This week, the lads are back with a big chat about the proposed under-16 social media ban and whether it actually solves the problem or just shifts it somewhere else. Lee and Adam talk through phones, attention spans, online safety, loneliness, youth clubs, boredom and why children need better alternatives than just being told to “go outside” like it’s 1998 and Snake on a Nokia is the height of entertainment.

There’s also a look at the wider impact of social media on schools, from behaviour and friendships to the way trends, language and online drama somehow always end up landing in classrooms by 9:05am. As always, it becomes less “education policy discussion” and more “how are schools expected to fix absolutely everything?”

The episode then takes a very strange turn with a bizarre education story involving hypnosis in a school, because apparently the job description wasn’t already weird enough. There’s also a blind ranking of end-of-year traditions, with the usual mix of strong opinions, questionable logic and Adam trying to keep some sort of order.

Finally, the listener stories bring the usual chaos. Expect tales of pupil madness, staff exhaustion, end-of-term survival mode and the sort of classroom moments that make you laugh, wince and immediately think: “That’s going straight on CPOMS.”

​📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the lads are back after half term and counting down the final few weeks until the summer holidays. Adam opens up about leaving his latest role and finding himself in that strange in-between stage of weighing up new opportunities, signing up for supply work and figuring out what comes next.

Two new features this week. First - THE BIG QUESTION from a listener focuses around the Department for Education's controversial collaboration with Gemma Collins. Lee shares his experiences of working with the DfE, meeting Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and explains the challenge of trying to represent teachers' concerns while still maintaining access to decision makers. The conversation dives into SEND reforms, teacher workload, government communication and why so many teachers and parents felt frustrated by the timing of the campaign.

The there's IN THIS WEEK'S NEWS... There's also a look at two bizarre education news stories making headlines. One involves a teacher who called in sick before being spotted on a stag do in Portugal, while the other features a headteacher accused of some very questionable spending decisions involving school funds, cruises and karaoke machines.

Elsewhere, there's a discussion about the latest playground obsession with Michael Jackson, memories of legendary school productions, and whether social media trends are any stranger than the things pupils were obsessed with in the 1990s.

The blind ranking returns with a fiercely contested list of classic school dinner desserts. Expect strong opinions on Arctic Roll, Cornflake Tart, Sprinkle Cake, Jelly and Ice Cream, Rice Pudding and the iconic Chocolate Cake with Pink Custard. Some of the rankings may cause outrage.

Finally, the listener stories are back and they might be some of the funniest yet. From children calling teachers "King of Crying", to pupils wiping tables with ham, swinging dead moles around the playground and attempting prison-style escapes via manholes, it's another reminder that no workplace produces stories quite like schools.

📬 Want your story or question featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s special guest is the brilliant Richard Coles, joining the lads for a wide-ranging chat that somehow manages to cover children’s books, pop stardom, religion, reality TV, school life, funeral disasters and losing a speedboat in Ibiza.

Richard talks about releasing his very first children’s book - https://amzn.to/3S51Q6j

after already writing more than a dozen books for adults. He explains why he wanted to write stories about people whose adventures go spectacularly wrong, and why getting children hooked on reading feels more important than ever in a world battling for their attention.

There’s a brilliant conversation about school visits, children’s honesty and the way young people see the world. Richard reflects on how empathetic and accepting children are today, while also sharing some hilarious moments from his recent school tour, including an unforgettable question about “having the nerve” to stand up and speak in front of people.

The lads then head right back to the 1980s as Richard opens up about life in The Communards, having the biggest selling single of 1986 and the surreal experience of going from signing on at the dole office to flying on Concorde and dining with Andy Warhol and John Lydon in New York.

There’s also a really thoughtful discussion around growing up gay in the 1970s, the challenges Richard faced at school and why finally being able to live honestly changed everything for him. It’s honest, reflective and full of perspective without ever losing the warmth and humour.

The conversation then moves into Richard’s life as a vicar, including what people misunderstand most about religion and why being part of the church was never about escaping reality but facing it head-on. Naturally, this quickly descends into absolute chaos as the lads ask about disastrous weddings, awkward confessions and the unforgettable moment a bride catastrophically misjudged a nervous fart during the ceremony.

There’s plenty of chat about TV too, including Strictly Come Dancing, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, Celebrity MasterChef and Richard’s love of being thrown into bizarre situations with complete strangers. He also reveals the most disgusting thing he had to eat in the jungle and teases a reality show he’d still secretly love to do.

As always, the episode finishes with the classic final question: what advice would Richard give to his ten-year-old self? His answer is simple, honest and genuinely lovely.

A fascinating, funny and surprisingly moving episode with one of the most interesting guests the podcast has had.

📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back for episode 250 and it’s the last one of the half term. SATs are finally done, but before anyone starts skipping into summer like they’re in a feel-good montage, the lads quickly remind everyone that the final half term is anything but calm. Reports, sports days, transitions, residentials, productions and the emotional roulette of finding out next year’s class all get a mention. Lovely. Peaceful. Relaxing. Absolutely not.

There’s also a big build-up to the biggest live show the Two Mr Ps have ever done at The Lowry in Salford, with just a handful of tickets left and the show being filmed. No pressure then.

From there, the lads get into a chat about parents, family stories and the little things that make every household slightly odd. It starts with the boys getting in trouble for things they’ve said about their own mum and dad on the podcast, before spiralling into a thread about the strange but brilliant things parents do. Some are sweet, some are baffling and some are the kind of thing you only realise isn’t normal when you say it out loud in front of other people.

There’s also a listener question asking what the brothers admire about each other and what drives them mad. It gets unexpectedly wholesome for about 14 seconds before returning to the usual level of sibling irritation. Balance restored.

This week’s blind ranking is classic school dinners, which sparks a proper nostalgic debate about turkey twizzlers, cheese whirls, watery veg and the undisputed glory of school pizza. Then the episode dives into listener stories, including early years chaos, questionable show and tell items, awkward school conversations and the sort of incidents that remind you teachers really do need danger money.

The lads also run through some of the funniest reasons teachers have had to tell children off, from the ridiculous to the completely unhinged. It’s the kind of section that makes anyone outside education think, “Surely that didn’t happen,” while every teacher listening just nods and goes, “Yep. Standard Tuesday.”

And to finish, there’s a brand-new feature: a ridiculous “would you rather” style dilemma for listeners to get involved in. First up: Donald Trump as a pupil in your class for a half term, or Katie Hopkins as a parent for a full year. Horrific either way. Like choosing between wet play and a staff meeting about wellbeing.

​📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back for episode 249 and the lads kick things off right in the middle of SATs week, with the usual frustrations around testing, pressure and the yearly debate over whether SATs are helpful, pointless, stressful or all three at once. There’s also some pre-show nerves creeping in ahead of the biggest live podcast show they’ve ever done at The Lowry, with family, friends, colleagues and even headteachers all heading along to watch.

There’s a chat about school podcasts too, with Mr P talking about getting children involved in creating their own school podcast and how brilliant it’s been for confidence, writing and giving pupils a genuine sense of purpose and ownership.

From there, things descend into wedding chaos as the lads react to a thread about the wildest things people have witnessed at weddings. It quickly becomes clear that no wedding is safe from disaster. The episode then moves into a brilliant discussion around phrases and sayings people completely mispronounce or misunderstand. It’s one of those conversations where you suddenly realise half the population has been confidently saying things wrong for years and nobody’s corrected them. The lads spiral into the sort of confusion that makes you question whether you’ve been saying common phrases properly your entire life.

There’s also a surprisingly deep conversation about school staff rooms and workplace culture after a listener shares a story about being banned from using the staff room during work experience. That leads into this week’s blind ranking: school red flags. Expectations around workload, wellbeing culture, unpaid extras and toxic school habits all get thrown into the mix as the lads debate which warning signs are the biggest indicators that a school might not be quite as supportive as it claims to be.

Then comes a huge run of hilarious SATs answers, classroom misunderstandings and accidental pupil comebacks. And by the end of the episode, it’s complete classroom carnage. Quick-fire one-liners, savage pupil responses, accidental insults and absolute chaos from start to finish. One of those episodes where you spend half the time laughing and the other half wondering how teachers survive a full week without losing their minds.

📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Head to neu.org.uk/abolish-ofsted to find the Ofsted risk assessment guide from the NEU.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back for episode 248 and it kicks off with the realities of the summer term: SATs, GCSEs, mocks, revision timetables and that slightly terrifying moment when you realise your children are suddenly much older than your brain has agreed to process.

