Two Mr Ps in a Pod(Cast)

This week, Lee sat down with the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, to discuss the government's Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper and the SEND consultation.

I thought we would have had a lot more time than we actually had, which meant a few questions I had prepared from the 1,000+ questions submitted weren’t asked. And probably not being able to go back on every answer in the way I'd have liked, but I decided to focus on giving the Ed Sec a chance to bring clarity to some of what had been proposed. There were things left on the table and some answers that deserved more pushback than time allowed. That's worth being upfront about.

The conversation covered SEND funding and what the £4 billion investment will actually look like in a mainstream classroom, the new Individual Support Plans, what happens to EHCPs, inclusion bases, the role of SENCOs, support staff pay and recognition, workload concerns including the future of the 1,265 directed hours, early intervention through the Best Start Family Hubs, curriculum changes, and Ofsted's new inspection framework, including whether the data suggests disadvantaged schools are being disproportionately affected.

Some of those questions got fuller answers than others. Some of the answers raised further questions we didn't get time to follow up on. That's the reality of a time-limited sit-down with a Secretary of State.

The SEND consultation is open now and closes 18 May 2026. Whether you're a teacher, support staff, parent or professional, they're asking for responses -

https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/ 

Head to neu.org.uk/abolish-ofsted to find the Ofterd risk assessment guide from the NEU.

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Episode 244 starts with Adam having an absolute stinker of a morning after waking up to discover he's been a victim of fraud with some going on a shopping spree, before drifting into a chat about nights out, drinking culture, getting older, and the strange pressure people put on you to “join in” even when you’re perfectly happy not drinking at all. From there, the episode takes a funny turn into sport, recognition in public and some classic grassroots sport observations, including kids shamelessly copying professional footballers and bringing full Premier League energy to very low-stakes matches.

The main thread of the episode is all about the funniest and most painful faux pas people have ever made, and it is packed with properly toe-curling stories. There’s also another blind ranking, this time focused on classic UK playground games, which brings up all the old-school chaos of British Bulldog, Red Rover, Kiss Chase and the rest. The second half of the episode is classic school-story gold. There’s a listener dilemma about a colleague who never comes into the staff room, followed by a long run of completely ridiculous things people have witnessed in schools.

As always, the episode finishes with the kind of school-based madness that makes you question how any teacher gets through the week with their sanity intact. It’s packed with awkward moments, unbelievable stories, and the sort of staffroom-style laughter that makes the whole profession feel just a little bit more survivable.

📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Head to neu.org.uk/abolish-ofsted to find the Ofterd risk assessment guide from the NEU.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recorded as the slog towards Easter starts to bite, Episode 243 begins with the lads reflecting on that very familiar point in the term where teacher tiredness properly kicks in. There’s talk of spring optimism (or the lack of it), stress breakouts making a comeback, and the general feeling of clawing your way towards the next holiday while pretending you’re holding it together.

The episode kicks off with a nostalgic thread about things from early 2000s Britain people didn’t realise they’d miss so much. From nights out that only required twenty quid and cheap Bacardi Breezers, to bus tickets with McDonald’s vouchers on the back, HMV album hunting, and the days when everyone watched the same TV shows at the same time, it turns into a proper trip down memory lane. The conversation drifts into how technology, phones and streaming have changed the way people experience music, films and nights out, with a discussion about whether unlimited content has actually made things feel less special.

There’s also a deeper conversation around social media algorithms and the rise of controversial influencers, sparked by a recent documentary that left the lads equally fascinated and frustrated. They talk about how online platforms amplify extreme voices, the impact this has on young people, and the importance of helping the next generation understand what genuine confidence and respect actually look like.

The middle of the episode delivers two classic Two Mr Ps blind rankings. First, a chaotic and slightly ridiculous ranking of infamous film parody titles purely based on wordplay, which quickly descends into uncontrollable laughter. A slightly more sensible blind ranking follows with classroom stationery, where the lads attempt to rank essential classroom items, although the results are somewhat questionable.

As always, the second half of the episode is packed with listener stories from schools. There are staffroom oversharing disasters, awkward home visit moments, and one unforgettable nativity-era confession involving a mysterious bright green incident in the staff toilet that led to posters on toilet etiquette appearing around school. There’s also discussion about the most germ-ridden objects in primary schools and the strange realities of working in early years, where absolutely anything can happen.

The episode wraps up with a brilliant run of “teacher tired” moments, from accidentally drinking sandpit tea made by reception children to falling asleep in meetings.

​📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

​🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

​

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

Head to neu.org.uk/abolish-ofsted to find the Ofterd risk assessment guide from the NEU.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recorded as spring starts to creep in (even if the weather still can’t make its mind up), Episode 242 begins with the lads reflecting on the strange world of online comments and the fine balance between loving teaching and calling out the frustrations of the system around it. There’s a bit of venting about social media criticism, a reminder of why speaking honestly about education matters, and some lovely listener messages from the recent live tour shows that highlight just how much the podcast and live events mean to people going through difficult times.

With the Lowry show edging closer to a potential sell-out, there’s also a big push for the Manchester homecoming gig, which could end up being filmed if the final tickets disappear.

From there, the episode takes a detour into a thread about times people have completely misunderstood what an event, film, or experience actually was. From musical theatre mishaps and unexpected concerts to cinema trips that turned out nothing like expected, it sparks a run of stories about assumptions going badly wrong and the awkward moments that follow. The blind ranking returns with a very relatable workplace theme: the different types of colleagues you encounter on a work night out.

The second half of the episode is packed with classic listener submissions and classroom chaos. There are brilliant examples of children misunderstanding words and concepts, accidental classroom innuendos, and those unforgettable moments where teachers have to keep a straight face despite what’s just been said. Stories include awkward school trips, workplace misunderstandings, World Book Day mishaps, and the kind of bizarre incidents that only ever seem to happen in schools. As always, it ends with a run of jaw-dropping and slightly grim school moments, including some truly disgusting classroom encounters that will test the stomachs of even the most experienced teachers. Full of laughs, relatable teacher moments, and the sort of stories that make you grateful your own day wasn’t quite that chaotic, Episode 242 is another classic staffroom-style catch-up from the Two Mr Ps.

📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

​🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

​

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recorded on the back of a huge February half-term tour run, Episode 241 kicks off with a proper thank you to everyone who packed out theatres across the country. From Edinburgh on Valentine’s Day through a full week of shows, the lads reflect on near sell-outs, standing ovations, and just how surreal it feels to have a thousand-plus school staff in a room for a night of laughs. There’s also big news as more dates are added for October and February 2027, with venues across the South and North lined up and the Lowry show in May shaping up to be one of the biggest they’ve ever done.

After the tour chat, things take a sharp left into hospital ward drama. A routine visit to see their recovering dad turns into an unexpected soap opera. The blind ranking returns with “types of co-workers.” Thread of the Week then opens the floodgates to hilarious workplace stories beyond teaching. Parents’ evening horror stories make an appearance too. It’s awkward, it’s cringey, and it’s painfully relatable for anyone who’s ever sat behind a tiny table under strip lighting making small talk about phonics.

The episode also tackles a genuine dilemma: is it ever okay for a teacher to pursue something romantic with a former pupil once they’re both adults? The lads don’t sit on the fence.

There’s the usual run of school-based chaos too, including ridiculous parent complaints, unexpected wildlife incidents in the playground, and one truly grim Year 2 classroom moment involving a “baby worm” discovery that turns into an impromptu lesson on threadworms, nail biting, and professional composure under pressure.

It’s a full episode: gratitude, gossip, rankings, dilemmas, disgust, and a healthy reminder that working in schools means you are never more than five minutes away from something utterly bizarre. Classic Two Mr Ps energy from start to finish.

📬 Want your story featured on the pod? Submit it here:

👉 forms.gle/sWCUVURZjtn6GeN16

Here’s where you can catch the show 👇

​🎭 May 2026

22nd May - Salford, Lowry 🎨

🎭 October 2026

25th October - Norwich, Epic Studios 🏰

26th October - London, Soho Walthamstow 🎤

27th October - Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre 🌳

28th October - Eastbourne, Devonshire Park 🌊

29th October - Colchester, Charter Hall 🏺

30th October - Southampton, O2 Guildhall ⚓

31st October - High Wycombe, Swan 🎶

🎭 February 2027

14th February - Blackpool, Grand Theatre 🎡

15th February - Carlisle, The Sands Centre 🏞️

16th February - Chester, Storyhouse 🐎

17th February - Crewe, Lyceum Theatre 🚂

18th February - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall 🏹

19th February - Stoke, Victoria Hall 🏺

20th February - Stockton, Globe Theatre 🌐

🎟️ Tickets at 2mrpspodcast.com/live

See you on the road again soon 👏🎤

To find out more about how to get your school involved in the Ultimate STEM challenge from Energising Futures, with the opportunity to win a school visit from the National Robotarium, plus iPads for individual pupils, click on the link here >>> https://bit.ly/UltimateSTEMChallenge
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices