Teacher talk with policy teeth.
The gist
Emma & Tom Talk Teaching treats education as both daily craft and public policy. Episodes move from anti-racism in curriculum design to Welsh election interviews, with room for practical classroom ideas and holiday oddities.
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About Emma & Tom Talk Teaching
Emma & Tom Talk Teaching is a long-running education podcast rooted in teacher education and the Welsh school context. It talks like practitioners talk: reflective, amused, sometimes exasperated, but usually anchored in what happens inside schools. Recent episodes show a programme that can move from classroom craft to national policy without treating either as a sideshow. In one conversation with Every Future Foundation, the focus is anti-racism in education and the hard step between agreeing with the principle and changing practice subject by subject. The discussion is especially interested in avoiding token gestures. Curriculum, leadership, community, and subject-specific practice all come into view. Another strand follows the 2026 Senedd election through education interviews produced with the Impact Podcast. Those episodes ask party representatives about attainment, literacy, numeracy, disadvantage, and the practical force of their pledges. They are procedural, direct, and often revealing. When a representative is unavailable, the absence itself becomes part of the story, with care taken to explain what happened. The show also makes space for post-interview analysis with Dr Gareth Evans, placing campaign answers against a longer account of Welsh education reform. Its policy episodes are not detached from classrooms. PISA, Estyn, national benchmarks, and ministerial choices are discussed because they affect teachers, pupils, and school systems. Even the lighter seasonal specials have an educational aftertaste. A conversation about school cycling rates becomes a look at infrastructure, catchments, deprivation measures, and the limits of assuming school policy explains everything. The programme's rhythm is informal but informed. It suits people who enjoy education talk that can be funny for a minute, technical the next, and serious when the subject demands it.
Made for: Best for student teachers, early-career teachers, teacher educators, and education-policy watchers, especially those interested in Wales. It also suits experienced school staff who like practical discussion with research and political context attached.
What sets it apart: The show links classroom-level decisions with Welsh education policy in the same conversational register. It is equally willing to examine anti-racist curriculum practice, election promises, attainment data, and the strange educational implications of everyday life.
In their own words
We’re Emma (PGCE Secondary Drama) and Tom (PGCE Secondary Music) from Cardiff Metropolitan University. Welcome to our podcast, in which we muse about the joys of working with student teachers, the expressive arts, research, and teaching in general. Expect deep discussions, topical debates, celebrations of great practice, and things to steal for your own lessons!Our primary audience is student teachers and early-career teachers, but we hope there's something here for everyone who's involved in the world of education, whether you're new or experienced. Most of our episodes involve a main discussion (often with one or more guests), and two regular slots: something interesting and something to t…
Why you'd press play
Welsh education policy meets classroom reality, and your easy answers get sent back for revision.
Press play if you want
- research turned into questions you can actually use in a classroom
- Welsh reform tested against teacher agency, curriculum time, and measurement mania
Talks about
Podcasts like Emma & Tom Talk Teaching
Episodes
- 1
Tackling Racism in Education with Every Future Foundation
Hidden gemDonald Butcher and Sara Gatward of Every Future Foundation explain why England lacks Wales's national anti-racist education framework and leaves schools to develop their own policies.
Apr 17, 2026·49m·3 clips - 2
Easter Special 2026!
Hidden gemEmma O'Doher, Sian Wickersham and Tom Breeze examine the Education Endowment Foundation’s concise guide to evaluating research evidence, including funding conflicts, commercial interests and whether an intervention fits a school’s pupils.
Apr 3, 2026·1h 12m·4 clips - 3
SENEDD ELECTIONS SPECIAL: Reform UK
This episode discusses the failure to secure an interview with Reform UK for a Senedd election special on education policy.
Mar 26, 2026·36m - 4
SENEDD ELECTIONS SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru)
Plaid Cymru's education spokesperson discusses their party's commitments to raise attainment standards in Welsh schools.
Mar 24, 2026·39m - 5
SENEDD ELECTIONS SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Jane Dodds (Liberal Democrats)
Jane Dodds, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, discusses their education policy ahead of the Senedd elections.
Mar 23, 2026·27m - 6
25 Years of Education in Wales with Dr Gareth Evans
Hidden gemDr Gareth Evans argues that 25 years of devolved education in Wales have produced major policy change without the teacher or pupil gains that were hoped for.
Mar 20, 2026·42m·2 clips - 7
SENEDD ELECTIONS SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Lynne Neagle (Labour)
An interview with Lynne Neagle, Welsh Labour's education spokesperson, discussing election promises and systemic issues in education ahead of the Senedd election.
Mar 19, 2026·44m - 8
SENEDD ELECTIONS SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Angela Karadog (Green Party)
Interview with Green Party candidate Angela Karadog about education policy in Wales ahead of the 2026 Senedd Elections.
