Welcome to NRitC – the rebel podcast that aims to rewrite the school rulebook, one regulation at a time...Join education journalist Helen Mulley and a rotating panel of teachers, leaders and thinkers as they rummage through the regulations, routines and rituals that shape school life – and ask whether they still make sense (or indeed, if they ever did in the first place).In each episode, Helen and her guests take one familiar school rule and put it under the microscope to investigate where it came from, what it looks like in today's education landscape – and whether it's really doing what we want it to. Does it really matter if homework isn't handed in on time? What's the problem with taking a family holiday during termtime? And is maths GCSE genuinely the right qualification for everyone?Expect wit, warmth and the occasional classroom flashback, as No Running in the Corridors opens the door to new ideas, dares to challenge the status quo and maybe, just maybe, breaks a few rules along...
We tell kids that hard work pays off, but talent, opportunity and circumstance all play a part in who gets ahead. How honest should we be about what it really takes to succeed? In this episode, PE specialist James Munro and parent of four and educator, Shona Rae, join Helen Mulley to explore how schools should respond when some children are driven to win while others are simply happy to take part, and whether we send mixed messages about what success really means. Got a school rule you think...
11 Oct 2026
Don't Talk About Sex in the Classroom
Bodies, relationships and sex are all part of growing up, so why can talking about them in school still feel so awkward? In this episode, former teachers Elanie Ademokun and Sarah Brough, who now work at Jigsaw Education Group, join Helen Mulley to explore how to handle awkward questions without shutting children down, and how to help pupils build a confident understanding of bodies and boundaries. Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at primar...
27 Sept 2026
No Playing Conkers
Conker bans in schools due to health and safety concerns may be an urban myth, but when we’re responsible for other people’s children, how much risk should we accept? In this episode, headteacher and author Rae Snape and teacher and founder of Learnella, Adam Petrie, join Helen Mulley to explore how schools can protect children without wrapping them in cotton wool, and why learning to judge risk is such an important part of growing up. Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC trea...
6 Sept 2026
No Doodling in Lessons
Call it zero tolerance, warm-strict or high standards – some schools take an approach to classroom discipline that leaves no space for individual ways of concentrating. But what if the child doodling all over their notes is paying attention? In this episode, art teacher Emma Delpech and forest school teacher Rachel Summers join Helen Mulley to unpack fidgeting, doodling and stimming through the lens of self-regulation, exploring why a still classroom isn't always a listening one. Got a school...
30 Aug 2026
No Diagnosis? No Special Support
How can families unlock the support their child needs, and does it have to involve a formal diagnosis for schools to provide it?
In this episode, host Helen Mulley is joined by former headteacher Lucy Rundle and parent Laura Albero, whose children have SEND. Together, they explore what equitable support really looks like, and whether schools can respond effectively to individual needs within a system of limited resources and increasing demand.
Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at primary@artichokehq.com and let us know about it!
9 Aug 2026
No Extreme Hairstyles
Schools have been policing pupils’ hairstyles forever, but are strict hair policies really about maintaining standards, or simply about control?
Hair is deeply personal. It’s bound up with culture, identity and genetics. So why do schools care so much about it? In this episode, MAT CEO Anthony Benedict and headteacher Hannah Carter join Helen Mulley to explore what hairstyle policies reveal about power, control and individual expression.
Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at primary@artichokehq.com and let us know about it!
26 Jul 2026
No Sweets in Lunchboxes
A lunchbox might seem like a simple part of the school day, but who should decide what belongs inside it? In this episode, Helen Mulley is joined by assistant headteacher Lucy Fox and registered nutritionist Dr Jennie Cockroft to explore the role schools play in children’s nutrition and whether blanket food policies meet the needs of every family.
Together, our guests explore the challenges of supporting children with additional needs, working with families facing financial pressures and building positive relationships between schools and parents.
Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at primary@artichokehq.com and let us know about it!
12 Jul 2026
Summer-Born Kids Must Stay Put
Should children move through school simply because of their age, or is it time to rethink a system that expects everyone to reach the same milestones at the same time?
