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What if the most useful AI tutor is the one that refuses to give your child the answer? In this episode, Ben and Steve sit down with Ashish Bansal, co-founder and CEO of StarSpark AI and former Google, Twitter and Amazon engineer, to ask what AI tutoring should really look like when learning, not engagement, is the goal. From his son gaming an online algebra course by memorising a seven-question bank, to why most AI chatbots are built for the wrong purpose entirely, Ashish makes the case for purpose-built, Socratic AI that makes students think harder, not less. We cover: - Why "solving is not tutoring" and great mathematicians don't automatically make great teachers - What parents and technologists misunderstand about pedagogy and age-appropriate learning - How StarSpark refuses to be an answer machine and uses Socratic questioning instead - Sequencing question difficulty using Webb's Depth of Knowledge - Why multiple choice encourages guessing, and how his son gamed an online algebra course - The 80% problem: how learning gaps compound year after year in maths - Personalised learning versus group instruction, and Bloom's two sigma problem - Socrates, gurukuls and why our school systems are built around a cost model - Flipping the classroom: AI teaches the concept, the teacher helps when students get stuck - Why the school year is still nine months, and whether learning should be continuous - Why general-purpose chatbots are built for engagement, not learning outcomes - Purpose-built AI vs wrappers: grounding in textbooks, computer algebra systems and avoiding emotional dependence - The Star Wars role-play that got one student through 119 maths problems in two days - Practical things teachers can do with AI tomorrow to give every student more individual attention Why you should listen If you're a teacher, school leader or parent trying to work out whether AI will help young people learn or simply do their thinking for them, this conversation offers a rare inside view from someone who builds the technology and still puts pedagogy first. You'll come away with sharper questions to ask of any AI product and practical ideas you can try in your classroom straight away. Chapters 00:00 Highlights 01:01 Welcome to the Edufuturists podcast 02:17 Community updates and XP School 04:08 Meet Ashish Bansal: from Google to StarSpark AI 05:33 How being a dad fuelled the mission 06:43 Why solving is not tutoring 09:02 What parents and technologists miss about pedagogy 11:25 Lessons from Google, Twitter and Twitch 14:08 Is AI stopping students from thinking? 15:50 No answer machine: building a Socratic tutor 17:41 Sequencing difficulty with Webb's Depth of Knowledge 18:41 Why multiple choice fails, and gaming Khan Academy 19:56 The fastest route vs the learning process 22:24 What does it actually mean to learn? 23:36 Personalised learning vs group instruction 24:29 AD: Brilliant Festival 25:33 The 80% problem: how maths gaps compound 26:59 Is personalisation the future of education? 27:50 Socrates, gurukuls and the cost model of schooling 29:50 Bloom's two sigma, Biesta and learning in community 32:18 The future of education: humans and AI together 35:45 Flipping the model: AI teaches, teachers unstick 36:50 Mastery, grade boundaries and the nine-month school year 38:40 AI adoption in schools: square peg, round hole 40:50 Chatbots built for engagement, not learning 43:14 Purpose-built AI vs wrappers 44:30 Not your friend: guardrails and the Star Wars story 47:02 What teachers can do with AI tomorrow 50:16 Quick-fire questions 51:58 Wrap up and thanks Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.Ben & Steve x Join us at Brilliant FestivalCheck out all about EdufuturistsWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touch Uprising tickets are LIVEGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book Join the Wolfpack

What if the most valuable thing at an EdTech festival isn't the tech, but the conversation with the stranger sitting next to you? In this episode, Ben and Steve are joined by three people who know the Brilliant Festival inside out: Andy Miah, Melanie Tagg and returning guest Trudi Barrow. Festival director Martyn Collins was unwell and couldn't join, so the panel stepped in to explain why Brilliant has become one of the UK's most distinctive education events. They cover why educators, tech companies, charities and employers need to be in the same room, why creativity and technology belong across the whole curriculum, and how to get the most out of a packed day. The festival is free and runs on 10th November in Liverpool, and the link to book is below. We cover: - Why a northern, free-to-attend EdTech festival feels different from the big London shows - How Brilliant puts frontline teachers, primary and early years practitioners in direct conversation with CEOs and tech providers - Chester Zoo, Johnny Vegas and why cross-sector collaboration sparks the best ideas - Why children don't live in silos, and why EdTech can't be a bolt-on in 2026 - The shift from "what is the technology?" to "is it improving learning outcomes?" - The disconnect between school skills and employer expectations - Connect, Collaborate and Create, a new closing session hosted by Edufuturists - Inside the Brilliant Awards: 20 categories and an exceptionally high bar - This year's themes: AI, SEND and inclusion, esports, industry engagement and STEAM - Practical advice for getting the most out of the day Get your free Brilliant Festival tickets Chapters 0:00 Welcome to the Edufuturists podcast 01:05 Astronaut costumes and Starbucks training sessions 03:12 Meet Andy Miah, University of Salford 04:47 Meet Melanie Tagg, Futuresource Consulting 07:27 Meet Trudi Barrow, CLEAPSS 09:16 Is there something special about a northern event? 