ASCL Leadership Podcast

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) is the leading professional association and trade union for all school, college and trust leaders. We are proud to support and represent more than 25,000 leaders of primary, secondary and post-16 education from across the UK. Our podcasts feature senior leaders from around the UK, across all phases, covering a wide variety of topics in conversation with ASCL. Our podcast series include: Business Brunch Primary podcast SEND Bites Leadership podcasts The Trust ASCL Leadership podcasts Leaders are Readers Stepping up Specialist podcasts

ASCL Business Brunch | school-based nurseries

September 2025 Emma Harrison, ASCL Business Leadership Specialist talks to Tiff Harris, ASCL Primary and Data specialist and Rob Gould from Barker, to discuss the latest round of school-based nursery application phases. www.ascl.org.uk/podcasts/brunch

09-19
18:28

ASCL SEND Bites | September 2025

In this edition, ASCL SEND and Inclusion Specialist Margaret Mulholland speaks with Elizabeth Harris, Headteacher at Monega Primary School and Katie Ives,SENCO, Monega Primary School about the work done over the last few years to improve and strengthen inclusive teaching and learning in their schools www.ascl.org.uk/podcasts/send

09-15
38:57

The ASCL Business Brunch | September 2025

September 2025 Emma Harrison, ASCL Business Leadership Specialist talks to Emma Searl, Chief Finance Officer at The New Guild Trust who won the National SBL of the Year at the School Business Services awards. www.ascl.org.uk/podcasts/brunch

09-04
31:02

ASCL Business Brunch | April 2025

April 2025 Emma Harrison, ASCL Business Leadership Specialist is joined by Kelly Potton, Advocate Director, Education Mutual, and Pam Burrows, People Booster to announce our new series of roadshows for business leaders which will be taking place in June 2025. To find out more or book your place visit www.ascl.org.uk/business/roadshows www.ascl.org.uk/podcasts/brunch

04-08
19:13

ASCL Policy Snapshot | Curriculum and Assessment Review

Join our policy specialists, for our new series of short engaging and informative podcasts aimed at giving you a quick digest of key issues. In this edition, Julie McCulloch, ASCL Senior Director of Strategy, Policy & Professional Development, focuses on the interim report from the Curriculum and Assessment Review.

03-24
09:19

ASCL SEND Bites | March 2025

In this edition, ASCL SEND and Inclusion Specialist Margaret Mulholland speaks with Philip Stock, Deputy Headteacher at Greenshaw High School and Director of Greenshaw research school and Amelie Thompson, Assistant Director of Education, SEND and Specialist Provision, Greenshaw Learning Trust about the value of adopting a graduated approach to support barriers to learning at classroom level and as a driver to whole school improvement. www.ascl.org.uk/podcasts/send

03-19
40:38

ASCL Business Brunch | March 2025

March 2025 Emma Harrison, ASCL Business Leadership Specialist and Julia Harnden, ASCL Funding Specialist are joined by Nigel Brunning, Chief Operating Officer, South East Essex Academy Trust and Gareth Edmonds, Chief Operating Financial Officer, Northern Education Trust to talk about treasury management. www.ascl.org.uk/podcasts/brunch

03-17
28:51

ASCL Business Brunch | February 2025

February 2025 Emma Harrison, ASCL Business Leadership Specialist talks to Paul Edmond, Chief Finance and Sustainability Officer, HEART Academies Trust and Co-chair of UK Schools Sustainability Network and Helen Burge, Consultant School Business Leader and Co-chair of UK Schools Sustainability Network about sustainability and climate change. To book your place at ASCL's Conference for a Sustainable Future on 5 June, please visit www.ascl.org.uk/sustainability2025 www.ascl.org.uk/podcasts/brunch

03-17
28:49

ASCL Policy Snapshots | School uniforms

Join our policy specialists for our series of short, engaging and informative podcasts aimed at giving you a quick digest of key issues. In this edition, Richard Bettsworth, ASCL Director of Public Relations, is joined by Julie McCulloch, ASCL Senior Director of Policy, Strategy and Professional Development, to talk about another measure in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools' Bill, namely a limit on branded school uniform items.

