Britain’s Strictest Headmistress

On this episode Andrew and Beth interview “Britain’s Strictest Headmistress,” Kathrine Birbalsingh. Kathrine speaks about the state of education in the U.K., which we compare with our own experiences in the U.S. She discusses what led her to a career in teaching and to forming her own school in London, Michaela Community School. She also shares her views on woke education and how a culture of victimhood is harming children, especially lower income and inner city children. She explains what being “strict” really means and discusses the challenges of hiring and training teachers in a school environment that values knowledge, discipline and responsibility.  Katharine Birbalsingh is Headmistress and co-founder of Michaela Community School in London and Chair of the Social Mobility Commission. Katharine read Philosophy & Modern Languages at The University of Oxford and has always taught in inner London. She has made numerous appearances on television, radio, podcasts and has written for several publications. Katharine has also written two books and edited another two, the last of which is The Power of Culture, about Michaela. Katharine was appointed Honorary Fellow of New College, Oxford in 2021 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices