EdTech People
The podcast explores the past, present, and future of technology in education. Each episode features a conversation with someone who plays a role in shaping it. Hosted by Matthew Setchell, it offers insights into the people and innovations driving educational technology.
Episodes
Who’s Really Watching the Devices?
In this end-of-season episode of EdTech People, Matt and Jack reflect on the often-overlooked pressure faced by school IT teams during the summer, when major upgrades, migrations and preparations take place before staff and pupils return.The main discussion focuses on the 2026 updates to Keeping Children Safe in Education, particularly the growing importance of effective filtering and monitoring.
Overwatch: CCTV in Education
🎤 Ever felt overwhelmed by the chaos of managing school tech? You're not alone! In this episode, we dive into the complexities of CCTV management in schools. From access control to privacy concerns, we unravel how to effectively navigate this digital landscape. With the rise of technology, ensuring that everyone knows the policies and follows them is crucial. Still figuring out how to balance
Edtech People Sessions: Cyber Security in Education
In the first of our new Edtech People Sessions format - join regular hosts Matthew Setchell and Jack Marshall and our panel to discuss all things Cyber Security in Education.From the basics - "What is Cyber Security?" to understanding if there is a single solution that can fix all your cyber security issues (there isn't) and so what can you do to make it less risky?Panel:Ian Stockbri
IT: Endgame.
After a little issue with Jack's macbook being rubbish, we pick up a conversation around CyberSecurity in edtech. We ponder the impact, how we would react, and if schools are doing enoughPlus - a very big announcement from Jack...Email: mail@edtechpeople.co.uk
Think large trusts save money centrally? Think again.
Join Matthew and Jack as they explore the latest in EdTech, including school data benchmarking, AI integration, filtering systems, and the challenges of implementing technology in education. Gain insights into strategic planning, accessibility tools, and future trends in educational technology.
How major cloud outages and no money disrupt schools and their IT
Most schools depend heavily on cloud services, but what happens when they go down? From system outages to financial crises — revealing how educational institutions can prepare for the inevitable disruptions. Plus, we explore the growing financial pressures facing multi-academy trusts, with insights into how budget constraints impact IT decisions — from hardware refresh cycles to leasing versus buy
DfE Change Wifi Standards, Phones banned in school and IT Strategy waffle
Matt and Jack discuss the recent changes to the DfE Technology Standards, including around Wifi, discuss banning phones in schools and if it will make any impact (it won't) and IT Strategy.
Time for something new
Meet Matt & Jack, as Edtech People switches to a fortnightly format, where we will pick some cool things to talk about and keep the episodes short and sweet (ish)Join Matthew and Jack as they explore the evolving landscape of education technology, AI integration, project management, and the future of IT roles in schools and trusts. This episode offers insights into cloud migration, AI tools, t
Joshua Perry - The Evolution of MIS
In this episode, Joshua Perry discusses the evolution of Management Information Systems (MIS) in education, highlighting key market changes, the shift to cloud technology, and the role of AI. He shares insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by MIS vendors and the impact of these systems on schools.
Shayne Grove: Connectivity, Security and why we hate BYOD
In this episode, Matthew Setchell interviews Shayne Grove, Chief Sales Officer at Schools Broadband, discussing the evolution of school connectivity, the impact of multi-academy trusts, and the challenges of security and safeguarding in educational IT systems. They explore the rise of alternative networks, the implications of BYOD policies, and the potential of AI in education. The conversation al
Imogen Ley-Clowes - Branding Beyond Logos: The EdTech Perspective
In this episode of EdTech People, Matthew Setchell interviews Imogen Ley-Clowes, a branding expert in the educational technology sector. They discuss the importance of branding, marketing strategies tailored for educational audiences, and the role of trust and authenticity in building a brand. Imogen shares insights on rebranding challenges, the significance of thought leadership, and how AI is tr
Jack Marshall - "We need to learn by doing."
In this episode of EdTechPeople, Matthew Setchell speaks with Jack Marshall, the Senior IT Operations Manager at DRB Ignite. They discuss the evolving role of IT in education, the importance of practical experience over formal qualifications, and the need for a supportive team culture. Jack shares insights on learning by doing, the value of mentorship, and the challenges of career progression in I
James Paveley - Navigating the EdTech Landscape
In this episode of EdTech People, host Matthew Setchell welcomes James Paveley, who shares his journey in educational technology, discussing his experiences with managed services, the importance of building trust in IT relationships, and the role of school business professionals. They delve into the challenges of cybersecurity in schools, the significance of data management, and the future of IT i
Brett Griffin - "The future is integration."
In this episode of EdTech People, host Matthew Setchell speaks with Brett Griffin, founder of Pupil Progress, about the challenges and innovations in educational technology. Brett shares his journey from being a teacher to creating a platform that simplifies data tracking and monitoring for schools. They discuss the importance of technology in reducing teacher workload, the challenges of implement
Carl Curless - Transforming Education Through Data Analytics
In this episode of Ed Tech People, Matthew Setchell interviews Carl Curless, head of data and analytics at the Endeavour Learning Trust. They discuss the evolving role of data in education, particularly within multi-academy trusts, and the transition from traditional systems like SIMS to cloud-based management systems such as Arbor. Carl shares insights on the importance of data visualization, sta
Chris Byers - Navigating the Evolution of EdTech
In this episode of EdTech People, Chris Byers discusses the evolution of educational technology in schools, starting from the National Grid for Learning project to the current landscape dominated by cloud technology and cybersecurity challenges. The conversation explores the impact of academy groups on IT management, the shift towards cloud solutions, and the importance of effective backup strateg
Phil Wakeman - "Maybe we shouldn't give everyone laptops"
SummaryIn this episode of EdTechPeople, Matthew Setchell interviews Phil Wakeman, the Regional ICT Manager for Academy Transformation Trust. Phil shares his extensive experience in the education technology sector, discussing the challenges and opportunities in managing IT services across multiple academies. The conversation covers topics such as funding challenges, the importance of infrastructure
Maria Smith - "I wanted to make a product that does everything.
In this episode of Ed Tech People, host Matthew Setchell speaks with Maria Smith, the founder of Admicity, a software solution designed to streamline school administration processes. Maria shares her journey from working as an admissions officer in a school to identifying the inefficiencies in the system and creating a product that automates workflows, enhances parental engagement, and integrates
Tim Line - "This is a whole school thing, not just an IT problem."
In this episode, Matthew Setchell speaks with Tim from Secure Schools about the critical role of cybersecurity in education. They discuss the unique challenges schools face in securing their digital environments, the importance of implementing effective cybersecurity measures, and the need for a cultural shift within schools to prioritise cybersecurity. Tim emphasises the risks associated with ina
Caroline Pardoe: "Leadership requires bravery and risk-taking."
In this episode of Ed Tech People, Matthew Setchell interviews Caroline Pardoe, an assistant head at Blue Coat School, discussing her journey in EdTech, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Caroline shares her experiences of navigating the challenges of digital transformation in education, the importance of collaboration and digital tools in the classroom, and the impact of budget constraint
Phil Birchinall - "Content is king, but context rules."
In this episode of EdTech People, Matthew Setchell interviews Phil Birchinall, Senior Director of Immersive Content at Discovery Education. Phil shares his extensive journey in EdTech, starting from the classroom to his current role, emphasizing the importance of creating engaging educational content that sparks curiosity among students. He discusses the mission of Discovery Education, the role of
Abid Patel - "Printers should disappear from schools."
In this episode of EdTechPeople, host Matthew Setchell engages with Abid Patel, IT Director at Newham Community Learning, discussing his journey in educational technology, the evolution of IT roles in schools, and the challenges faced in staffing and budgeting.
They explore the importance of continuous learning, the competition between Google and Microsoft in education, and the need for digital l
Tom Newton - Protecting schools from internet nasties.
In this episode of EdTechPeople, Matthew Setchell interviews Tom Newton, VP of Product at SmoothWall, discussing the evolution of education technology, the importance of safeguarding in schools, and the challenges faced in the industry. Tom shares his journey from software development to product management, emphasizing the need for community and collaboration in EdTech. The conversation also touch
Jake Moran - Apprentice to Help Desk Lead
Summary
In this episode of EdTech People, host Matthew Setchell interviews Jake, an IT professional with a unique journey from retail to education technology. Jake shares his experiences in IT support, discussing the diverse challenges faced in educational settings, the importance of customer interaction, and the shift towards more efficient help desk practices. The conversation also touches on
Nadio Granata - AI in Education
Nadio Granata is the founder of The AI Collective: a network of AI curious connections from school leavers to Thought Leaders - and brings unique insight to AI in general, and the use of AI in Education
Maggie Layfield - Edtech, Burnout and Covid in the US
On this episode we are joined by Maggie Layfield, Vice President of Sales, Americas at NetSupport Inc. Maggie brings a fantastic insight to edtech's role in the classroom over in the states - and how Covid has affected it's successful growth, as well as the potential of AI
Luke Vere - Cyber Security, Digital Transformation and more.
Luke has taken the Voyage Education Partnership MAT on a journey from inheriting a network that had experienced a major cyber security incident to a network that is able to grow with the trust and inspire confidence in users and leadership alike.
We talk cyber security, how to recover from and prevent future incidents, strategy and lots more in this wide ranging chat.