The opening chat turns into a proper reflection on parenting, growing up and those little moments that make you realise time is absolutely flying. There’s also a brilliant thread on clever parenting “hacks”, although most of them are less hack and more just genuinely thoughtful parenting. From encouraging reading and building life skills to quietly teaching responsibility, it’s a lovely reminder that the best parenting tricks are often the ones children don’t realise are tricks at the time.

Then it’s time for this week’s blind ranking: fictional teachers. Mr P has to rank which famous screen teachers he’d most want as his parallel teacher, and it brings up everything from inspirational teaching to questionable behaviour management. Some choices are obvious, others are… brave. Let’s just say Miss Honey might not survive a modern Year 6 classroom without serious backup.

With SATs week in full swing, the episode then dives into funny test answers and classroom misunderstandings. It’s full of those moments where children technically answer the question… just not in the way anyone expected. There’s maths logic, spelling confusion, history mix-ups and the kind of literal thinking that makes teachers both laugh and question every instruction they’ve ever given.

There’s also a run of brilliant misunderstandings from pupils, from mixed-up vocabulary to accidental wordplay and those classic moments where children hear something completely different to what was actually said. As always, the innocence makes it ten times funnier.

And finally, the episode ends with a properly awkward school story involving a very serious misunderstanding over an item brought into class. Panic, embarrassment, safeguarding concern, parental conversation… and then the reveal that it was not what anyone thought. Classic school life. Absolute chaos from start to finish.

📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

​🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

27th February - Dublin, Ambassador Theatre 🇮🇪

🎟️ Tickets available at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

Get it booked, round up your people and give yourself something to properly look forward to 👏🎤

Get instant access to hundreds of lessons at ⁠talk.economistfoundation.org⁠ -- Just search Topical Talk to sign up.

Head to ⁠neu.org.uk/abolish-ofsted⁠ to find the Ofsted risk assessment guide from the NEU.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back for episode 247 and it starts exactly how you’d expect… with absolute nonsense. A new lookalike shout lands for Adam and it might be one of the worst yet. Not even close to flattering, not even accurate… just unnecessarily savage. From there, it spirals into that familiar territory of people wildly overestimating themselves, which sets up the first thread perfectly.

We get into “Jay from The Inbetweeners”-level brags, and honestly… the confidence people have is unbelievable. After that, it’s back to classroom life with a blind ranking of maths topics. Then come the teacher burns, and as always, they don’t disappoint. No filter, no intent… just brutal honesty from children. It’s savage, but in that way only primary kids can get away with.

And then… the stories. We’re talking full-on classroom chaos and awkward moments that no training prepares you for.

​📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Get instant access to hundreds of lessons at talk.economistfoundation.org -- Just search Topical Talk to sign up.

Head to neu.org.uk/abolish-ofsted to find the Ofsted risk assessment guide from the NEU.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back for episode 246 and it starts with a bit of chaos… a virtual recording and a guessing game as Mr P challenges Adam to work out where he is in the UK using only yes or no questions. There’s also a quick tour plug (that definitely wasn’t meant to be a plug…) with updates on upcoming live shows, including the huge Lowry date and the next run across the UK.

From there, it’s straight into a blind ranking of school holidays and it gets surprisingly deep. October half term gets the respect it deserves for saving everyone from that brutal first stretch, Christmas gets called out for not actually being a “break”, and February half term takes a bit of a battering. Naturally, the summer holidays come out on top, followed by a proper rant about why they absolutely should not be shortened — and how the real issue isn’t schools, it’s the wider pressures on families. There’s also a nostalgic detour into what summer used to look like… playing out all day, making games up on the spot, and surviving things like “10 and you’re dead” without any adult supervision. A reminder that boredom wasn’t a problem, it was the starting point for everything.

Then it takes a turn. A thread on the most cringe things people have seen at weddings delivers exactly what you’d expect… and worse. We’re talking public oversharing at the altar, couples counting cash gifts in front of guests, Disney mascot outfits, painfully awkward first dances, and some truly baffling “creative” choices that should never have left the planning stage.

And then… the main event.

Mr P brings in a listener challenge: ranking the most awkward places teachers have bumped into parents. What follows is absolute carnage. It’s one of those episodes where you laugh, wince, and feel slightly better about your own worst moments… because it could always be worse.

Much worse.

📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Get instant access to hundreds of lessons at talk.economistfoundation.org — just
Search Topical Talk to sign up.

