Talking Inclusion… With Geoff Barton
Episodes
"Reimagining inclusion through the arts" with Richard Hayhow
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Richard Hayhow, Director of Open Theatre in Birmingham, about how the arts can unlock the creativity and cap...
"Inclusion begins with belonging" with SENDScope
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Natalie Walsh and Jacqui Bebbington, Executive Principals of SENDScope Independent School in Liverpool, abou...
"Inclusion by design, not by chance" with John Camp
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton talks to John Camp OBE, Chief Executive Officer of the Compass Partnership of Schools. Sharing an important philosophy t...
"Inside the classrooms you didn’t know existed" with Cath Kitchen
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Cath Kitchen, Chair of the National Association of Hospital Education, about the often-overlooked world of c...
"EHCPs shouldn’t be the only way to get support" with John Pearce
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with John Pearce, Corporate Director for Children and Young People’s Services in County Durham, about the reali...
"You’re against the clock and in the dark" with Beth and Michael
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Margaret Mulholland is joined by parents Beth and Michael, who share their story navigating the SEND system for their four-year-old s...
“Digital access is inclusion in action” with Philip Hedger
18 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Margaret Mulholland is joined by Philip Hedger, CEO of the LEO Academy Trust, to explore how schools can take ownership of inclusion ...
"Redesigning assessment for equity" with Melissa Farnham
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Margaret Mulholland talks to Melissa Farnham, CEO of ASDAN, to discuss how curriculum and assessment can be redesigned to create a mo...
"Inclusion starts with knowing your classrooms" with Marc Rowland
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Geoff Barton is joined by Marc Rowland, an experienced education adviser who has visited more than 1,000 schools to understand what ma...
“How we got learning disabilities so wrong” with Stephen Unwin
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Geoff Barton talks to Stephen Unwin, Theatre Director and author of Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong. They...
“Inclusion is a process, not a destination” with Amelie Thompson
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton talks to Amelie Thompson, Assistant Director of Education at Greenshaw Learning Trust, to explore what inclusion looks l...
"1 in 5 children have a learning need" with Vik Verma
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Margaret Mulholland sits down with Vik Verma, Director of Education and Skills at Bristol City Council, to explore how local authorit...
"Inclusion is more than place" with Claire Dorer
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton talks to Claire Dorer, CEO of the National Association of Special Schools. Claire reflects on the vital but often overlo...
"Individualise early, the first weeks matter" with Simon Cook
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton talks to Simon Cook, principal and CEO of Mid-Kent College, making the case that further education colleges are a crucia...
"SEND children’s rights are being quietly eroded" with Chamika Hand
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Chamika Hand - a lawyer, parent, and SEND campaigner - about her fight against reduced school hours for chil...
"Every teacher is a language teacher" with Jane Harris
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton talks with Jane Harris, chief executive officer of Speech and Language UK. They explore how language development sits at...
"This is about opportunities, not deficits" with Jolanta Lasota
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Jolanta Lasota, Chief Executive of Ambitious about Autism, about what true inclusion for autistic children a...
"It’s not the parents who are broken, it’s the system" with Tania Tirraoro & Sharon Smith
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Tania Tirraoro and Sharon Smith of Special Needs Jungle about the lived realities behind SEND policy. They s...
"Support before the diagnosis" with Dr Susana Castro Kemp
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Margaret Mulholland is joined by Dr. Susana Castro Kemp, Associate Professor of Psychology at UCL and Director of UCL's Centre fo...
“We’re in education to serve children” with Georgina Ellis
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton talks with Georgina Ellis, executive director of SEND at the Unity Schools Partnership - a family of 40 schools across S...
“We need to see children in context, not categories” with Dr Sami Timimi
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Dr Sami Timimi - consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and author of Searching for ...
“Fixing SEND by fixing education” with Stephen Kingdom
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Margaret Mulholland speaks with Stephen Kingdom, campaign manager from the Disabled Children’s Partnership and former Deputy Direct...
“Square pegs, round holes” with Ellie Costello
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Inclusion, Geoff Barton talks with Ellie Costello, executive director of Square Peg, an organisation representing families ...
“We must do better for our children” with Dame Rachel de Souza
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton speaks with Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England, about her bold new Children’s Plan. Based...
"Inclusion on the margins" with Sarah Johnson
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this latest episode Geoff Barton talks to Sarah Johnson, president of PRUsAP - the organisation that represents pupil referral units and alternativ...
"Belonging matters" with Carrie Grant
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton talks to broadcaster and vocal coach Carrie Grant. She is also the parent of four children with special education needs ...
"Reforming Inclusion" with Professor Mel Ainscow
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Geoff Barton talks to Professor Mel Ainscow, a global expert on inclusion, and long-standing adviser to UNESCO. Drawing on insights f...
"A dose of optimism" with Katie Ghose
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Geoff Barton talks to Katie Ghose — vice-chair of the Disabled Children’s Partnership and chief executive of KIDS (motto: “Disabled children say...
"What would a wise parent wish for their child?" with Dr Nic Crossley
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Geoff sits down with Dr Nic Crossley, CEO of Liberty Academy Trust - a partnership of three specialist schools established in 2022 to support the educ...
"Every learner matters and matters equally" with Margaret Mulholland
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Geoff sits down with Margaret Mulholland, SEND and Inclusion Policy Specialist at ASCL, as she shares her perspective on how the education system can ...