It's our last week as teachers... and it's all starting to feel very real.

In this episode, we look back on the moments that made us -the unforgettable classroom highs, the amazing people we met, and the exact point we knew we couldn’t keep going.

We’re asking ourselves the question we’ve been avoiding: have we made a huge mistake?

Honest, emotional, and (as always) a bit chaotic—this one's for every teacher who’s ever felt torn between staying and going.

Hayden also dives into his recent reaching of Sex Ed!

💬 Got a story or dilemma? Send it in for a future episode.

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It’s the end of the school year, which can only mean one thing: performance appraisal season. But with targets that feel random, policies that haven’t caught up, and a system still obsessed with spreadsheets… we’re asking:
Do schools even value great teaching anymore – or just good data?

In this episode, Dylan and Hayden unpack:

• What appraisals are supposed to be vs. what they’ve become

• The 2024 rule change that schools are quietly ignoring (hint: appraisals shouldn't affect your pay anymore)

• Two shocking listener horror stories — including one about a school disco being used to block a teacher's progression

• Why stretch targets often just mean stretched teachers

• What a fair, supportive appraisal system could look like

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The hidden crisis closing schools, cutting jobs, and reshaping teaching

This week, Dylan and Hayden dive into a topic that’s flying under the radar but changing the future of teaching forever.

UK birth rates have fallen to historic lows – and now schools are feeling the impact. From empty classrooms and school closures to teacher redundancies and disappearing job ads, this episode uncovers how a quiet demographic shift is creating a very loud crisis in education.

🔍 We unpack:

• The huge drop in UK birth rate – and why it’s happening

• Why schools across the country are merging, shrinking, or closing altogether

• How fewer children means fewer teaching jobs - even if you're brilliant

• Why a fall in teacher vacancies isn’t always a good sign

• Our personal story

Whether you're a classroom teacher, a school leader, or just education-curious, this is a must-listen on where the system might be heading next.

📚 LINKS & SOURCES

• ONS 2024 Birth Rate Statistics: www.ons.gov.uk

• BBC Report on School Closures: bbc.co.uk/news/education

• NEU Press Release on Redundancies: neu.org.uk

• TES: “Why falling rolls could be the next big crisis” – tes.com

💬 Tell us your story!
Have you seen your school shrink, merge, or quietly lose staff? Drop us a message on Instagram or TikTok – or send in an anonymous story for a future episode.

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