This episode explores Sarah Seleznyov and Robert Lobatto’s book A Practical Guide to a Big Education, rooted in the idea that schools should offer an education of the “head, heart and hand”: academic knowledge, wellbeing and relationships, and practical skills such as creativity, communication and problem-solving. Sarah and Robert argue that education has become too heavily weighted towards compliance, data and narrow outcomes, and that schools need to recover a more human, agency-rich model for both pupils and teachers.

A key theme is that innovation does not mean chaos or a free-for-all. Instead, the conversation presents strong values, shared expectations and thoughtful structures as the “shell” within which teachers and pupils can exercise freedom, judgement and creativity.

They highlight restorative and relational behaviour cultures, independent inquiry, teacher agency and bottom-up change, ultimately encouraging educators to be bold, context-sensitive and true to their values rather than simply serving the system.

https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/practical-guide-to-a-big-education-9781801997928/

This episode unpacks the problem with the “vague opener” in coaching conversations—questions like “How do you think the lesson went?” that seem reflective but actually create confusion and anxiety. From the teacher’s perspective, this forces them to scan an entire lesson and guess the coach’s focus, often leading to defensive responses or overemphasis on perceived mistakes.

We show how this approach can quickly become awkward, especially when a teacher identifies something as successful that the coach intends to critique, undermining trust and wasting valuable coaching time.

Instead, the episode advocates for a more purposeful, focused approach: zooming in immediately on a specific moment of the lesson and asking about the teacher’s intended goal for that segment. This removes the guesswork, sharpens reflection, and allows insight to emerge more naturally. By anchoring the conversation in a clear instructional moment and the teacher’s own intentions, coaching becomes more efficient, collaborative, and productive, leading to deeper thinking and more meaningful professional development.

Welcome to the Improving Disadvantaged Outcomes podcast from Chiltern Learning Trust, in association with DfE RISE.

In this episode of the Chiltern Learning Trust podcast, host Adam Kohlbeck speaks to Daniel Connor and Mark Mailer about Black Shoe Pedagogy.

We delve into real-world examples from Challney High School for Boys, where a focus on consistent reinforcement of core values, symbolised by the Black Shoe metaphor, transformed behaviour and teaching culture.

Discover how defining a handful of high-impact practices, co-constructing shared goals and investing in team belief can create a culture of excellence that endures beyond individual leaders.

Mark and Daniel share practical strategies for embedding these principles into daily routines, from staff recruitment and development to student engagement and curriculum renewal.

This podcast was produced by EduPulse™ in association with Chiltern Learning Trust.

Original music by Caffeinated Studios©.