The Staff Room Podcast

This is a special edition episode as I won't be sharing any anonymous stories this week. But instead I'll be speaking with Marvin Foe, the author behind the brilliantly entertaining and highly enlightening book 'The Bastard Teacher'. Having read it myself I think it provides the most honest picture into the world of non-mainstream education. It's punchy, It's honest. It's funny. It's sad. It's mint! I think Marvin's blurb says it all...

The Bastard Teacher - Sometimes kids are little twats, sometimes their parents are stupid cunts, sometimes the staff are complete dickheads, and more often than not the Ofsted inspector really needs to be told to fuck off. These are the brutally honest and unfiltered true stories of a teacher, working with students who have been deemed too unruly for mainstream school and the staff that are insane enough to show up every day and work with them. Laugh and cry as you read crazy tales of education, amputation, defecation and… Tit wanks?

Amazon - The Bastard Teacher: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bastard-Teacher-Takes-One-Teach-ebook/dp/B091ZB3352

If you want to hear more cracking episodes you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This is a special edition episode as I won't be sharing any anonymous stories this week. But instead, I'll be speaking with Adam and Lee Parkinson, the guys behind the smash-hit podcast 'Two Mr Ps Podcast' and best selling book 'Put A Wet Paper Towel on it'. We have a cracking conversation about teaching, social media, lying kids and some serious name-calling - enjoy.

If you want to hear more cracking episodes you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This is the final teacher's story of the term and it's a cracker! It's got a little bit of everything to it and I personally would have loved this teacher to have been mine at school. The very funny and charming Welshman Morgan Rees joins me as my guest. One of the rising stars of the UK circuit. He has appeared on BBC Radio 4 in the prestigious finals of the BBC New Comedy Award. He was also a runner-up in So You Think You’re Funny 2017, and a finalist in Chortle Student Comedy Award. We had a great laugh recording this one!

If you want to hear more cracking episodes you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This week a headteacher has sent me a story about one very annoying parent who sounds like a proper 'Karen'. Tez Ilyas is one of the most celebrated stars in British comedy. I'm buzzing to have him on the show just before he kicks off his brand new nationwide tour show 'Populist'. Since 2015 Tez achieved phenomenal success with his debut stand up hour TEZ Talks. He's appeared on Live at The Apollo (BBC Two), The Last Leg (C4), Mock the Week (BBC Two) and Live From the BBC (BBC Two). Tez’ Channel 4 comedy Blap 'Bounty' is the most-watched show in the strand’s 10 year history. In 2019 he fronted his own Channel 4 satirical sketch series The Tez O’Clock Show to huge critical acclaim. Throughout lockdown, he wrote his new hotly anticipated debut novel 'The Secret Diary of a British Muslim Aged 13 3/4, a teenage memoir' - available to buy now! ⁠

If you want to hear more cracking episodes you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This week I've got a story from a teacher on their first day of teacher training and it's a hell of a first day. My guest is Eric Rushton, winner of Leicester Mercury Comedian of The Year 2020 (previously won by the likes of Romesh Ranganathan, Jason Manford and Jonny Vegas on their way to stardom). Since his comedy debut in 2014, Eric Rushton has been mixing with the best newcomers on the comedy scene, and impressing audiences with his intelligent, playful material and likeable, self-deprecating stage persona.⁠ Plus Eric tells me about his 'Del Boy' days at school, supply teaching and when the students he taught found out he was a comedian.⁠

If you want to hear more cracking episodes you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

I've been waiting weeks for a teacher to send something about parents evenings and now the time has come to hear what teachers really think but never say. I'm joined by one of the finest MC's and down to earth comedians in the country - Rich Wilson. He's a multi-award-winning comedian and podcast host. A regular at all of the UK’s major comedy clubs. His wonderful whit has taken him around the world, culminating in multi-award-winning, sell-out shows at the biggest comedy festivals such as Melbourne, Perth and New Zealand. Rich is also the host of the wildly popular podcast Insane In The Men Brain where he talks to funny and interesting people about their experiences with mental health. He has earned himself an award for “Best Podcast” with JOE and gained a nomination for “Best Social Conscience Podcast” at the Podbible Poll Winners Awards. We talk about the lack of fear in schools, naughty schoolboys and parenting. It's a cracker and pleasure to have Rich on the show.

If you want to hear more cracking episodes you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This week a teacher who turned into a football manager overnight shares some of the highlights from their management career. Plus I'm joined by English Comedian of The Year Josh Pugh. We talk about sight loss, coaching and attitudes as we work our way through this teacher's tale. Oh and Josh tells me about when he met English Manager Gareth Southgate and mistook him as a waiter.

