Controversial he may be, challenging he can be, charismatic and effective he definitively is. Phil is one of the highest profile teachers around today.
Following on from the success of Channel 4's The Unteachables, for which he won The Royal Television Society’s On-Screen Newcomer of the Year award in 2005, and was BAFTA nominated, Phil's astonishingly moving 2008 role as literacy mentor on Channel 4’s Can't Read, Can't Write saw the series rightfully nominated for a Broadcast Award. His next TV appearance will be in 2009’s Hidden Maths Genius on Channel 4.
His book Could Do Better has been serialised in the Telegraph, and is currently being translated into Latvian (as you do).
A prolific and passionate advocate for the right to learn Beadle is a columnist for the Guardian, works part-time as an English teacher, is currently writing a book for NQTs and has been profiled in the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph and Express.
Authored pieces and screen appearances include a 30 Minute show for Channel 4 on Private Schools, the Heaven & Earth Show, Politics Show, Richard and Judy, This Morning, GMTV, Newsnight, the Steve Wright
Show, Start the Week (with Blunkett), and BBC Breakfast (being quickly shifted off for insinuating that Hugh Hefner “smelt of piss.”)
Despite earning the wrath of the TES on-line chat room and the Sunday Times alike, Phil has generated reviews for edgy, creative and challenging work that include:
‘He is an innovator, unafraid of the modern’ - The Guardian
‘Refuses to accept students' backgrounds as an excuse for underachievement’ - Evening Standard
‘Mr Motivator’ - The Scotsman
‘An extraordinarily commanding teacher ... a late-starter to teaching who has become one of its finest practitioners. It would be hard not to be invigorated and inspired by his particular brand of teaching’ - Teaching Awards Trust
‘The climate for learning is infectious. A highly creative teacher of English and Drama, Philip connects with pupils by using visual, audio and kinetic stimulus material in unique ways’ - Teachers TV
‘He looks like a rock musician and is one of the very best teachers in the country’ - John Humphrys, Daily Mail
‘Invigorating, inspiring and exceptional’ - GTC Magazine
Tough, honest, practical and inspirational, Phil is now spreading his particular views and ideas on the nature and practice of education through a regular column in The Guardian where he was asked to take over from the late, great Ted Wragg, through a new TV series coming out later this year and, we are pleased to say, as an Associate for Independent Thinking where he is very much in demand to challenge teachers about risk taking, planning lessons, motivation, working with disaffected children especially boys and bringing lessons alive in active, invigorating ways. (He was the one who had his students performing Punctuation Karate remember, not to mention the quoting Shakespeare to cows.)
Feedback from a recent client included this memorable line:
'I have spent all weekend talking about your training day, which has surprised my husband because usually I would rather stick pins in my eyes than listen to a guest speaker at the school. I think you rattled a few cages and freaked out some of the SLT which is always good, but as well as that you made so many of us feel that it is not that we are failing our boys, it just that we are not understanding them.'
- For Phil's prices click here
- People who benefited from Phil have also enjoyed Ian Gilbert
To make contact with Phil to discuss how he can work with you for INSET or to contribute to a conference please call the Independent Thinking office on 0844 589 0490 or e-mail us at learn@independentthinking.co.uk.
Articles written by Phil Beadle:
Books written by Phil Beadle:
TV Programmes with Phil Beadle:
In the words of one headteacher in an e-mail to us:
‘I am a Headteacher of a school on the south coast and would like to advertise my teaching vacancies somewhere that Phil Beadle or others like him may be looking! The school needs a good awakening!’