Katherine Howard - KCSIE, Filtering and monitoring standards
Meet Katherine Howard, Head of Education and Wellbeing at Smoothwall, who protect 22 million children globally across 25,100 schools. We discuss recent changes to KCSIE, the DfE Filtering and Monitoring Standards and the challenges of keeping pupils and staff safe in an ever changing landscape.
Daren White - #Edtech50 award winner talking about tractors.
Academic Technologies Lead at Academies Enterprise Trust, Google Certified Trainer, Coach and Innovator and Microsoft MIE , Apple Teacher and #EdTech50 award winner Daren White clearly knows nothing about edtech, and doesn't bring to this episode his years of experience and his thoughts on how we can empower people to feel free to use technology. We talk about tractors. Daren White - @edufuturists
Traci Good - creating a digital safety program to save the world.
Keeping children and adults safe when using technology is a vital role, and Traci has started i-vengers.org.uk and works with schools to highlight, inform and transform digital safety. An interesting chat through how and why she is doing this work, the impact of the work and a scary insight using recent surveys of parents and children - as well as discussing emerging risks and trends.
Nick Brown - meet the technician, turned business manager, turned JISC expert and creator of Home Access Plus
Nick started being his school's technician in year 9, and has since been a Network Manager, a School Business Manager, working in HE/FE at Cardiff Uni and now JISC. Nick brings a new perspective to the podcast, talking about the difference between HE/FE, how he built his own solutions to solve issues as a coder, and relating the technical back to what we need to achieve in education. You can find
Neil Cheshire - On the ground supporting edtech in secondary education
IT Manager for large secondary school and general all round gadget lover Neil talks about what it's like to be on the ground supporting tech in a large secondary school in Worcestershire - we talk recruitment, oopsie moments and lots more.
Kirsten Beaven - How an SBM has transformed technology at their school
Mum, Accountant and Business Manager. Digital Improvement Lead and MIE Expert. Senior Leader of Governance with passion for Education - Kirsten has been instrumental in supporting her school achieve a digitial transformation like no other. Kirsten explains how this was achieved, the impact for teachers and students and what is next for the community at Vaughan. Follow Kirsten on twitter: https://t
Al Kingsley - Writer, Speaker. CEO, MAT Chair, RSC Board.
Al Kingsley is well known in EdTech as someone who is always innovating, sharing and learning - Al has almost 45,000 followers on his twitter account, has written 2 books (Amazon.co.uk: Al Kingsley) around EdTech and Governance, has led NetSupport Group for 31 years, and is a MAT Chair, in this episode we focus on where EdTech goes next, and the impact that could have for learners and those suppor
Ben Dunford - Former teacher, edtech startup creator (epraise) and beyond
We start off season 2 with a fantastic chat with Ben Dunford (Mr Dunford (@MrDunford) / Twitter and Ben Dunford | LinkedIn). A former teacher, founder of epraise.co.uk and now Head of Products at FireFly - Ben has a unique view on how technology can impact education and the important link between parents being able to follow their children's success and challenges using technology.
Jordan Smithson - leading MATs into providing transformational edtech
Meet Jordan, a 24 year old who is making a huge impact in edutech for his Primary School. Developing Systems and Solutions that make a huge difference to those who use the systems day to day. Find out more about Jordan here
Dr Paul Heery Former boss to the host, now trust CEO, Ofsted inspector and more...
Dr Paul Heery once gave me a job, and allowed me to start what became Lourdes IT. Now, he is a Trust CEO, Lead Inspector and has recently been voted onto the RSC Advisory Board. In this episode we explore his views on how edtech can support pupil outcomes, the importance of trusting your IT team and about how taking a chance, and employing the right people has impacted his use of Edtech in his car
Andrew Walls - Assistant head at a trust, talking Cyber Security in education and connecting learning
Andrew Walls, Assistant Headteacher at the Sidney Stringer Multi Academy and studying for an MA in Cyber Security joins us to talk about the importance of support, teachers and leadership connecting and communicating to move schools forward, to protect, and secure over a wide range of threats.
Beth Mokrini - All things cloud MIS - and how it feels to be part of the revolution.
In our second outing, and now that we are professionals(!) we catch up with Beth from Arbor - and enjoy a discussion around how the MIS landscape is changing in Education, what the driver for that is, the impact, and the future. We also find out how Beth is now a film star, thanks to her doorbell and how much she dislikes a certain Microsoft app.
Sam McNeill - Working for Microsoft, and Edtech across the world and how it changes disaster response.
In our first ever episode we meet Sam McNeill, from New Zealand who works for Microsoft. We talk all things EdTech, including the influence of the earthquakes on home learning, which Edtech tools Sam wishes were never in the classroom, and his favourite Microsoft EdTech tool and so much more in-between.
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