10:08 Hopes for Brilliant 2026: bigger, broader, more frontline voices 11:20 Access to senior people and bridging the skills gap 14:05 Chester Zoo and the magic of cross-sector conversations 15:26 Putting the A into STEAM 17:49 Martyn Collins and a community bigger than one person 18:28 AD: Brilliant Festival 19:33 Why educators, tech and employers need to be in the same room 21:06 Children don't live in silos 22:47 Beyond the tech: learning outcomes, training and guardrails 25:41 The pace of change and taking the pulse of the nation 27:33 Connect, Collaborate and Create: the new closing session 31:10 How to navigate a packed festival day 33:42 Inside the Brilliant Awards 36:31 Themes for 2026: AI, SEND, esports, industry and STEAM 38:41 Final advice: comfy shoes, open minds, talk to everyone 40:55 Book signings and Pick & Mix Education 42:32 Wrap up and thanks #BrilliantFestival #EdTech #Edufuturists #FutureOfEducation #AIinEducation #STEAM #EdTechUK #Liverpool #EducationConference #SEND #TeacherCPD #Esports Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.Ben & Steve xCheck out all about EdufuturistsWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book Join the Wolfpack

#Edufuturists #FutureOfEducation #AIinEducation What if the biggest problem in education isn't workload, personalisation or even AI, but the things we've simply never stopped to question? In this episode, Ben and Steve are back in the studio for The Big Review Part 18, looking back at eight recent conversations on the future of education. From heart-led leadership and the myth of AI personalisation to Pick 'n' Mix Education in real life, evidence-based teaching and inclusive learning for neurodivergent children, they pull out the big ideas, the moments that stuck with them, and the threads connecting them all: human first, professional second. We cover: - Why the hardest part of teaching might not be workload, and why teachers need safety to try new things - Leading with heart: character, humility over ego, and psychological safety in schools and organisations - Why we should stop calling it "personalisation" and put human wisdom at the centre of AI strategy - Being interviewed about Pick 'n' Mix Education: one size fits all means one size fits none - Why education and school are not the same thing, and why parents need a permission slip to choose differently - Trudi Barrow on creative fidelity, the DfE AI toolkit, and getting our Sundays back - Pick 'n' Mix Education in real life: hybrid, online and home learning with Minerva Virtual Academy families - What if nothing we do in education has ever been tested like a new drug? Randomised trials, AI tutors and social mobility - Fleeing Ukraine, navigating autism, and building inclusive learning systems used by hundreds of thousands of learners - A sneak peek at upcoming guests, including Hamilton musical director Julian Reeve Why you should listen If you only have time for one episode, make it this one. It's a fast, honest tour through some of the most important questions facing schools, colleges and families right now, and a perfect starting point for diving into the 350+ episodes in the Edufuturists back catalogue. Chapters 0:00 Welcome to The Big Review Part 18 01:16 Why we keep doing this: the best CPD there is 03:11 Building the rocket ship: organised chaos and the new Edufuturists website 04:30 The hardest part of teaching isn't workload with Grant Wootten 09:05 Character, heart and leadership with Dave Jones and Stephen Klemich 11:15 Leading with love: humility over ego 14:38 Stop calling it personalisation with Laura Knight 16:56 Human first, professional second 17:43 Brilliant Festival (ad) 18:44 AI reviews in schools: culture, not tick boxes 20:23 Ben and Steve in the hot seat: David Cameron on Pick 'n' Mix Education 21:07 One size fits all means one size fits none 23:18 A permission slip for parents: education isn't the same as school 24:29 Edufuturist of the Year 2026 Trudi Barrow 27:46 AI policy gaps, the DfE toolkit and creative fidelity 29:41 Live at Minerva Virtual Academy's fifth anniversary 31:39 Pick 'n' Mix Education in real life 34:03 Testing education like medicine with Dr Yusuf Ben-Tarifite 36:13 Social mobility, randomised trials and AI versus human tutoring 38:01 Inclusive STEAM learning with Mykhailo from UNOWA 40:48 Fleeing Ukraine, autism and navigating change 42:06 Coming up: Ashish Bansal, Julian Reeve and more 43:05 Wrap up, Wolfpack and Uprising 2027 #EducationPodcast #EducationLeadership #PickAndMixEducation #EdTech #InclusiveEducation Grab your free ticket for Brilliant Festival on 10th November in Liverpool Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.Ben & Steve xCheck out all about Edufuturists at our new websiteWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book Join the Wolfpack

What if inclusion can't wait for a diagnosis, a plan or a nine-month waiting list, and every week we wait is a week a child loses?In this episode, Ben and Steve are joined by Mykhailo Kalitkin, a Ukrainian education entrepreneur who has spent more than 20 years working in education. After his son Kirill was diagnosed with autism and given a prognosis that he would never speak, Mykhailo set out to change what was possible. Kirill now studies in an international school. After relocating from Ukraine to Poland and then Portugal because of the war, Mykhailo is turning his family's story into inclusive education and STEM projects used across more than 40 projects worldwide. He explains why schools are losing the fight with entertainment, why buying technology on its own never works, and why inclusion has to look at the whole child, not just their academic gaps.About our guestMykhailo Kalitkin is an education entrepreneur, scientist and founder with a background in physics and more than two decades of experience in education. Originally from Ukraine and now based in Portugal, he works across inclusive education and STEM. He has led national-scale programmes in Armenia, Kazakhstan (with the World Bank) and Ukraine, and developed a six spheres of development