Is school actually worth getting out of bed for? with Andrew Young (#354)

In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, we chat with Andrew Young, social sciences teacher, co-director of a Teaching School Hub in York, and author of Adaptive Teaching: Culture to Classroom, published by Crown House. Andrew has spent 14 years in education, from an unexpectedly early stint as deputy head of sixth form in London to his current role co-leading a hub supporting 250 schools a year across coastal, rural and urban North Yorkshire. We cover: - Why adaptive teaching depends on the local context a school sits in, not a one-size-fits-all playbook - What an inclusive classroom actually looks like when you strip away the jargon - Why high challenge has to be matched with high support, and how "we" beats "me" - The exam overload facing GCSE students and what it's doing to cognitive load - Why the curriculum needs more breadth: arts, dance, computing, AI and citizenship - The hidden financial barriers that stop disadvantaged pupils accessing enrichment - Why success shouldn't be measured by grades alone, and what schools can do instead - The four ingredients of adaptive teaching: culture, brains, teaching and curriculum - The danger of deficit language and labelling pupils by what they can't do If you've ever wondered why some pupils switch off from school entirely, or you want practical ways to make classrooms work for every learner regardless of the label attached to them, this conversation gives you a genuine framework rather than another vague call to "differentiate more." Chapters: 00:00 Highlights 01:53 Welcome to the podcast 04:46 Andrew Young joins the show 05:26 Andrew's journey into teaching 08:12 Life as a Teaching School Hub co-director 10:20 Why context matters for adaptive teaching 15:57 Socialisation, homeschooling and alternative paths 22:24 What does an inclusive classroom actually look like 24:46 High challenge, high support and the power of "we" 31:13 Rethinking a one-size-fits-all curriculum 32:37 "Too many vegetarians dining in steakhouses" 35:02 Assessment overload and broadening the curriculum 37:21 Enrichment, disadvantage and hidden barriers 41:34 Alternative pathways and shifting what success means 44:03 Milestones, character and personal development 47:23 The four ingredients of adaptive teaching 53:37 Labels, deficit language and cognitive load 55:19 Quickfire questions 57:31 Wrap up and where to find the book Grab a copy of Andrew's book at: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/adaptive-teaching Thanks so much for joining us again for another episode - we appreciate you. Ben & Steve x Check out all about Edufuturists at https://www.edufuturists.com Want to sponsor future episodes or get involved with the Edufuturists work? Get in touch: info@edufuturists.com Grab your copy of the new Pick 'n' Mix Education book at: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/picknmix-education Join the Edufuturists Wolfpack: edufuturists.com/wolfpack