Requires Improvement podcast

1:28:27

On this episode of Requires Improvement we host a roundup of the highlights of NEU Annual Conference 2025, discussing motions for national postal ballot on teacher pay, support staff, amalgamation with NASUWT, Ukraine, Palestine, Disarming Education. Hosted by Lee and joined by Steven, Charlie and Nik. Recorded on 9th May 2025 - Bridget released the STRB report on 22nd May 2025! Links: https://www.mishcon.com/news/mishcon-de-reya-secures-consent-order-for-nasuwt-to-reopen-general-secretary-nominations https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/27/uk-teaching-union-leadership-election-challenger-emerges-matt-wrack-neil-butler Previous Episode on School Elections: https://soundcloud.com/user-889935108/037-assessing-our-new-slt-overlords?si=17d20f4791ee43f3a652a8f304ecfe04&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing…

requires improvement

1
039// Prevent Duty: What is it and how does it impact education? 52:51

18 weeks тому52:51

52:51

In this episode we are joined by guests Amy and Emily, to talk about the UK's "prevent duty" - a controversial facet of the government's counter-terrorism strategy which has recently come under scrutiny due to the Stockport Murders of 2024. Please find these useful links which are referred to in the discussion: Amnesty International "Radical Safeguarding Workbook" https://03753e94-107a-4e97-9685-a0dfd7dde70c.usrfiles.com/ugd/03753e_03c2cbbc93a84b24a33c39a4456159bf.pdf Amnesty International "A Messaging Guide on the Prevent Duty" https://www.amnesty.org.uk/files/2025-01/Prevent%20messaging%20v6.pdf?VersionId=ffZf5kcSGUPiBPUBvb31PSOivWZc9j8X Emily Collins (2021) "Beyond the Race-neutrality of Prevent: White Britain and the Racialised Threat" https://drive.google.com/file/d/18Wk7egM0gkVX9yYfXpjQMR9JWh72w1CG/view?usp=sharing Amy Rushton (2024) "The Performativity of Safeguarding - "The 'Radicalisation' of Children and Young People under Prevent: Exposing a Procedural Lacuna" https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U8uqQH1q9EBzf5Iuoic2ut61OdqZMn78/view?usp=sharing…

requires improvement

1
People Just Do Something, with striking teacher Nik on trade unionism’s ‘ethical gravy train’ 58:42

20 weeks тому58:42

58:42

Requires Improvement are honoured to be able to share a podcast featuring our co-host Nik, as he talks about the experiences of being an educator on strike with our dear friends and comrades at People Just Do Something, of the Bristol Cable. Episode: People Just Do Something, with striking teacher Nik on trade unionism’s ‘ethical gravy train’ What is a strike? What are trade unions for? How can you organise your workplace? Teacher and NEU rep Nik steps away from the picket line for a ‘union bro love-in’ with Isaac that answers these questions and more. People Just Do Something is a relaxing and possibly enraging podcast about people who might self-identify as activists. Join professional busybody Isaac Kneebone-Hopkins, The Bristol Cable’s in-house Columbo, Priyanka Raval and a special guest each week as they attempt to untangle the means of effecting change in Bristol, broken Britain and beyond. Episodes release every other week with the first season spanning 6 episodes. To secure the future of the show and The Bristol Cable, head to www.thebristolcable.org/join New episodes are posted on the Bristol Cable's page here: https://thebristolcable.org/category/podcasts/people-just-do-something/…

requires improvement

1
038// Solidarity at the Border - Care4Calais and Fortress Europe 1:11:10

32 weeks тому1:11:10

1:11:10

Requires Improvement are back again, here to discuss co-hosts Lee and Anu's recent experiences of volunteering for Care4Calais on the English-French border. We conclude by taking a look at recent education headlines and the direction of travel being set by the new government. Hosted by Nik, and joined by co-host Charlie. Links: Care4Calais: https://care4calais.org/ Bristol Transformed Education and Socialism Events can be found here: https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/checkout/bristol-transformed Reading Lists for Session 1 "Bullshit Pedagogy" Bullshit Pedagogy - Stuart Bracewell - pages 6-7 here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x33gWKSltMyWNASTJXUdAyrKOL-vI8Ua/view?usp=drive_link David Graeber - ‘On the phenomena of bullshit jobs’ - a short article which inspired the book https://libcom.org/article/phenomenon-bullshit-jobs-david-graeber Bullshit Jobs - available on Spotify as an audiobook. Reading List for Session 2 "Deschooling Society" Quick/Easy: This short article outlining Illich's arguments with a critique and link to the experience of education under lockdown: https://davidbuckingham.net/2021/04/14/deschooling-society-revisiting-ivan-illich-after-lockdown/ Core: Deschooling Society by Illich (1971) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RCdZfnAct3rK_aTjEHBI0sZbwEeg5YFq/view https://open.spotify.com/show/63Rj31XHonTUXx2VH8I3jA?si=af3f365cd5664fcf Longer/Advanced: A critique of Illich by Gintis, a Marxist who came up with a well-know critique of schools under capitalism 'the hidden curriculum https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RCdZfnAct3rK_aTjEHBI0sZbwEeg5YFq/view?usp=drive_link https://open.spotify.com/episode/1O2brl9WPj3jdhwFIce5U?si=f097c82c8a824de1…

requires improvement

1
037// Assessing Our New SLT Overlords 1:09:11

46 weeks тому1:09:11

1:09:11

Recorded 18th July 2024 In this episode of Requires Improvement we are discussing the recent general election, how mock elections are done in schools, a review of the likely direction of travel for education policy under the new government, and ending with a righteous trashing of the Cass Report and some celebrations of recent local union fights. Hosted by Nik, who is joined by Charlie, Lauren and Lee. Get in touch with us with any queries, feedback or ideas on twitter/X https://x.com/requirespod…

requires improvement

1
036// NEU Annual Conference Highlights 2024 1:21:36

1 year тому1:21:36

1:21:36

Requires Improvement are back with a round-up of this year's NEU annual conference, the highlights (and low-lights) concerning democratic motions for industrial action on pay, support staff, international solidarity with Palestine and "New Professionals and Young Workers" - and more! Hosted by Nik alongside co-hosts Charlie and Anu, with a debut appearance from our good comrade Steve. Catch us on twitter @requirespod…

requires improvement

1
035// How to get Palestine on the agenda in schools, Attendance & Teach First 1:12:39

1 year тому1:12:39

1:12:39

Requires Improvement return with a discussion on how to get Palestine on the agenda in schools, with additional topics including the DfE's latest school attendance campaign, and how things appear to be going from bad to worse for the government's favoured entry route into teaching "Teach First". Hosted by Nik alongside co-hosts Anu, Daisy and Lee. Check out the podcast Surviving Society with guest and friend of the show Vik Chechi-Ribeiro https://on.soundcloud.com/rHVEZ…

requires improvement

1
034//Strike Debrief: Why did members accept 6.5% + what do we do now? 1:27:51

2 years тому1:27:51

1:27:51

As the 2022-2023 teacher's pay dispute against the UK government is concluded, the Requires Improvement team offer our reflections on what has been achieved through industrial action, what we need to do better for next time and what the future opportunities could be. We also take a look at Labour's plans for promoting "oracy" in schools alongside concerns regarding rumoured plans by the Department of Education to bring in discriminatory safeguarding regulations for LGBTQIA+ students and what educators can do in response. This episode is hosted by Nik, who is joined by Tom, Lee and Charlie. If you would like to get in touch for feedback or collaboration please email requiresimprovementpod@gmail.com or DM us on twitter @requirespod https://twitter.com/requirespod Links to the Articles mentioned: https://www.rs21.org.uk/2023/08/01/school-strikes-results-and-prospects/ https://notesfrombelow.org/article/struggles-railways-critical-reflections-engineer https://schoolsweek.co.uk/revealed-the-full-details-of-labours-education-mission/…