framework for assessing and supporting students with special educational needs.We cover:- How his son's autism diagnosis, and a prognosis that he would never speak, reshaped Mykhailo's life and work- Rebuilding a family and a business after relocating twice because of the war- Why falling STEM attainment means schools are "losing the fight with entertainment"- His core philosophy of spaces, knowledge and innovation, and why schools fail when they buy only technology- How AI took his business from 200 employees to 60 in-house- A Lego-style approach to implementation, and why good equipment should show scratches after a year- The case for learning from inclusion systems around the world, from Kazakhstan to Canada- The six spheres of development framework: cognitive, social, sensory, daily living, physical and speech- EHCPs, Individual Support Plans and the UK SEND white paperWhy you should listenIf you work in SEND, inclusion, STEM or school leadership, this episode offers a rare international view of what inclusive education can look like at scale. It comes from a parent who built the system he needed for his own son and then offered it to others. It is a reminder that the goal is not only academic progress but a child who is happy and successful in school.Chapters0:00 Highlights0:50 Welcome to the Edufuturists podcast2:23 Community events update from Steve3:13 Thanking our community leaders and the Wolfpack4:48 Meet Mykhailo and his son Kirill7:06 From "he will never speak" to an international school8:51 The journey behind the projects9:18 STEM education and losing the fight with entertainment11:10 A family story turned into a global project12:27 From one child to children all over the world14:29 Spaces, knowledge and innovation: the core philosophy16:43 How AI changed the shape of his business17:58 A Lego approach to implementation19:53 Why we need inclusive education frameworks22:50 Learning from Kazakhstan, Canada and beyond23:59 Context matters: Finland vs England25:31 The six spheres of development framework27:37 EHCPs, ISPs and the SEND white paper30:12 Impact: projects, teachers trained and hours of practice31:44 Reaching 1,000 schools in Armenia33:34 Ukraine's inclusive reform and what relocating families discovered35:33 Quick-fire questionsFind out more about UNOWAThanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.Ben & Steve xCheck out all about EdufuturistsWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work?Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education bookJoin the Wolfpack

What if the biggest problem in education isn't AI, it's that almost nothing we already do has ever been tested for evidence the way a new drug would be? In this episode In this episode, Ben and Steve sit down with Dr Yusuf Ben-Tarifite - A&E doctor, social mobility researcher, and founder of Ava - to talk about what happens when you apply medical-grade evidence standards to education. From email-blasting a thousand consultants to get work experience, to building the UK's first randomised control trial comparing AI tutoring against video, Yusuf makes the case that education's real crisis isn't too much AI scepticism; it's not enough rigour applied everywhere else. We cover: - Yusuf's journey from a Hertfordshire state school to Oxford medicine, and why he founded Aspiring Medics a week before Freshers' Week - The Diana Award, Prince William, and "leaving the ladder down" for others - Ava's mission: equality of opportunity, not just support for disadvantaged students - Why AI is a continuum, not a chatbot and how Ava uses it as a Socratic tutor and interview coach - Building an actual evidence base: doubling Oxbridge odds, and the UK's first randomised trial of AI vs video tutoring - The real hope for AI in education and the risk of turning students into "AI zombies" - Why writing and thinking are the same skill, and what that means for assessment - "I call b******t": how often is high-quality face-to-face teaching actually happening? - The GCSE resit numbers that expose a one-size-fits-all system already failing thousands - Why cognitive discomfort, like progressive overload in the gym, is the point of learning, not a bug - The shrinking half-life of technical skills, and what it means for lifelong learning Chapters 0:00 Highlights 0:58 Welcome 3:20 Introducing Dr Yusuf: A&E doctor, researcher and founder of Ava 3:57 From a Hertfordshire state school to Oxford medicine 5:33 Who Ava is for: narrowing the gap, or equality of opportunity for all? 7:15 The AI revolution and democratising education8:17 The Diana Award, Prince William, and "leaving the ladder down" 10:25 What still drives him after the recognition 11:44 From Aspiring Medics to Oxbridge: his North Star for social mobility 13:33 Mirroring the Edufuturists journey, and the shrinking half-life of skills 16:18 Why social mobility is complicated and why tech alone won't fix it 18:04 Inside Ava: a "training course" for university applications 19:38 The "who you know" problem, and levelling the playing field 20:56 AI as a Socratic tutor and why "the genie can't go back in the bottle" 22:49 Building the evidence base: doubling Oxbridge odds, and the UK's first AI vs video trial 23:44 Beyond the hype: the real hope for AI in education, and the risk of "AI zombies" 26:33 Outsourcing the doing, not the thinking 28:13 Teaching cognitive biases, and why writing is thinking 29:58 Is high-quality face-to-face learning really happening as often as we assume? 31:47 The longitudinal evidence question, and a one-size-fits-all model that's already failing 33:04 Why AI should face the same scrutiny as every other intervention 34:07 The COVID hangover, and why we're asking the wrong question about online learning 36:10 Is there a gap between policy and technology? 37:35 Cognitive discomfort: why learning should feel like exercise 41:28 Has the fundamental nature of learning really changed? 42:43 Quickfire Questions Find out more about AVACheck out all about EdufuturistsWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touch Grab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book Join the Edufuturists Wolfpack

What if the man who invented modern American schooling didn't actually believe in it, not enough to send his own kids? In this episode, Ben and Steve take Edufuturists live on stage in front of an audience at Minerva Virtual Academy's (MVA) 5th birthday celebration, launching their new book, Pick 'n' Mix Education. They're joined by MVA founder and CEO Hugh Viney and home educating parents Hannah and Olivia for an unfiltered conversation about why "one size fits all" schooling is failing families and what choice actually looks like in practice. About our guests Hugh Viney is the founder and CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA), returning for his second appearance on the Edufuturists podcast. MVA has been named Edufuturists Online School of the Year for two years running. Hannah has home educated her children for nearly 16 years, previously worked in behaviour management at a pupil referral unit, and now has two of her older teens studying at MVA. She is on social media Olivia is a home-educating mum of two who built an online following around family life before opening up about choosing education outside the mainstream system. She is on social media We cover: - The Woolworths "pick and mix" analogy at the heart of Ben and Steve's new book - Horace Mann: the godfather of standardised American schooling who homeschooled his own kids - Why every penny of profit from Pick 'n' Mix Education goes to youth mental health charity Beyond - Hannah's move from unschooling to MVA, and the exam results that surprised her - Redefining success beyond grades and dismantling the "they won't socialise" myth And lots more! Why you should listen Recorded live in front of a festival field full of parents, educators and home-schooling families, this is Edufuturists at its most unfiltered - real stories from people who've chosen a different path, not theory about it. If you've ever wondered whether there's a genuine alternative to "the school at the end of the road," this conversation makes the case, live, warts and all. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 1:17 Welcome live from the MVA stage 2:27 Meet your hosts: Ben and Steve 3:52 The Woolworths analogy: what "pick and mix" education means 5:18 New book: Pick 'n' Mix Education and where the profits go 6:13 The Horace Mann paradox: he built standardised schooling, then homeschooled his own kids 7:47 Bringing the panel to the stage: Hugh, Hannah and Olivia 8:32 Hugh Viney: founder and CEO of MVA 9:45 Hannah: 16 years of home educating, now at MVA 10:32 Olivia: home-educating mum of two 11:28 The End of Average: the cockpit built for everyone that fit no one 12:39 Hannah's story: relationships, safety, and the results that surprised her 14:01 Beyond grades: celebrating the whole learner, and choosing rather than rejecting school 15:42 "But how will they socialise?" 17:26 What if parents controlled a share of education funding, like some US states allow? 19:06 What pick and mix actually looks like, day to day 20:24 Curiosity, autonomy, and the bedtime analogy 22:04 Inside MVA: weekly mentors, live lessons and self-directed learning 24:23 Why the trip is remembered and the lesson isn't 26:11 From unschooling to formal learning: what the transition actually looks like 27:50 Deferred starts, academy takeovers, and choosing freedom 29:12 "What works for my child" not what works at scale 30:27 MVA's mission for the next five years: first choice, not last resort 32:23 Quickfire Questions 36:35 MVA 5th Birthday Highlights Video Find out more about MVA Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.Ben & Steve xCheck out all about EdufuturistsWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work?Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book Join the Edufuturists Community

What if the real danger of AI in schools isn't plagiarism, it's your own child telling you off for not saying "thank you" to Alexa?In this episode, Ben and Steve sit down with Trudi Barrow - Edufuturist of the Year 2026 - to talk about the messy, brilliant middle ground between traditional craft and generative AI. From a late-night Midjourney experiment for a Year 10 design class to co-authoring the DfE's national AI toolkit now reaching over 30,000 schools and colleges, Trudi explains why she refuses to pick a side in education's most polarising debates.About our guest:Trudi Barrow is a former Head of Design & Technology turned AI and creativity specialist, trained at RADA in theatre design before moving into the classroom. She co-authored the Department for Education's national AI toolkit with Chiltern Learning Trust and Charter College, coined the concept of "creative fidelity," and was crowned Edufuturist of the Year 2026 in June.We cover:- How a rushed exemplar for a Year 10 D&T class led Trudi into her first real experiment with AI image generation- Why she refuses to be labelled an "AI evangelist" and how she holds two opposing truths at once- What it's really like being a woman walking into a D&T workshop- Inside the DfE's national AI toolkit: reaching 30,000+ schools, and the subjects still being left out of the conversation- Why anthropomorphised AI - and her daughter telling Alexa to say thank you - worries her more than most classroom AI use- Safeguarding in the AI era: "same risks, different vectors"- The truth about AI and sustainability, beyond viral "one image = boiling a kettle" stats- What it actually felt like to be named Edufuturist of the Year 2026Why you should listenIf you've ever felt caught between the AI hype and the AI fear, or wondered how creativity, craft and technology can genuinely coexist in the classroom, this conversation offers a rare, grounded middle ground from someone who has lived both sides.Chapters0:00 Highlights1:14 