02-28
05:05

ASCL Policy Snapshots | Breakfast clubs

Join our policy specialists for our series of short, engaging and informative podcasts aimed at giving you a quick digest of key issues. In this edition, Tiffnie Harris, ASCL Primary Specialist, summarises the plans and the problems for breakfast clubs in every primary school in England.

02-14
05:56

The ASCL Business Brunch | February 2025

February 2025 Emma Harrison, ASCL Business Leadership Specialist talks to Scott Sivier, Business Manager from Havant Academy about men’s mental health. www.ascl.org.uk/podcasts/brunch

02-06
34:45

ASCL Policy Snapshots | Report cards

Join our policy specialists, for our new series of short engaging and informative podcasts aimed at giving you a quick digest of key issues. The plans for report cards are the first subject that ASCL’s Director of Public Affairs Richard Bettsworth and ASCL’s Deputy Director of Policy Tom Middlehurst tackles.

02-04
06:34

The ASCL Business Brunch | December 2024

In this edition, Emma Harrison, ASCL Business Leadership Specialist, discuss cyber crime with Dave Cobb, Business Manager, Saint Cecilia's Church of England School and Aston Smith, Headteacher, Charles Darwin, Biggin Hill. www.ascl.org.uk/podcasts/brunch

12-02
38:34

Team ASCL: Policy Specialist update | Autumn Leadership Conference 2024

Listen to our policy specialists as they give a brief outline of what to expect at the upcoming Autumn Leadership Conference 2024 October-November 2024 Book your place now www.ascl.org.uk/alc

10-02
02:52

The ASCL Business Brunch | July 2024

In this edition, Emma Harrison, ASCL Business Leadership Specialist, and Louise Hatswell, ASCL Conditions of Employment Specialist: Pay, discuss flexible working in the education sector for all staff with Antonia Spinks, CEO, Pioneer Educational Trust.

07-05
35:37

ASCL Pre-Election discussion | June 2024

Richard Bettsworth, ASCL Director of PR, and Julie McCulloch, ASCL Director of Policy, discuss the pre-election debate, ASCL's General Election campaign for education, and how school and college leaders can get involved via the hashtag #EducationMatters www.ascl.org.uk/manifesto

06-26
21:58

ASCL looks at the party manifestos | June 2024

Julie McCulloch, ASCL Director of Policy and Richard Bettsworth, ASCL Director of PR, discuss what the political parties are saying on education. www.ascl.org.uk/manifesto | #educationmatters

06-26
28:22

ASCL SEND Bites | June 2024

In this edition, ASCL SEND and Inclusion Specialist Margaret Mulholland speaks with Soofia Amin, Assistant Headteacher, Kensington Primary School and John Claughton, Retired Headmaster, King Edward’s School Birmingham and Co-founder of WoLLoW about languages and highlighting the fundamental opportunities that school leaders face around inclusion, as well as celebrating young people and their potential. www.ascl.org.uk/podcasts/send

06-25
41:56

The ASCL Business Brunch | June 2024

In this edition, Emma Harrison, ASCL Business Leadership Specialist, and Julia Harnden, ASCL Funding Specialist, discuss PFI contract in schools with Cheryl Campbell from Thomas Tallis School and Sian Turner from The Co-operative Academies Trust.

06-17
33:42

ASCL SEND Bites | May 2024

In this edition, ASCL SEND and Inclusion Specialist Margaret Mulholland speaks to Clare Belli who is an SEND leader for Southampton Inclusion Partnership, Whole School SEND and HISS. Clare shares the learning and impact of the Autism in Schools Project in which all Southampton Schools have participated. Having seen the impact of the programme on school improvement and family engagement, Post-16 Settings are now taking up the opportunity.

05-13
37:00

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