If you want to hear more cracking episodes you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This week's story has come from a quick-witted supply teacher who just can't help themselves when faced with a distraught student. To help me through the story I'm joined by multi-award-winning comedian and folk singer David Eagle. Having only starting comedy in 2018 David has been crowned New Act Of The Year at Nottingham Comedy Festival 2018 and also at both Bath Comedy Festival and the Leicester Square Theatre in 2019. David is one-third of three-time BBC Radio 2 folk group The Young’uns. They perform at venues and festivals in the UK and all over the world, including Cambridge Folk Festival and Glastonbury, where they played on stage with Billy Bragg. In this episode we dive into David's eventful school days and talk show n tell, maverick teachers and how David ended up becoming a mentor for a newly blind student.

If you want to hear more cracking episodes you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This week's story has come from a college maths teacher whose student needed some serious guidance. My guest to help me through the story is Austrian funnyman Daniel Muggleton "a foul-mouthed prophet". Daniel has been hand-picked to support some of the biggest names in comedy having opened for Jim Jefferies, Alex Williamson, Steve Hofstetter, Tom Stade & Neel Kolhatkar on tour. In 2019, he released his debut special 'Let's Never Hang Out'  with Grammy-Award Winning producers Comedy Dynamics. It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video around the world, after airing twice in Australia on ABC Comedy. In his native Australia, he was twice selected as a FRESH Artist to Watch at the Sydney Comedy Festival in 2014 & 2015, and was part of the Sydney Comedy Festival Tour & Break Out showcase in 2017.

If you want to hear more cracking episodes you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This week's story has come from an RE teacher who caught a student red-handed. However, when you look at the events of the story it defo a sticky situation for all involved.

For this one, I'm joined by the brilliant Brennan Reece who burst onto the comedy scene in 2015 after winning English Comedian of the Year in 2015. Since then has made appearances on Live at the Apollo (BBC), Comedy Central at the Comedy Store (Comedy Central), The Stand-Up Sketch Show (ITV) and Roast Battle (Comedy Central). He's even supported Jason Manford, Rob Brydon and Joe Lycett on tour. We had a good old chat about his school days (especially his RE teacher), how he blagged a drama teaching job and we dive into the details of this week's story. It's a giggle.

If you want to hear more cracking episodes you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This week's story is beyond unique and questions the fabric of life itself as it has come in from a dinner man. DUN DUN DUN! Until this episode, I didn't even know men were even allowed inside a school kitchen but this story shows that they exist.

My guest for this one is Chris Washington, the “Peter Kay for the smart phone generation”. After his 2017 Edinburgh Award for Best Newcomer nomination for his show 'Dream Big (Within Reason)', Chris has gone to headline his own episode of Live From The BBC. He has written and performed in four online sketches for BBC Three’s Quickies series, earning over 12 million views and has appeared on Mock The Week. And there is one more thing on his CV that I can't wait for you to hear about.

If you've enjoyed listening please leave us a review, give it a share and let us know on social media whose side you're on teacher or student.

If you want to hear more cracking episode you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

My guest is Jamie Hutchinson 2017 XS Manchester Comedian of the Year and the prestigious Leicester Mercury award nominee. He gives a detailed rundown of his school days from hitting his prime in year 5-6 to the constant highs and lows of his reputation on the yard.This week's story has come in from a teacher who seems a right laugh they share some memories from a school trip to Rome - it's eventful!

If you've enjoyed listening please leave us a review, give it a share and let us know on social media whose side you're on teacher or student.

If you want to hear more cracking episode you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This week I share a story from a teacher who clearly had other plans in life but ended up in a classroom rather than on the West End. They tell a story about the time they were working 2:1 with a teenager called Teddy who is a "sweet lad at heart but does have a temper worse than the Kray twins".

My guest is the fantastic Daisy Earl. Since starting stand-up in 2013, she has quickly attracted plaudits; winning ‘Best New Comedian’ at the Scottish Variety Awards in 2015, and then being crowned ‘Scottish Comedian of the Year’ in the same year, making her the first-ever female winner. She has supported Tom Stade on his nationwide tour and has appeared as a guest on BBC Radio’s ‘Breaking the News’, the STV ‘Late Show ‘and BBC Radio 4 Extra’s ‘Best of the Fest’.

We talk about Daisy's hilarious but traumatic school days, what it was like going to private school and I even surprise Daisy with a short story that I received from her favourite school teacher. Plus Daisy really does show how she feels about this week's teacher's tale.

If you've enjoyed listening please leave us a review, give it a share and let us know on social media whose side you're on teacher or student.

If you want to hear more cracking episode you can find us anywhere you get your pods.