Welcome back and Wolfpack community updates2:40 Introducing Trudi Barrow, Edufuturist of the Year 20263:52 From RADA and theatre design to Head of D&T6:35 Discovering Midjourney and Discord as a non-gamer8:06 The Year 10 keyring exemplar that changed everything13:46 Holding two truths: neither AI evangelist nor AI sceptic15:34 Being a woman in a Design & Technology workshop18:29 Pottery wheels and AI awards: why both fit20:37 Knowledge vs skills, and finding a third way23:55 Co-writing the DfE's national AI toolkit27:27 The subjects still missing from the AI conversation30:06 Creativity isn't just for the "creative subjects"31:58 Inside the toolkit: reaching 30,000+ schools35:55 The Alexa story: anthropomorphising AI at home39:03 Safeguarding: same risks, different vectors42:27 Why sustainability has to be part of the AI conversation48:05 What winning Edufuturist of the Year 2026 really meant53:17 Quick-fire questionsConnect with TrudiFind out more about herCheck out the DfE AI Toolkits she co-authoredThanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.Ben & Steve xCheck out all about Edufuturists Want to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work?Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education bookJoin the Edufuturists Wolfpack

What if the biggest problem in education isn't too much choice but not enough of it, for the people who need it most? In this episode, we sit on the other side of the mic as David Cameron puts our new book, Pick 'n' Mix Education, under the microscope. Built around the analogy of choosing sweets at Woolworths, the book argues that education shouldn't be something done to parents and young people - it should be something they actively navigate. David pushes back hard, and the conversation ranges from school choice and social mobility to "place not politics," community regeneration, and why the book ends up working more like a permission slip than a manifesto. We cover: The Woolworths "pick and mix" analogy at the heart of the bookWhy we wrote it for parents, not educatorsParental choice vs. parental choices and why the distinction mattersHow supplementary education (tutoring, enrichment) favours families with moneyTurning choice into an engine for equality rather than inequalityWhy the book isn't proposing a new pathway, just permission to choose oneThe link between active parenting and continuous, revisable choice"Place not politics": rethinking education around community, not just the individual"It takes a village" - why schools can't carry social care and mental health aloneA real-world regeneration case study rebuilding a whole community at onceThe Open School concept and expanding access beyond your local catchmentVouchers, online learning, and rethinking who gets access to what Why listen? If you've ever felt like education choices are something that happen to your family rather than decisions you get to make, this conversation reframes the whole picture. David Cameron doesn't let Ben and Steve off easy - he opens by saying he fundamentally disagrees with the book's premise - and what follows is a genuinely challenging, well-argued debate about choice, community, and what parents are actually entitled to ask for. Chapters 0:00 Intro 2:21 A Birthday, the Fringe, and a Lifetime Achievement Award 6:11 What Is Pick 'n' Mix Education? The Woolworths Analogy Explained 10:06 Parental Choice vs Parental Choices: Why the Distinction Matters 14:18 Turning Choice Into an Engine for Equality, Not Inequality 19:04 Active Parenting: Why Choice Should Never Be a One-Off Decision 23:40 Place Not Politics: Rethinking Education Around Community 25:46 "It Takes a Village": Why Schools Can't Fix Everything Alone 32:26 Accrington, Regeneration, and Rebuilding a Whole Community 37:22 The Book as a "Permission Slip," Not a Manifesto 40:50 The Open School Vision and the Girl Who'd "Never Been to Edinburgh" 44:51 Coffee Shops, Vouchers, and Rethinking Access to Learning 49:11 Bringing It Together: Choice, Compassion, and Community Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.Ben & Steve xFind out more about Crown House Publishing Check out all about EdufuturistsWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book Join the Wolfpack Community

What if the biggest risk in AI and education isn't the technology at all, but the questions we've stopped asking?In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, Ben and Steve sit down with Laura Knight, former teacher and leader turned AI and digital education consultant, to pull apart what "human-centred AI" actually means when you strip away the marketing gloss.Laura doesn't do easy answers. She talks about the innovation fatigue hitting schools right now, why nobody quite owns AI strategy in most organisations, and why the "personalisation" narrative sold by EdTech might be quietly building a two-speed education system. Ben and Steve push back throughout, including a proper debate on whether education was ever really less competitive than the tech sector in the first place.The conversation covers the teacher recruitment crisis, whether AI tutors are filling genuine gaps or replacing human relationships that matter, and what "joy" in the teaching profession could look like if schools stopped treating change as a race. It closes with quickfire questions that get properly reflective: what myth stops educators from changing, and what you'd actually tell a ten-year-old about why they have to go to school.Laura Knight is a former teacher and school leader who now runs her own consultancy working on digital and AI strategy in education. She works with schools, trusts, and systems around the world, alongside a growing body of work with parents and families. She is currently writing a book for Hachette on helping parents navigate AI and technology, and is soon launching her own podcast, Switched On Parents.We cover:- What a genuinely "human-centred" approach to AI in schools actually