In this episode, Helen Mulley is joined by metacognition specialist Nathan Burns and early years practitioner Kayte Cooling-Smith to examine whether age-based progression is serving every learner equally.
Together, they explore the challenges faced by summer-born pupils, question the limits of age-related expectations and consider how schools can nurture every child's potential without extinguishing their love of learning.Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at primary@artichokehq.com and let us know about it!
28 Jun 2026
Teach What's On The Plan
When planning becomes something to be obeyed rather than interpreted, what happens to professional judgement and the human moments that bring learning to life?
We're delighted to be back for series 2 with assistant headteacher Chris Dilley and Anthony Cockerill, director of the National Association for the Teaching of English, to explore whether a “teach-from-the-slides” culture is improving education or is, in fact, a worrying first step towards getting rid of the human element entirely...
Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at primary@artichokehq.com and let us know about it!
24 May 2026
Stick to the Seating Plan
On the surface, a seating plan is simply a practical tool for organising a busy classroom and keeping learning on track. But in our desire to control chaos, do we risk constricting curiosity?
In this final episode of series one, host Helen Mulley joins Lewis Ames from Children of the Forest and education consultant Leslie Patterson to explore what a truly flexible and empowering education environment might look like – and ask whether, in fact, it’s not just the seating plans that should be sent to the shredder…
Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at primary@artichokehq.com and let us know about it!
10 May 2026
No Politics in the Classroom
Is keeping politics out of the classroom really the safest option?
In this episode, Helen Mulley is joined by Sarah Johnson, former teacher and English lead at Kapow Primary, and primary headteacher Steven Turnbull.
Together, they unpack the “no politics” rule through the lens of media literacy, exploring why avoiding difficult conversations may leave pupils more vulnerable.
Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at primary@artichokehq.com and let us know about it!
26 Apr 2026
No Holidays in Term-Time
Should families with strong attendance records still face fines for term-time holidays?
In this episode, host Helen Mulley explores the controversial “no holidays in term time” rule with Ryan Lockett, headteacher at TLC LIVE Online School, and Shane Kirk, parent of a Y11 student.
Together they unpack fines, attendance pressures and the tension between school accountability, holiday affordability and trust in parental judgement.
Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at primary@artichokehq.com and let us know about it!
7 Apr 2026
Three Strikes and You’re Out
<p><i>An empty inclusion base is a successful one, right? In this episode, Helen Mulley explores the “three strikes and you’re out” behaviour system with headteacher James Saunders and Jamie Rogers from education charity The Difference. They discuss balancing clear rules with individual needs, using data and relationships to prevent exclusions, and helping pupils take ownership of their choices.</i></p><p></p><p><i>Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at </i><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:primary@artichokehq.com" target="_blank"><b>primary@artichokehq.com</b></a> <i>and let us know about it!</i></p>
7 Apr 2026
Homework Must Be Handed In On Time
<p><i>Is homework really about learning – or something else entirely? In this episode, Helen Mulley is joined by Katie Alexander, deputy headteacher at Carr Mill Primary in Merseyside, and Darren Lyon, experienced school principal and doctoral researcher. Together, they explore the complex world of homework: its purpose, impact on families and whether it’s actually helping children develop responsibility or just adding stress...</i></p><p></p><p><i>Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at </i><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:primary@artichokehq.com" target="_blank">primary@artichokehq.com</a> <i>and let us know about it!</i></p>
7 Apr 2026
Everyone Takes Maths GCSE
<p><i>Is GCSE maths failing the students it’s meant to help? In this episode, Helen Mulley is joined by Dougald Tidswell, a secondary maths teacher with 20+ years’ experience, and Peter Mattock, former teacher and national secondary maths lead at Twinkl. Together, they challenge the assumption that everyone should take GCSE maths and explore what young people really need from maths education.</i></p><p></p><p><i>Got a school rule you think we should give the NRitC treatment? Get in touch with us at </i><a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:primary@artichokehq.com" target="_blank">primary@artichokehq.com</a> <i>and let us know about it!</i></p>
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