Head to neu.org.uk/abolish-ofsted to find the Ofsted risk assessment guide from the NEU.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back for episode 245 and straight into the summer term chat, the lads kick things off reflecting on the Easter break… or what we all pretend is a break. Adam shares the reality of a family holiday abroad. Meanwhile, Mr P embraces the complete opposite approach and does absolutely nothing, other than going all-in on a serious binge of Game of Thrones with the boys, reliving iconic moments and questioning just how much unnecessary nudity was really needed.

There’s also a relatable rant about bank holidays landing in the middle of school breaks (the ultimate teacher scam), the chaos of holiday resort shops, and one very creative bit of parenting on how to explain a questionable t-shirt slogan to a curious child without opening a can of worms you’re not ready for.

From there, it’s straight into a brilliant thread of “oops” moments, and honestly, it’s the kind of content that makes you feel instantly better about your own worst day. The episode then shifts into classic school chaos with a run of things children have said that are equal parts ridiculous and genius. From accidental one-liners to completely unfiltered honesty, it’s a reminder that kids will always find a way to humble you in seconds. There’s also a listener dilemma around a colleague not pulling their weight, leading to a really honest conversation about boundaries, workload, and the reality of working in teams. No sugar-coating, just practical advice about having those slightly awkward but necessary conversations and protecting your own time without taking on everyone else’s. The final section is a full-on deep dive into the most shocking things people have witnessed in schools, and it is absolute carnage. We’re talking animals appearing in classrooms, completely inappropriate show and tell items, chaotic behaviour that you couldn’t make up, and moments that range from hilarious to genuinely unbelievable. The infamous “Viagra incident” alone is worth the listen.

It’s one of those episodes that perfectly sums up school life. Exhausting, unpredictable, occasionally ridiculous… but always full of stories you’ll be telling for years.

​📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Head to neu.org.uk/abolish-ofsted to find the Ofsted risk assessment guide from the NEU.

Get instant access to hundreds of lessons at talk.economistfoundation.org — just search Topical Talk to sign up.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Lee sat down with the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, to discuss the government's Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper and the SEND consultation.

I thought we would have had a lot more time than we actually had, which meant a few questions I had prepared from the 1,000+ questions submitted weren’t asked. And probably not being able to go back on every answer in the way I'd have liked, but I decided to focus on giving the Ed Sec a chance to bring clarity to some of what had been proposed. There were things left on the table and some answers that deserved more pushback than time allowed. That's worth being upfront about.

The conversation covered SEND funding and what the £4 billion investment will actually look like in a mainstream classroom, the new Individual Support Plans, what happens to EHCPs, inclusion bases, the role of SENCOs, support staff pay and recognition, workload concerns including the future of the 1,265 directed hours, early intervention through the Best Start Family Hubs, curriculum changes, and Ofsted's new inspection framework, including whether the data suggests disadvantaged schools are being disproportionately affected.

Some of those questions got fuller answers than others. Some of the answers raised further questions we didn't get time to follow up on. That's the reality of a time-limited sit-down with a Secretary of State.

The SEND consultation is open now and closes 18 May 2026. Whether you're a teacher, support staff, parent or professional, they're asking for responses -

https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/ 

Head to neu.org.uk/abolish-ofsted to find the Ofterd risk assessment guide from the NEU.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 244 starts with Adam having an absolute stinker of a morning after waking up to discover he's been a victim of fraud with some going on a shopping spree, before drifting into a chat about nights out, drinking culture, getting older, and the strange pressure people put on you to “join in” even when you’re perfectly happy not drinking at all. From there, the episode takes a funny turn into sport, recognition in public and some classic grassroots sport observations, including kids shamelessly copying professional footballers and bringing full Premier League energy to very low-stakes matches.

The main thread of the episode is all about the funniest and most painful faux pas people have ever made, and it is packed with properly toe-curling stories. There’s also another blind ranking, this time focused on classic UK playground games, which brings up all the old-school chaos of British Bulldog, Red Rover, Kiss Chase and the rest. The second half of the episode is classic school-story gold. There’s a listener dilemma about a colleague who never comes into the staff room, followed by a long run of completely ridiculous things people have witnessed in schools.

As always, the episode finishes with the kind of school-based madness that makes you question how any teacher gets through the week with their sanity intact. It’s packed with awkward moments, unbelievable stories, and the sort of staffroom-style laughter that makes the whole profession feel just a little bit more survivable.

📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Head to neu.org.uk/abolish-ofsted to find the Ofterd risk assessment guide from the NEU.

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