requires improvement

1
033// Power In The Union: Conference & Strike Update 1:20:14

2 years тому1:20:14

1:20:14

Requires Improvement talk you through their recent experiences on the picket lines and what's been voted on at the 2023 NEU Annual Conference. We talk through the pay campaign strike escalation in response to the government's risible pay deal, the urgent motion on OFSTED, the new motion on support staff members: what this all means for trade union organizing in the education sector going forwards. Your host for this episode is Charlie, and she is joined by new co-host Hannah, as well as Nik and Lee.…

requires improvement

1
032// Won't somebody please think of the children? The strikers are! 1:14:05

2 years тому1:14:05

1:14:05

Requires Improvement return from their temporary ballot-hiatus to celebrate the huge recent ballot result of the premier education union in England and Wales, how everyone played their part in achieving it- and what we're thinking about as strikes are now planned in order to win the education funding dispute. Your co-hosts Lee, Nik, Charlie and Lauren talk about the recent conditions in the workplace, and we look forward to an exciting future for trade unionism and organising in the education sector. How to build member confidence for striking and picket lines, the importance of building workplace solidarity and countering misinformation, why all members should be ready for a super fun time out on strike, and why scabs are ultimately losers of colossal proportions.…

requires improvement

1
031// Back To Class (War) - Ballot Special 1:15:28

3 years тому1:15:28

1:15:28

So it's back to school for all educators in September 2022 but all eyes are on the National Education Union and our forthcoming ballots of teaching staff and support staff - will the hot strike summer morph into a cool strike autumn? We certainly think so! Join your hosts Nik, Charlie, Lauren and Lee as they talk through how we're going to organize and fight for a fully funded pay rise for educators in the UK. Recorded on 4th September 2022.…

requires improvement

1
030// How can we disrupt capitalism in the education system? feat. Ashok Kumar 1:17:26

3 years тому1:17:26

1:17:26

In this episode the Requires Improvement team are honoured to be joined by Dr. Ashok Kumar, senior lecturer in political economy at Birkbeck University. We use the recent UCU strikes as a jumping off point for a wide ranging discussion about privatization and neoliberal forces within the education sector, the importance of strategy in taking effective industrial action, and where the trade union movement should be looking next for victories. Solidarity with all members, reps, organisers and officers of the UCU. Ashok can be found on twitter @broseph_stalin https://twitter.com/broseph_stalin You can find out more/buy Ashok's book here: https://monopsonycapitalism.com/ You can listen to Ashok's podcast "Historical Materialism" here https://rss.com/podcasts/historicalmaterialism/…

requires improvement

1
029// Always Be Organising feat. Vik Chechi-Ribeiro 57:31

3 years тому57:31

57:31

Despite the hectic times of late, your hosts Nik, Charlie, Lee and Tom found some spare minutes to kick off this episode with a swift round-up of everything we've been up to recently, before introducing our esteemed interview guest Vik Chechi-Ribeiro (@VikCR_) who is a Teacher of Science, union rep and organizer based in Manchester. We get into fine detail of how to organize a workplace by implementing deep organizing methods. Our discussion also covered the need for fresh, engaging methods of political education and the dangers of the government's PREVENT agenda on free speech in education. Major thanks to Vik for sharing his valuable time with us, check out the links below. Links: Bristol Transformed: https://bristoltransformed.co.uk/ Kernow Transformed: https://kernowtransformed.co.uk/ Labor Notes Article on Phone Banking: https://labornotes.org/2014/03/how-phonebank-when-members-screen-their-calls Strike! MCR https://twitter.com/strikeMCR Give us a follow/Get in touch with Requires Improvement https://twitter.com/requirespod…

requires improvement

1
028// The Trojan Horseshoe Theory 1:30:38

3 years тому1:30:38

1:30:38

In this term 3 roundup your Requires Improvement hosts Nik, Anu, Lauren, Charlie and Lee offer you their thoughts on their recent experiences in state and prison education, how to take on your bullying bosses, why you should check out the Trojan Horse Affair Podcast and why "horseshoe theory" is not OK for children, or anyone else. Recorded on 18th February 2022. Link to the Trojan Horse Affair Podcast: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/podcasts/trojan-horse-affair.html…

requires improvement

1
027// "Nad's Army" - Will ex-teachers save 2022? 1:07:44

3 years тому1:07:44