Frank and Stan Chat 259 With Steve Wren

About this podcast

The joy of our weekly chats lies in the contributions made by our amazing guests.

This week is no exception as we are joined by a former HMI, Mathematics subject lead and specialist adviser, Steve Wren. Steve has been keeping a keen eye on Ofsted’s new inspection framework and has shared his insights on social media. Today he focuses on the problems around attendance and behaviour. Stan gets things rolling by considering how compliant schools and their leaders are, even when there is much to be disgruntled by. He considers what would happen if a school didn’t go out of its way to work openly with inspectors.

Frank closes the chat with his growing dislike of SUV drivers parking on yellow lines so that their children can avoid a two-minute walk to school. He also draws attention to two headteachers who regularly call this action out despite it not being in their job description

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Meet the Host

Frank and Stan

Frank Norris and Stan Johnson have been friends since 1995. Both have had successful and lengthy careers in education. Frank was a very senior HMI with Ofsted for 11 years and was CEO of the Coop Academies Trust for 6 years.

Stan was seconded to Ofsted for a year and then returned to headship before working as a senior adviser with Lancashire LA. He has latterly led a successful education consultancy in the North West. Prior to Covid-19 the two colleagues would meet in Manchester for a pint or two but the pandemic put an end to that.

On 1 May 2020, they recorded their first video chat as a way of recording their emotions and reactions to the pandemic. After putting the video on Youtube as a safe place to store their discussions they realised that some followers began to appear and were interested in their leadership perspectives. Now, with over 170 weekly episodes and usually an eminent guest joining them, they have a growing and increasingly influential following.