Mar 17, 2026·31m - 9
SENEDD ELECTIONS SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Natasha Asghar (Conservatives)
A pre-election interview with Conservative candidate Natasha Asghar discussing education policy in Wales.
Mar 16, 2026·37m - 10
TRAILER: Senedd Elections Special Series
Mar 12, 2026·2m - 11
Teachers' Curriculum Conversations with Dr Mary Woolley
Hidden gemEmma & Tom Talk Teaching speaks with Dr Mary Woolley of Canterbury Christ Church University about a survey on teachers’ curriculum conversations in Wales.
Mar 6, 2026·48m·3 clips - 12
'A National Plan for Music Education' with Dr Elizabeth MacGregor and Dr Viv John
Dr Elizabeth MacGregor and Dr Viv John discuss their comparative analysis of the National Plan for Music Education in England and Wales.
Feb 20, 2026·1h 19m - 13
Immersing Pupils in a New Language with Dr Mirain Rhys and Dr Katharine Young
Hidden gemEmma O'Doher and Tom Breeze interview psychology lecturers Mirain Rees and Catherine Young about Welsh immersion education, including late-immersion centres that usually serve newcomers for about 12 weeks.
Feb 6, 2026·56m·3 clips - 14
Pupil Health and Wellbeing with Drs Chris and Suzy Peach
Jan 23, 2026·1h - 15
A Whole-School Literacy Policy with Nicola Lo Celso
Jan 9, 2026·52m - 16
Christmas Special 2025!
Dec 26, 2025·1h 29m - 17
All about Languages with Kerry Bevan
Dec 12, 2025·47m - 18
Authentic Contexts for Learning with Katie Berrisford and Elizabeth Berry
Nov 28, 2025·37m - 19
What Can Reflective Teachers Learn from Sport? with Professor Brendan Cropley
Nov 14, 2025·58m - 20
October Half Term Special 2025!
Oct 31, 2025·1h 14m - 21
All About Art with Daisy Wilson and Jack Siddall
Oct 17, 2025·57m - 22
Supporting Student Teachers in Planning and Evaluation
Oct 3, 2025·37m - 23
What's Going On with Maths in Wales?
A podcast episode discussing a new Estyn report on the variable quality of mathematics education in Wales, highlighting issues with teaching, curriculum, and professional support.
Sep 19, 2025·1h 6m - 24
So: You Want to Become a Teacher...!
Sep 5, 2025·50m - 25
Looking Back, Looking Forward: Summer Bonus 2025
Aug 22, 2025·10m - 26
The Nature of Physics with Richard West
Jun 13, 2025·59m - 27
Closing the Disadvantage Gap in Schools with Finola Wilson
May 30, 2025·1h 9m - 28
Participatory Research with Student Teachers and their Mentors
May 16, 2025·59m - 29
Primary Teachers and Physical Literacy with Dr Fiona Heath-Diffey
May 2, 2025·1h - 30
Easter Special 2025!
Apr 18, 2025·56m - 31
Making Student Teacher Observations Purposeful
Apr 4, 2025·56m - 32
Teacher Recruitment and Retention with Professor David Egan
Mar 21, 2025·1h 1m - 33
Teaching and Learning Shakespeare through Theatre Based Practice: A Book Review
Mar 7, 2025·1h 2m - 34
Mentoring with Sian Wickersham
Feb 21, 2025·56m - 35
A Whole-School Behaviour Policy with Kelly Bubbins from Willows High School in Cardiff
Feb 7, 2025·52m - 36
Early Career Teacher Transitions
Jan 24, 2025·1h 12m - 37
School Uniform with Dr Rachel Shanks
Jan 10, 2025·45m - 38
Christmas Special 2024!
Dec 27, 2024·1h 27m - 39
Teacher Education with Professor Trevor Mutton
Dec 13, 2024·54m - 40
Creating a Safe Space for Educators with Clinical Supervision with Dr Louise Allen-Walker and Dan Williams
Nov 29, 2024·1h - 41
Using AI Responsibly with Mark Lester
Nov 15, 2024·55m - 42
Tameidiau o Ymchwil TAR 14 - Hyrwyddo dysgu annibynnol o oed ifanc gyda Deio Jones a Sioned Dafydd
Nov 8, 2024·13m - 43
October Half Term Special 2024!
Nov 1, 2024·1h 34m - 44
PGCE Research Bites 24 - Learning through Play with Megan Cole
Oct 25, 2024·15m - 45
Participatory Research in Education with Emma (again!)
Oct 18, 2024·34m - 46
Tameidiau o Ymchwil TAR 13 - Trosglwyddo’r Gymraeg tu Allan yr Ystafell Ddosbarth gyda Rhydian Williams a Dr Gina Morgan
Oct 11, 2024·26m - 47
Epistemology, Ontology and Axiology with Emma
Oct 4, 2024·44m