Parents and Teachers for Excellence with Mark Lehain

This week on Naylor's natter I am Joined by Mark Lehain. Mark is the Director of Parents and Teachers for excellence whose mission is to ensure that every school child should have an excellent education and great prospects regardless of their background.

Mark joined PTE in September 2017 as their first ever director , previous to this he was the founder and Headteacher of Bedford Free School . Mark underwent by his own admission a journey of enlightenment , having not particularly believed in the benefits of a knowledge rich curriculum when Bedford Free School was opened in 2012.

Mark is in great demand as a speaker and regularly presents at rED events up and down the country and we are delighted that he will be in Blackpool again this year. 

I ask Mark:

Could you tell us about your journey to this point ? 

  As one of the first founders of a free schools what lessons did you take away? 

  Could you tell listeners about your Sophie test?  

 Would it be fair to say you had a Damascene conversion to a knowledge rich curriculum? What was the catalyst for this change? 

  Parents and teachers for excellence was founded in 2017, what was the founding vision for PTE? 

  I really enjoyed reading ‘the questions of behaviour’ available on your website . Could you tell listeners about your key findings and your ‘warm strict approach’ 

 PTE are running some high profile projects , could you tell us more about phone free schools and why this is important ?

  One of my favourite sections of your website and your presentations is what should schools teach ? Could you tell listeners about some of the well meaning initiatives that organisations insist should be taught in schools ? 

  Where can listeners find out more about your work and where will you be speaking next? 

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Shameless Plugs

I will be at Lead Learn Lancs tomorrow (Saturday) to talk about 'Escaping the hamster wheel, using research and evidence to change culture in schools.

Another mention for rED Blackpool and our friends at rED Birmingham where I will also be speaking in March.

My latest blog on Early Career teachers and instructional coaching will be out soon 

In a new section with a working title of Podcast pedagogy I will be talking about the books I am reading at the moment and how I am incorporating their advice into my practice. in future weeks, I would welcome listeners sending in their reflections on how they have applied findings from books or guests featured here. There is a facility to record via the Anchor app or email via the website [email protected]. We also have a new pay it forward section where thanks to Jill Berry's advice , I gift guests books to a lucky listener!

Next week- watch this space!