Boy Talk

9. Dr Sophie King-Hill

This conversation will be eye opening to all those who want to understand the way status works for young men - what they need to do to become top dog, and what they then need to do to maintain that status. Seen in this light, the behaviours of some boys in school become clearer. Pride is at stake, so they act in a way that doesn't lose face with their peers. Sophie King-Hill has studied this in her research as an academic at Birmingham University. She specialises in sexual behaviours in children and young people, sexual health, masculinity and relationships. What she has to say will help teachers and parents engage with boys and young men in very different ways. Call for Evidence: submit here Podcasts are available to watch now on YouTube Stay up to date on the Commission by following our LinkedIn and Instagram Find out more via our Website Edited and produced by Aedan Wilson

• Transcript

8. Jo Heaton

What happens in the classroom when boys first go to school? Why do some boys fall behind? Why do some find literacy a chore, and managing to hold a pencil a real challenge? Why do boys then 'mask' the problem and fall further behind. Jo Heaton, experienced primary headteacher, who has worked in the North East for many years, and is now in charge of 12 schools, describes the realities for young boys growing up in working class communities - and what can be done to help them thrive. Call for Evidence: submit here Podcasts are available to watch now on YouTube Stay up to date on the Commission by following our LinkedIn and Instagram Find out more via our Website Edited and produced by Aedan Wilson

7. Alex Blower

Alex knows what it's like to be a disaffected teenager. Kicked out of school at 13, he says he caused a lot of damage to other people, before getting the chance to turn things around. Now he is doing all he can to help young boys like him who feel they don't have a future. He is the founder of Boys Impact and author of Lost Boys: How Education is Failing Young Working-Class Men. This powerful conversation provides real insight into how boys think about status, aspiration, and their peer group - and what is needed to help them thrive. Call for Evidence: submit here Podcasts are available to watch now on YouTube Stay up to date on the Commission by following our LinkedIn and Instagram Find out more via our Website Edited and produced by Aedan Wilson

6. Sana Khareghani

What are the jobs of the future? What is the impact of AI going to be? How do boys and men fit into this story? There is no one better to ask than Sana Khareghani. Call for Evidence: submit here Podcasts are available to watch now on YouTube Stay up to date on the Commission by following our LinkedIn and Instagram Find out more via our Website Edited and produced by Aedan Wilson

5. Bill Lucas

Bill Lucas has spent a lifetime arguing for a broader education in which young people learn the dispositions - creativity, resilience, resourcefulness, critical thinking - they need to thrive in work and life. He has written more than 50 books on the subject and tells me that if boys are to thrive, we need to radical curriculum and assessment reform. Without it, too many boys will feel that school is not for them. Bill attacks head on the false binary between knowledge and skills - believing the debate to be absurd and damaging. You need both. He also talks about the controversial evidence that seems to suggest that girls are more capable of sitting still than boys and the implications for our education system. Call for Evidence: submit here Podcasts are available to watch now on YouTube Stay up to date on the Commission by following our LinkedIn and Instagram Find out more via our Website Edited and produced by Aedan Wilson

4. Ian Pryce

With debate raging over parity between academic and technical education, and with one million young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET), there is no one better to talk to than Ian Pryce who has been the leader of an FE college - Bedford College - for more than 20 years. Ian has strong views about the aspirations of young people, why parity of esteem can't be mandated, and why too often we compare high-end academic qualifications with low-level vocational qualifications and are then surprised there is a difference. Call for Evidence: submit here Podcasts are available to watch now on YouTube Stay up to date on the Commission by following our LinkedIn and Instagram Find out more via our Website Edited and produced by Aedan Wilson

3. Stuart Manifould

Stuart Manifould knows what it's like to work with boys on the frontline - often in challenging circumstances. Whether teaching in a tough inner-city school or on the streets of Crewe talking to disaffected young men, he is in the business of giving boys a second or third chance to find their feet and find their purpose. He is the CEO of the soon to open Dome Youth Zone in Crewe, and he is spending his time designing the best possible state-of-the-art space to attract boys who are in desperate need of an adult to trust and support to help them fulfil their aspirations. Call for Evidence: submit here Podcasts are available to watch now on YouTube Stay up to date on the Commission by following our LinkedIn and Instagram Find out more via our Website Edited and produced by Aedan Wilson

2. Caroline Barlow

Caroline Barlow is a formidable headteacher with strong views on how we need to listen more to boys and understand them better. She believes that the language we use and the way we relate to boys is crucial to getting the most out of them. She talks about the alpha male stand-off that sometimes happens between boys and male teachers - and the need for boys to feel seen and heard and respected. She busts some myths, particularly about the need to make everything active for boys and says we've got to raise the bar for boys not lower it. Barlow has 33 years of education experience and leads a rural secondary school in Sussex. Her thoughtful approach has managed to close the attainment gap between boys and girls in her school. She is also a national leader and co-chair of the Headteachers' Roundtable, a think tank arguing for education change. Call for Evidence: submit here Podcasts are available to watch now on YouTube Stay up to date on the Commission by following our LinkedIn and Instagram Find out more via our Website Edited and produced by Aedan Wilson

1. Jeffrey Boakye

I have known Jeffrey since I co-founded School 21 and he became our first English teacher and an inspiration to students and staff alike. He is one of the most extraordinary teachers I have ever had the pleasure of working with and as if that wasn’t enough he is now a broadcaster and prolific author. His book I Heard What You Said: A Black Teacher, a White System is about being black in a white school system. He’s also written children’s books that among other things weave his love of music into compelling stories. This conversation touches on why some boys struggle to read and write and what can be done about it. We also discuss the thorny issue of male identity. Jeffrey believes that boys have 'an almost fatal limitation in how they can express themselves' and too many boys have 'a very crude palette of emotions to paint with'. He also explains the importance of black music and culture to boys of all backgrounds. Enjoy! Call for Evidence: submit here Podcasts are available to watch now on YouTube Stay up to date on the Commission by following our LinkedIn and Instagram Find out more via our Website Edited and produced by Aedan Wilson