requires improvement

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

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 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 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

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 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 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

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 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 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.

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.

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/

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

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

In this seasonal episode of Requires Improvement, your hosts Lee, Nik, Lauren and Charlie reflect on how the ongoing pandemic is continuing to impact the education sector, discussing our experiences at work and the impact of illness, inadequate resourcing and mitigations on staff and students. We analyze the recent government proposals to invite ex and retired teachers back to the profession, the necessity of individual acts of defiance in order to spark collective solidarity, and we reflect on the growing crop of success stories for trade union organizing at home and abroad. Wrapping up with our predictions for 2022, we would like to thank all our listeners and guests for their contributions to this show over the last year and we look forward to better times ahead for us all. In solidarity x Requires Improvement

We are honoured to be joined by journalist and ex-soldier Joe Glenton, as we consider the role of militarism in Britain and the UK education system. We draw upon themes in Joe's new book out this month entitled "Veteranhood: Rage and Hope in British Ex-Military Life", in a wide ranging discussion around how the military is presented in schools, the curriculum and society at large. We discuss the outrageous headlines recently surrounding the allegations of abuse towards 16-18 year old children at the Army Foundation College, lesser known histories of radical struggle from within the armed forces and the pressing need for a critical approach to miltiarism, with lessons for left-wing organising more widely. Hosted by Tom and joined by co-hosts Lee and Nik, we thank Joe wholeheartedly for giving us his time and insights into these issues. Buy his book here! https://housmans.com/product/veteranhood-rage-and-hope-in-british-ex-military-life/ References: https://www.forceswatch.net/ - a watchdog and research organisation on British Armed Forces https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/nov/18/parents-call-for-british-army-college-to-be-shut-down-after-abuse-claims Death at Deepcut Podcast https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Death-at-Deepcut-Podcast/B096W9DKLL War School: The Battle for Britain's Children - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl5Zc71KV_g a superb new documentary film from director Mic Dixon which complements our discussion in this episode - well worth a watch.

The Requires Improvement crew are BACK after a brief hiatus, and in our September-October episode we discuss the return to school, the latest shenanigans going on at Pimlico Academy, practical approaches to organising and self-care, sexism in schools and trying to fight for hope in the Prison Education system. Hosted by Anu, she is joined by co-hosts Nik, Lauren, Lee and Tom. Links: Article Mentioned from EducationUncovered.co.uk by Warwick Mansell https://twitter.com/warwickmansell https://www.educationuncovered.co.uk/diary/diary/152346/attention-switches-to-pending-ofsted-judgment-on-pimlico-academy-with-its-former-head-now-revealed-in-senior-role-at-trust-running-it.thtml Times Education Supplement Article on Education White Paper: https://www.tes.com/news/nadhim-zahawi-schools-education-school-funding-white-paper-illiteracy-new-year Further Article on Rumoured Future Direction for Government Education Policy: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/oct/01/dfe-considering-return-of-sats-at-14-and-axing-teaching-hours-limits

In this July 2021 episode of Requires Improvement, we are joined by author and journalist Sarah Jaffe, as we discuss and explore the wider impact of work in our lives in response to Sarah's recent publication "Work Won't Love You Back", a book which comprehensively analyses and challenges the insidious ways in which workers are convinced that our jobs and working conditions are necessary or fulfilling, especially in contexts where caring professionals are routinely coerced into tolerating exploitation and suffering. Hosted by Charlie with co-hosts Lauren and Anu, in a wide-ranging discussion we consider our complex relationships with jobs and careers, union organizing and class struggle in the US and UK education contexts, the role of second wave feminism, the patriarchy and neoliberalism in changing the fundamental parameters of work and our material conditions to the present day, and how systemic forces condition people into thinking about work and careers. "Work Won't Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted and Alone" by Sarah Jaffe can be bought here: https://housmans.com/product/work-wont-love-you-back-how-devotion-to-our-jobs-keeps-us-exploited-exhausted-and-alone/

If you're already wondering what this episode is about: CAGs are centre-assessed-grades and TAGs are teacher-assessed grades, both of which constitute all the free labour teachers have just had to complete in order to rescue some qualification outcomes for the student cohort class of covid-19 (2021 edition). It's not been a great time in education but it was great to get the the RI crew back in a room to discuss Israel-Palestine, Student led democracy and protest, political education strategies and a whole bunch of stuff which has been on our minds as educators and union organisers of late. Hosted by Tom, Co-hosted by Lauren, Nik, Charlie and Lee. References/Links: 1. 1199’s advice to (rookie) Organisers https://organiseforchange.nz/2019/02/14/1199s-advice-to-rookie-organisers/ 2. Capital by Karl Marx 3. David Harvey Lectures on Capital https://www.youtube.com/user/readingcapital 4. Why men hate women by Laura Bates 5. Natives by Akala 6. Akala Oxford Student Union Address and Q&A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUtAxUQjwB4&t=401s 7. Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis 8. Chapo Trap House Episode “So You Want to Start A Union” https://soundcloud.com/chapo-trap-house/288-so-you-want-to-start-a-union-feat-brace-belden-21019

We are thrilled to welcome lecturer, podcaster and thinker Jeremy Gilbert onto our show in order to talk about why exactly it is the government seems to hate educators. In a wide ranging discussion we seek to place UK education in its wider political context and history, what factors explain the atavism of the right against a truly equitable state education provision and what the possible strategies are available for challenging neoliberal hegemony in the present moment and in the future. We hope you enjoy the thought-provoking discussion and big thanks to Jeremy for offering us his insights. Hosted by Nik, and co-hosts Charlie and Lee. Links to Jeremy Gilbert's various output and projects: https://www.jeremygilbert.org/home https://twitter.com/jemgilbert/ https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/author/jeremy-gilbert/