looks like- Why innovation fatigue is hitting teachers and leaders so hard right now- Who really owns AI strategy in a school, and why that's often nobody- Whether education was ever less competitive than the tech sector- Why "slice teams" with diverse voices build better innovation than one appointed lead- The problem with AI and "personalisation" as it's currently being sold- What schools and teachers add to the mix when information is a click away- The difference between AI replacing teachers and AI filling genuine capacity gaps- Whether AI can meaningfully help the teacher recruitment and retention crisis- Using AI to build more joy and professional satisfaction into teaching- Advocacy versus evangelism, and why being in the room matters- What today's AI debates might look ridiculous in five years' timeChapters00:00 Highlights00:46 Welcome to the episode01:47 Edufuturists community news (Uprising 2027 & Wolfpack)02:59 Introducing Laura Knight03:59 What "human-centred AI" actually means07:31 Innovation fatigue and the noise around AI in schools10:36 Who actually owns AI strategy in a school?14:30 Education vs EdTech: who's really competition-driven?17:24 Building diverse "slice teams" for real innovation20:00 The truth about AI and personalised learning22:58 What schools add when knowledge is a click away24:18 Replacing teachers vs filling real gaps with AI27:44 Can AI solve the teacher recruitment crisis?29:42 Using AI to bring joy back into teaching32:47 Advocacy, not evangelism: why being in the room matters38:56 What will look ridiculous about AI in five years?42:05 Quickfire Questions45:06 Laura's new book and upcoming podcastFind out more about LauraThanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you. Ben & Steve xCheck out all about EdufuturistsWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education bookJoin the Wolfpack Community

In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, Ben and Steve sit down with Dave Jones and Stephen "Klem" Klemich to unpack Heart Styles, the character development framework built on 18 years of research into what really drives effective leadership, teaching and learning.Dave Jones is the founder of Uplift, a coaching and leadership consultancy based in High Wycombe, UK. He is an accredited Heart Styles practitioner whose career has spanned youth work, church leadership, and running a school hub for Oasis UK's multi-academy trust in South London, before moving into full-time leadership consultancy.Klem is the co-founder of Heart Styles, a global character development methodology now used across corporate, education and sporting organisations. Based in Sydney, Australia, he spent over 40 years in people development and 18 years researching the principles behind effective and ineffective leadership behaviour.We cover:- What Heart Styles is and the 18-year research behind it- Why fear and ego-driven pride quietly sabotage classrooms and leadership teams- The shift from fight and flight into flow, and what it does to the brain- Why humility, not control, is what actually builds trust and results- Moving schools and organisations from a parent-child dynamic to adult-to-adult culture- The "smart plus heart" model for raising a whole person, not just a result- Why celebrating mistakes builds nimble, high-performing teams- Klem's own story of undiagnosed dyslexia and the teacher who nearly broke himWhy listen? If you lead a team, a classroom or a school and you've ever wondered why "getting tough" only works for so long, this conversation reframes leadership and teaching around humility and love as performance drivers, not soft add-ons. It's a direct challenge to fear-based, exam-obsessed culture in education, backed by two decades of research and lived experience.Chapters00:00 Highlights00:40 Introductions03:06 Meet Dave Jones03:47 Meet Stephen "Klem" Klemich04:53 Klem's origin story: moving schools, undiagnosed dyslexia, and finding purpose07:28 Dave's path from youth work to Heart Styles11:15 What is Heart Styles?11:57 18 years of research: fear, ego, humility and love17:53 Fight, flight and flow explained26:59 Why leadership is shifting toward vulnerability28:01 From parent-child to adult-adult culture34:26 The energy of humility vs ego37:17 Why control-based leadership fails long term40:14 Bringing love into work and education41:39 Klem's dyslexia story: the power of encouragement45:18 Quickfire QuestionsRead Dave's blog post about the Heart Styles ModelFind out more about Heart StylesGrab a copy of Klem's book, Above the LineThanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.Ben & Steve xCheck out all about EdufuturistsJoin the Wolfpack CommunityWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work?Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book

Seven episodes, one big question: are we still having the same education arguments in 2026 that we were having a decade ago? In this episode, we sit down for our bi-monthly review, running back through seven recent Edufuturists conversations, pulling out the best bits, the sharpest provocations, and the ideas that are still bothering us weeks later. From AI governance and permanent exclusion to kind leadership and adaptive teaching, this is the highlight reel of the highlight reel. We cover: - Why higher education keeps struggling to translate research into real technology decisions (Sara De Freitas) - Teaching computing without a single computer in the room, and why "play" is doing a lot of heavy lifting as a word in education (Shahneila Sayeed) - How one FE college built an AI agent to solve an admin problem nobody asked it to solve (Chris Loveday) - The permanent exclusion pipeline, and the long-term cost of putting a child "out of sight, out of mind" (Stephen Steinhaus) - Whether youth unemployment is a skills problem, a work-experience problem, or something education needs to own (Alex Lovitt and Stephanie Loeck) - AI literacy for students, teachers and parents and whether your school is quietly breaking the EU AI Act (Matthew Wemyss) - Why "adaptive teaching" might be the most honest description of what good teachers have always done (Andrew Young) - A late detour into Joanna Povall's Kind Leadership, and the real difference between being kind and being nice Why listen? If you only have time to catch one Edufuturists episode this month, this is it. Ben and Steve compress seven full conversations into 45 minutes of the arguments, contradictions and best lines, so you can decide which full episodes are worth your time, and walk away with the throughlines connecting all of them: too much curriculum, not enough trust, and an AI conversation education still hasn't caught up to. Chapters 00:00 Highlights 01:56 Welcome and Intros 05:23 Is HE ready for education technology? 