This episode is a scream! I've not laughed as much as this in a while. This week I share a story from a teacher about a Year 11 lad who turned up late to his science lesson with an amazing excuse. It's great fun and plain silly from beginning to end.

Callum Oakley is my guest for this one. He tells me how he started performing stand up at the age of 14 and how he ended up in the BGT semi-finals only a few years later. Most recently Callum has support Paul Smith on his UK tour playing theatres up and down the country plus a packed out Echo Arena in Liverpool (now named the M&S Bank Arena).

Plus we get into a recent news story about a DT teacher in South Wales who was struck off after comments he made about students in his anonymous blog came to light. It's a belter of an episode.

If you've enjoyed listening please leave us a review, give it a share and let us know on social media whose side you're on teacher or student.

For this week episode, I share a story from an assistant headteacher who was on the hunt for a naughty lad and found a few surprises along the way. My guest for this one is the human question mark that is my friend and comedian James Allen. We get knee-deep into his school days as James recounts some real 'Will' from 'The Inbetweeners' moments (Honestly there are loads it takes up the first 20 minutes). Plus James tells the story of when he gigged in front of Les Battersby and left the stage after being continually heckled.

If you've enjoyed listening please leave us a review, give it a share and let us know on social media whose side you're on teacher or student.

Bursting out of the North East, Lauren Pattison is my guest for this week and one of the most sought after comedians in the country. Lauren is a regular at all the major national comedy clubs and has provided tour support for Katherine Ryan, Jason Manford and Dane Baptiste. In 2017, Lauren sold out her debut run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with her critically acclaimed show "Lady Muck" (available on Amazon Prime Video). The 5-star, best-reviewed show hosted at The Pleasance was so popular that she added three extra sold-out shows. On top of that, she was nominated for Best Newcomer.

Her TV appearances include...
Stand up for Live Comedy (BBC1), Comedy Central at the Comedy Store (Comedy Central), Roast Battle (Comedy Central), Australia’s Comedy Up Late (ABC), Canada’s The Stand Up Show with Katherine Ryan (The Comedy Network Canada)

In this weeks episode, we share a few stories from a 22 years old college lecturer.

If you've enjoyed listening please leave us a review, give it a share and let us know on social media whose side you're on teacher or student.

My guest this week is an awarding winning comedian and the first former teacher Freddy Quinne. He is known for his frank approach and often brutal punchlines performing no-holes-barred stand up at the biggest comedy clubs in the country. His Amazon Prime comedy special, "Quite The Catch", has amassed over half a million views. He also has hours of online footage from shows across the world, with clips racking up millions of streams on Tik Tok Facebook and YouTube. This weeks teachers tale comes from a teacher who's had enough of a lying 8-year-old boy named Ayden but spelt Hayden...

If you've enjoyed listening please leave us a review, give it a share and let us know on social media whose side you're on teacher or student.

After recently appearing on 8 Out of 10 Cats, the wonderfully funny Josh Jones joins me on this weeks episode.⁠ This weeks story comes from a teacher about the WORST headteacher they've ever worked. I'm sure after listening to this you will agree. Plus Josh surprise me by telling me about how much of a bad boy he was at school.

If you've enjoyed listening please leave us a review, give it a share and let us know on social media whose side you're on teacher or student.

For this cracker! I'm joined by the very funny Pete Selwoods and Jack Carroll as seen on Live At The Apollo, Britain's Got Talent and fresh from his recent appearance on QI. We had loads of fun as we heard what happened to a supply teacher who bit off more than they could chew. I just wish I'd be there and seen it myself.

If you've enjoyed listening please leave us a review, give it a share and let us know on social media whose side you're on teacher or student.

Kicking off The Staff Room Podcast with a sex ed storey from a teacher as you've never heard before. My guests for this one is a good mate of mine and multi-award-winning comedian Jack Gleadow. We had a scream recording this episode!

If you've enjoyed listening please leave us a review, give it a share and let us know on social media whose side you're on teacher or student.

Calling all teachers!

Have you ever had that kid in your classroom that’s a total troublemaker? Or that class clown who’s made you laugh even when you know it’s wrong to? Or maybe that moment of absolute classroom madness that lives long in the memory? If so, The Staff Room Podcast wants to hear from you.

The Staff Room is the only place you can share all your teaching tales and not worry about any backlash as it's totally ANONYMOUS. We all need a bit of light-hearted fun at the moment, that's why all our episodes come out on a Friday afternoon so you can have a few drinks as you listen. I know this podcast wouldn't get an outstanding rating from Ofsted, but it does offer outstanding stories from teachers of what they really think.