063 - Pit Pony Kat Philippou-Curtis - Classroom To Film Maker Part 1
In this gripping and harrowing episode, we sit down with Kat Philippou-Curtis, a drama specialist, film writer and filmmaker, as she shares the shocking truth behind her exit from further education.Kat was a passionate and dedicated lecturer, loved by many of her students and deeply committed to unlocking creativity through the arts. But what started as a dream job quickly unravelled into a nightmare of bullying, systemic malpractice, safeguarding failures and false allegations.Kat speaks candidly about being ostracised, manipulated and ultimately suspended - following an act of basic human compassion. She was later accused of misconduct and subjected to a biased investigation that stripped away her reputation, mental health and trust in the system. But that was just the beginning.This is a raw, brave and unfiltered account of what can happen when power is abused and whistleblowers are silenced. It’s also a testament to resilience, truth-telling and the power of storytelling - as Kat turns her lived experience into a powerful independent film called Swallow.Part 2 continues with the extraordinary story behind the making of the film - and a very special guest joins us.Connect with Kat: 🎬 Website: www.inventome.com 📸 Instagram: @cubbie3110 📘 Facebook: Katerina Philippou-CurtisTrigger warning - This episode includes discussion of bullying, discrimination, safeguarding failures, and mental health struggles.Send us a message.Buy Us a Coffee ☕️ Loving the Pit Pony Podcast? We’d be so grateful for your support! We’ve set up a Buy Me a Coffee page where you can make a small donation to help keep the podcast running. https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub Voice Message Us: https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcast Interested in coming to our conference? https://www.tutorsconference.co.uk If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in our podcast there are organisations who can help: Education Support The Samaritans Mind Andy's Man Club Join Us: Subscribe to the Pit Pony Podcast Sign up to our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/i1L5ck Thanks for listening 🙏Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital Real
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062 - Pit Pony Jay Dehaan - Classroom to Curriculum Innovation Manager - Part 2
In Part 2 of Jay Dehaan’s story, we hear what happened after he made it into the classroom.Jay shares the emotional toll of leadership, the grief of losing a loved one, and the quiet realisation that the system he fought to be part of no longer fit the life he wanted. From pushing for curriculum change to missing out on time with his own children, Jay found himself questioning everything.We talk about the rigid structures of education, the barriers to meaningful change, and how discovering the Life After Teaching group helped him take the leap into further education.Now working as a Curriculum Innovation Manager for a remote apprenticeship provider, Jay is more present for his family and finally doing work that feels right.This is a powerful reflection on identity, resilience, and the courage to choose a new path.Send us a message.Buy Us a Coffee ☕️ Loving the Pit Pony Podcast? We’d be so grateful for your support! We’ve set up a Buy Me a Coffee page where you can make a small donation to help keep the podcast running. https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub Voice Message Us: https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcast Interested in coming to our conference? https://www.tutorsconference.co.uk If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in our podcast there are organisations who can help: Education Support The Samaritans Mind Andy's Man Club Join Us: Subscribe to the Pit Pony Podcast Sign up to our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/i1L5ck Thanks for listening 🙏Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital Real
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061 - Pit Pony Jay Dehaan - Classroom to Curriculum Innovation Manager - Part 1
Jay Dehaan didn’t grow up wanting to be a teacher. In fact, he hated school. He left education with no qualifications, spent five years in a wheelchair as a child due to Perthes disease, and was told by Citizens Advice that his family would be better off if he signed on.But somehow, against the odds, Jay found his way into the classroom.In this episode, Jay shares his early life with brutal honesty. We talk about growing up in chaos, being excluded by the very system he would later work in, and the life-changing moment his partner Sarah enrolled him on a college course without asking.This is a story of trauma, tenacity, and the long, winding road into teaching. Jay is real, warm, and unfiltered. We loved this conversation, and we know you will too.Send us a message.Buy Us a Coffee ☕️ Loving the Pit Pony Podcast? We’d be so grateful for your support! We’ve set up a Buy Me a Coffee page where you can make a small donation to help keep the podcast running. https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub Voice Message Us: https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcast Interested in coming to our conference? https://www.tutorsconference.co.uk If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in our podcast there are organisations who can help: Education Support The Samaritans Mind Andy's Man Club Join Us: Subscribe to the Pit Pony Podcast Sign up to our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/i1L5ck Thanks for listening 🙏Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital Real
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060 - Gareth Dale - Classroom to Childrens Author / Private Tutor Part 2
In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Gareth Dale continues his story - from barely holding it together in the classroom to discovering his voice as a children’s author and private tutor.We talk about what happens after the funeral, the long shadow of trauma, and how Mr Dale - the teacher persona - became both a mask and a means of survival. Gareth shares how he began to write feverishly at night, eventually turning his grief into a series of children’s books that now connect with pupils across the UK.We explore identity loss, the rigid expectations of the education system, and the moment Gareth realised that stepping away wasn’t failure - it was freedom. There are revelations here about purpose, healing, and what it means to truly live after tragedy.⚠️ Content warning: this episode contains themes of child loss, separation, and emotional trauma.This one stays with you.Send us a message.Buy Us a Coffee ☕️ Loving the Pit Pony Podcast? We’d be so grateful for your support! We’ve set up a Buy Me a Coffee page where you can make a small donation to help keep the podcast running. https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub Voice Message Us: https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcast Interested in coming to our conference? https://www.tutorsconference.co.uk If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in our podcast there are organisations who can help: Education Support The Samaritans Mind Andy's Man Club Join Us: Subscribe to the Pit Pony Podcast Sign up to our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/i1L5ck Thanks for listening 🙏Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital Real
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059 - Gareth Dale - Classroom to Childrens Author / Private Tutor Part 1
In this deeply personal episode, we sit down with Gareth Dale - a teacher from 2005 to 2023 - to explore a story of love, loss, and the emotional toll of showing up in school when life is falling apart behind the scenes.Gareth takes us through his early teaching journey, the formative years in tough inner-city schools, and the moment his life changed forever with the birth - and tragic loss - of his newborn daughter, Clara.He opens up about the trauma, the masking, the shock that followed, and the moment writing a school Christmas play helped him find meaning again. We talk about grief that doesn’t follow rules, the safe spaces school can offer (and sometimes can’t), and the emotional weight teachers carry - especially when life outside the classroom shatters.This is a story about identity, survival, and how creativity became a lifeline.⚠️ Content warning: this episode discusses baby loss and grief.Send us a message.Buy Us a Coffee ☕️ Loving the Pit Pony Podcast? We’d be so grateful for your support! We’ve set up a Buy Me a Coffee page where you can make a small donation to help keep the podcast running. https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub Voice Message Us: https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcast Interested in coming to our conference? https://www.tutorsconference.co.uk If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in our podcast there are organisations who can help: Education Support The Samaritans Mind Andy's Man Club Join Us: Subscribe to the Pit Pony Podcast Sign up to our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/i1L5ck Thanks for listening 🙏Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital Real
Sharon Cawley and Sarah Dunwood talk to former teachers about exiting from the classroom and thriving.Don't forget to leave us a VOICEMAIL, quickly and easily at https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcastSupport the podcast by buying us a coffee here:https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub
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