08:51 Teaching computing without computers 16:02 AI beyond teachers and students 21:26 Blowing up the permanent exclusion pipeline 28:14 Is youth unemployment a crisis? 30:35 AI literacy, governance and the EU AI Act 36:05 Is school worth getting out of bed for? 40:23 Kind leadership vs nice leadership 43:33 Recommended reads and the Edufuturists Wolfpack 46:46 Close Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.Ben & Steve xCheck out all about EdufuturistsWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work?Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book Join the Wolfpack Community

What if the biggest problem in schools isn't teachers resisting change, it's that they're never given enough safety to try it? In this episode, Ben and Steve are joined by Grant Wootten, founder of Edusfere, to unpack why so much of a teacher's best work disappears the moment they leave a classroom and what it would take to stop the cycle. Grant spent a decade teaching in Southeast Asia, first with a nonprofit in rural Thailand and then at an international school in Bangkok, before founding Edusfere: a platform built to capture and preserve the instructional knowledge teachers create every day. He's recently relocated to the UK to lead Edusfere's expansion into the UK market. We cover: - Why teachers become "islands" and how decades of instructional knowledge gets lost every time someone leaves the profession - The real reason schools resist change and why psychological safety, not disruption, has to come first - What Grant believes is genuinely the hardest part of being a teacher today - Why EdTech should meet teachers where they already are instead of chasing flashy new features - A live debate: should the teacher or the learner sit at the centre of EdTech design? - Whether human-to-human "formation" is automatically better than a machine's and a story that complicates the answer - Why fear of conflict is quietly holding back adoption in education - How to bring your most resistant, most experienced teachers along for the ride Why listen? If you've ever watched brilliant teaching disappear into a filing cabinet or a departing colleague's laptop, this conversation names the problem precisely and makes the case that fixing it isn't about ripping up what works, but about giving teachers the safety net to build on it. Expect a genuinely sharp disagreement about whether AI or humans should sit at the centre of education, and a story from Ben that will make you think twice about assuming human-led always beats machine-led. Chapters 00:00 Highlights 01:30 Welcome back and the Wolfpack community update 03:25 Meet Grant Wootten: from Thai classrooms to EdTech founder 05:25 What is Edusfere and why target the UK market 07:53 Teachers are islands: the knowledge that gets lost every year 08:48 Ben's story: planning in silos at school 10:26 The hardest part of being a teacher today 15:51 Creating psychological safety before disruption 23:51 The role of EdTech in driving culture change 29:27 Should the teacher not the learner be at the centre? 33:26 Is human formation always a force for good? 38:36 Why we're afraid of conflict, and what it costs education 41:42 Bringing veteran, resistant teachers along 46:36 Three quick-fire questions with Grant Find out more about Edusfere Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you. Ben & Steve x Check out all about Edufuturists Want to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touch Grab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book Join the Wolfpack Community

Is kindness in school leadership a weakness, or is it the one thing that actually stops your best teachers walking out the door? In this episode of the podcast, Ben Whitaker and Steve Hope sit down with Joanna Povall, principal, COBIS lead improvement partner, and author of Kind Leadership: Leading Schools with Empathy, Honesty and Impact. Joanna has spent 30 years in education across the UK, France and the UAE, including running a school through genuine crisis conditions in Abu Dhabi, and now carries out school accreditation visits everywhere from Tokyo to Ascension Island. We cover: - Why Joanna wrote Kind Leadership after coming close to burnout in a school that turned toxic almost overnight - The difference between being nice and being kind, and why people confuse the two - - The Al Capone quote that shaped the whole book, and what it reveals about legacy and leadership The CHASE framework: Communication, Honesty, Accountability, Self-esteem and Ego - What COBIS accreditation actually looks like when it's done as a relationship, not an inspection - Whether leaders can be both liked and respected - Why teacher and headteacher retention is a leadership problem before it's anything else - Being kind to yourself, and the story behind the now-famous red jacket If you lead people, manage a team, or have ever worried that being kind makes you look weak, this conversation will change how you think about it. Joanna makes a compelling, funny, and occasionally uncomfortable case that kindness and accountability were never opposites. Chapters 00:00 Highlights 02:20 Welcome to the Edufuturists Podcast 04:14 Meet Joanna Povall: from Manchester to Abu Dhabi 06:11 Moving into international school leadership 08:53 A melting pot of cultures and communities 11:14 Inside COBIS: what accreditation really looks like 14:23 Why accreditation should build relationships, not fear 20:10 Introducing the book: Kind Leadership 20:41 The toxic experience that inspired the book 25:38 Kindness vs weakness: the Al Capone question 32:41 The CHASE Framework explained 37:31 The red jacket story: kindness to yourself 39:11 Can leaders be liked and respected? 