Episode 5 with Dave McPartlin

In this inspiring episode, Matt Jessop and Al Kingsley discuss with Dave McPartlin what it really takes to run a school that puts children and community first—often in spite of rigid frameworks and outdated policies.

From racing office chairs down school corridors to taking students to New York, Dave shares how his school, Flakefleet Primary, is pushing boundaries to give children life-changing experiences while tackling rising deprivation, overstretched SEND support, and the relentless pressures on our schools.

In the conversation we tackle:
✔ The broken school funding system and why it needs urgent reform
✔ Whether Ofsted should be scrapped and what real accountability could look like
✔ How schools are stepping in where social services and Sure Start once stood
✔ The power of community hubs in tackling poverty, loneliness, and crime

With some candid reflections, quite a bit of humour, and a lot of passion, this episode is really a cracker.