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Frank and Stan Chats

Frank and Stan Chats

Written by: Frank Norris and Stan Johnson
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About this listen

 Frank Norris and Stan Johnson have been friends since 1995. Both have had successful and lengthy careers in education. Frank was a very senior HMI with Ofsted for 11 years and was the CEO of the Coop Academies Trust for 6 years. Stan was seconded to Ofsted for a year and then returned to headship before working as a senior adviser with Lancashire LA. He has latterly led a successful education consultancy in the North West. Prior to Covid-19, the two gents would meet in Manchester for a pint or two but the pandemic put an end to that. On 1 May 2020, they recorded their first video chat as a way of recording their emotions and reactions to the pandemic. After putting the video on Youtube as a safe place to store it they realised that some followers began to appear. Now, with nearly 180 episodes and having chatted to Professors, CEOs, journalists, teachers, former HMI, education thinkers and Frank's Key Stage 1 leading daughter they have a loyal following and a rapidly increasing number of viewers. The reach of the Frank and Stan Chat stretches from Bogota to Ottawa to Greece and their first Live Edition was recorded in front of nearly 200 Headteachers in York. The Chats are not undertaken to attract followers or for financial reward (nothing is received and nothing will be received). It is a way of airing views on education matters between two professional friends with a focus on leadership. We are honoured to be invited to host the weekly chats on the Leader-connect website www.leader-connect.co.uk. The chats helped the gents get through the pandemic and they are delighted that they have been enjoyed by others and appear to have helped in developing leadership thought and actions. If you fancy being a guest then just reach out. We never post a video unless the guest is comfortable with it. So, it is a relatively risk-free environment. Thank you. Frank and Stan. PS. We were honoured to be identified as one of the Top 50 education and leadership podcasts in THE WORLD!!! We can't believe it, but it appears to be true.

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© 2023 Frank and Stan Chats
Episodes
  • Frank and Stan Chat SPOTLIGHT No. 22

    Frank and Stan Chat SPOTLIGHT No. 22
    Feb 21 2026
    Six months ago, Frank and Stan met Steve Kirkpatrick in a rather nice hotel in Worsley, Gt Manchester. Frank had become aware of an application Steve and a colleague had developed that supports school self-evaluation. It appears to take some of the back-breaking and tedious work undertaken by senior leaders in developing a robust self-evaluation statement. Since we met, Steve has further improved the product and has increased the number of schools adopting it. We thought it was time to learn more about his background, the application and where it might progress. Stan was away on holiday, so the chat was with Frank.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    27 mins
  • Frank and Stan Chat No. 250

    Frank and Stan Chat No. 250
    Feb 8 2026

    When we started the Frank and Stan Chat in May 2020, we thought it would last a week or two. It was a way for the two friends to keep in touch during the various Covid lockdowns. Astonishingly, the chats have now reached the 250 mark. We never planned to have a certain guest for this special edition. To be honest, we don't work in that way. Setting up the chats relies on a number of diaries coming together, but we were pleased to have the amazing Paul Ainsworth with us for this special chat. Paul has been a guest twice before and we have found his support and engagement an important part of why we continue to meet every week and record the chats.


    This recording is slightly different because we reflect on the chats and how they developed, we than have Paul discussing an article he had published earlier that day where he considers the outcomes of the first batch of Ofsted inspections and then it closes with Frank returning to Chat No. 102 where his brother, a former HMI with Estyn shares what he would put in Room 101.


    A lovely discussion and a suitable one for a chat that is always meant to be kind and reflective.


    Enjoy.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
  • Frank and Stan Chat No. 250

    Frank and Stan Chat No. 250
    Feb 8 2026

    When we started the Frank and Stan Chat in May 2020, we thought it would last a week or two. It was a way for the two friends to keep in touch during the various Covid lockdowns. Astonishingly, the chats have now reached the 250 mark. We never planned to have a certain guest for this special edition. To be honest, we don't work in that way. Setting up the chats relies on a number of diaries coming together, but we were pleased to have the amazing Paul Ainsworth with us for this special chat. Paul has been a guest twice before and we have found his support and engagement an important part of why we continue to meet every week and record the chats.


    This recording is slightly different because we reflect on the chats and how they developed, we than have Paul discussing an article he had published earlier that day where he considers the outcomes of the first batch of Ofsted inspections and then it closes with Frank returning to Chat No. 102 where his brother, a former HMI with Estyn shares what he would put in Room 101.


    A lovely discussion and a suitable one for a chat that is always meant to be kind and reflective.


    Enjoy.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
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