48:48 Being kind to yourself as a leader 54:00 Quickfire Questions Grab a copy of Joanna's book Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you. Ben & Steve x Check out all about Edufuturists Want to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touch Grab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book Join the Edufuturists Wolfpack

In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, we chat with Andrew Young, social sciences teacher, co-director of a Teaching School Hub in York, and author of Adaptive Teaching: Culture to Classroom, published by Crown House. Andrew has spent 14 years in education, from an unexpectedly early stint as deputy head of sixth form in London to his current role co-leading a hub supporting 250 schools a year across coastal, rural and urban North Yorkshire.We cover:- Why adaptive teaching depends on the local context a school sits in, not a one-size-fits-all playbook- What an inclusive classroom actually looks like when you strip away the jargon- Why high challenge has to be matched with high support, and how "we" beats "me"- The exam overload facing GCSE students and what it's doing to cognitive load- Why the curriculum needs more breadth: arts, dance, computing, AI and citizenship- The hidden financial barriers that stop disadvantaged pupils accessing enrichment- Why success shouldn't be measured by grades alone, and what schools can do instead- The four ingredients of adaptive teaching: culture, brains, teaching and curriculum- The danger of deficit language and labelling pupils by what they can't doIf you've ever wondered why some pupils switch off from school entirely, or you want practical ways to make classrooms work for every learner regardless of the label attached to them, this conversation gives you a genuine framework rather than another vague call to "differentiate more."Chapters00:00 Highlights01:53 Welcome to the podcast04:46 Andrew Young joins the show05:26 Andrew's journey into teaching08:12 Life as a Teaching School Hub co-director10:20 Why context matters for adaptive teaching15:57 Socialisation, homeschooling and alternative paths22:24 What does an inclusive classroom actually look like24:46 High challenge, high support and the power of "we"31:13 Rethinking a one-size-fits-all curriculum32:37 "Too many vegetarians dining in steakhouses"35:02 Assessment overload and broadening the curriculum37:21 Enrichment, disadvantage and hidden barriers41:34 Alternative pathways and shifting what success means44:03 Milestones, character and personal development47:23 The four ingredients of adaptive teaching53:37 Labels, deficit language and cognitive load55:19 Quickfire questions57:31 Wrap up and where to find the bookGrab a copy of Andrew's bookThanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you.Ben & Steve xCheck out all about EdufuturistsWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work?Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education bookJoin the Edufuturists Wolfpack

In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, Ben gets to sit down with AI pioneer and award-winning school leader Matthew Wemyss to unpack what AI literacy actually looks like when you stop treating it as a bolt-on subject and start building it into lessons teachers are already planning.Guest introMatthew Wemyss is Assistant School Director at the Cambridge School of Bucharest, a former Edufuturists AI Pioneer award winner, and founder of the AIDucation conference. He's the author of AI guides for teachers, students and (soon) parents, and creator of the AI Lit Kit - a tool that maps AI literacy activities directly onto existing lesson plans and curriculum standards.We cover:- Life inside a British international school in Bucharest and what makes international school culture different- Growing the AI Education conference from three workshops to hundreds of attendees, and what's next for 2027- Writing AI guides for teachers, students and now parents and why the tools change but the principles don't- Inside the AI Lit Kit: turning existing lesson plans into AI literacy opportunities without adding a new initiative- Navigating the EU AI Act, evolving deepfake definitions, and what schools are legally responsible for- Why "just try it and see what breaks" beats waiting for permissionWhy listenIf you're a school leader, teacher or parent trying to work out how AI literacy, compliance and everyday classroom practice actually fit together, without piling another initiative onto an already packed calendar, this conversation gives you a practical, grounded way to think about it, from someone living the compliance side and the classroom side at once.Chapters00:00 Highlights01:53 Welcome and Edufuturists updates03:59 Matthew's route into teaching09:03 Life in a British international school in Bucharest20:29 Building the AI Education conference25:53 Writing AI guides for teachers, students and parents30:36 Inside the AI Lit Kit38:30 Is AI illiteracy the real problem?42:39 EU AI Act, deepfakes and AI governance in schools49:34 Quick-fire questions53:12 Wrap-up and what's nextGrab a copy of Matthew's new AI book (which he wrote with Ben!)Check out all about EdufuturistsWant to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work?Get in touchGrab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education bookJoin the Wolfpack - our annual membership