psychological Safety and School Improvement. Laura believes psychological safety is far more than a ‘nice to have’, she shares how it can create the conditions for stronger leadership, greater innovation and better outcomes for pupils.

Laura also shares her own leadership experiences, including the lessons she learned from trying to conform to the idea of what a leader ‘should’ be, and why belonging, supportive challenge and cognitive diversity matter at every level of a school community.

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Empowering Teachers, Improving Schools: Belonging, Psychological Safety and School Improvement.
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Curriculum expert, author and former headteacher John Tomsett explains the benefits of values-based leadership in education.

In this episode, John discusses value-based leadership, building psychological safety, creating cultures of trust, and reducing unnecessary workload. You’ll hear practical ways leaders can support staff wellbeing, strengthen school culture, and build sustainable leadership.

John shares insights from his books, 'Putting Staff First', 'Love Over Fear', and 'Mind Over Matter', emphasising the critical role of school leadership in creating a positive, sustainable culture where both staff and students can thrive.

Dr Alexandra Thorp, former primary headteacher and executive head, Ofsted HMI and senior HMI for SEND, and now CEO of a Multi Academy Trust, explores the experiences and barriers faced by women in school leadership.

In this episode, Alex discusses her doctoral research on the gender identity of school leaders and how internalised gender expectations can influence confidence, self-doubt, and leadership identity.

She explores the pressure women can feel to adopt traditionally masculine leadership traits, alongside wider structural barriers including bias and motherhood.

Alex also shares how leadership training, coaching and workplace culture can help create more equitable opportunities for progression.

Darren Hankey, principal and chief executive of Hartlepool College of Further Education, talks about how to foster staff wellbeing and a sense of belonging.

In this episode, Darren discusses creating a culture of clarity, autonomy, and belonging, and shares practical strategies for maintaining wellbeing, including sleep, diet, exercise, and expressing gratitude.

Darren highlights the powerful impact of recognising staff contributions and explains why prioritising wellbeing is essential for the success of both staff and students.

Kat Howard, Executive School Improvement Lead at Windsor Academy Trust and CEO of Lit Drive, explores the relationship between workload, school culture and staff wellbeing.

In this episode, Kat shares her journey from banking to teaching and explains why she wrote Stop Talking About Wellbeing, arguing that wellbeing initiatives can feel hollow when policies and expectations create excessive workload. She discusses how miscarriage policies and maternity leave can shape the experience of working in education, and the importance of creating policies that genuinely support staff.

Kat offers practical approaches for leaders, including listening to lived experiences, communicating clearly and being disciplined about change and priorities.

Explore more:
Stop Talking About Wellbeing
Symbiosis: The Curriculum and the Classroom
Reviving Rhetoric Across the Curriculum: A Guide for Teachers and School Leaders
Lit Drive
MTPT Project

Psychologist, yoga teacher and health and fitness coach Suzy Reading explains why rest is essential for educators and how it supports sustainable working in schools.

In this episode, Susie shares her framework of the eight pillars of rest and offers practical strategies for building moments of rest into the school day.

She discusses how rest supports emotional wellbeing, the role of school leaders in creating cultures that prioritise staff, and the importance of self-compassion when rest feels difficult.

Alice Witherow, CEO of the Cheviot Learning Trust, shares insights from more than 30 years in education, exploring leadership, collaboration and creating cultures where all school staff can thrive.

Recorded shortly before her retirement as CEO, Alice looks back on the mentors, experiences and values that shaped her belief that supporting staff is essential to supporting children.

She discusses the challenges and opportunities of leadership, the importance of keeping children at the heart of decision-making, and why collaboration, shared vision and relationships are critical to school success.

Emma Shepherd, founder of the MTPT Project, shares insights into the experiences of teacher-parents and the impact of the “motherhood penalty” in education.

In this episode, Emma draws on her research and the MTPT Project's work to explore the challenges facing teachers who are parents, including retention and attrition, as well as the need for more family-friendly policies in schools.

Emma highlights why understanding and supporting teachers who are parents is essential for building more inclusive, sustainable education systems.