At the chalk-face
At the Chalk Face is a no-nonsense podcast from Craig’n’Dave, tackling real issues in education. Expect honest chat about pedagogy, classroom practice, and what actually works — from two ex-teachers still embedded in the world of schools. Not just for computer science teachers — this one’s for every educator.
Episodes
43 episodes
At the chalk face: Are you ready to go back to school?
Are you ready to go back to school? The summer holidays always seem to fly by, and suddenly September is just around the corner. But why does the thought of returning to the classroom bring such a strange mix of excitement, nerves ...
At the chalk face: Every teacher has a superpower. What’s yours?
Every teacher has a superpower. What’s yours?What makes a truly great teacher? Is it the perfect lesson plan? The latest teaching strategy? Or simply ticking all the right boxes?In this episode of At the Chalkface, ...
Craig'n'Dave Key Stage 3 Scheme: Idea to impact.
Craig'n'Dave Key Stage 3 Scheme: Idea to impact. Our brand-new KS3 Computing resources are finally here!After years of planning, classroom testing and refining, we've officially launched our brand-new Craig 'n' Dave Key Sta...
At the chalk face: Resource recon - Little Man Computer (LMC) and Little RISC Computer
At the chalk face: Resource recon - LMC and LRCDiscover two completely FREE interactive Computer Science apps designed to make teaching processor architecture and low-level programming easier than ever. In this episode of A...
At the chalk face: Craig'n'Dave Festival of Computing 2026 Review and Q&A
At the chalk face: Craig'n'Dave Festival of Computing 2026 Review and Q&A🎉 The Festival of Computing 2026 may be over, but we're not quite finished yet!After an incredible day at the Craig 'n' Dave Festival of Computing 2026...
At the chalk face: Are schools ready for the social media ban?
Will a social media ban really make schools safer? Or is it just the beginning of a whole new set of challenges?With social media restrictions for young people moving closer to reality, schools could soon face some difficult questions. ...
At the chalk face: Why do pupils stop enjoying computing?
At the chalk face: Why do pupils stop enjoying computing?Are students losing interest in computer science teaching? We examine the root causes of disengagement in the computing classroom.Craig and Dave, former computer ...
At the chalk face: Will AI replace coding in schools? Why coding is here to stay..
Will AI replace coding in schools? Or is programming more important than ever?In this episode of At the Chalkface, Craig and Dave dive headfirst into one of the biggest debates in computer science education right now: with AI and “vibe ...
At the chalk face: The UK social media ban debate
At the chalk face: The UK social media ban debateAI, social media, and online safety – where do we draw the line?In this episode of At the chalk face, Craig and Dave tackle one of the biggest challenges facing education, technolo...
At the chalk face: Why we left teaching
Are you thinking of leaving teaching this year? This is our story.In this honest and personal episode of At the Chalk Face, Craig and Dave share the story of why they eventually stepped away from full-time teaching after years in the pr...
At the chalk face: Are extra roles in school actually worth it?
Are extra roles in school actually worth it? - Teaching Careers ExplainedIn this episode of At The Chalk Face, we (Craig & Dave) dive into the paid and voluntary opportunities that come along in teaching — from exam marking an...
At the chalk face: Teaching - Would we do it again?
At the chalk face: Teaching - Would we do it again?Craig & Dave take a look back at their teaching careers and ask - If we could go back and do it all over... would we? 🤔In this very personal episode of At the Chalkface, we ...
At the chalk face: Cambridge OCR at the Festival of Computing 2026
At the chalk face: Cambridge OCR at the Festival of Computing 2026We’re delighted to have Cambridge OCR as one of this year’s sponsors for the Craig’n’Dave Festival of Computing 2026!In this interview, we catch up with Ceredig, ...
At the chalk face: The 4 revision methods that actually work
At the chalk face: The 4 revision methods that actually workExams are coming… feeling the pressure? Good. It means you care.In this episode of At the Chalkface, we cut through the noise and focus on the four revision methods tha...
At the chalk face: Built by a Teacher, for Teachers: The Story of Go Code It
At the chalk face: Built by a Teacher, for Teachers: The Story of Go Code ItIn this episode of At the Chalkface, we’re joined by Pete Hudson — computer science teacher, Head of Department, and creator of Go Code It — a programming platf...
At the chalk face: Why AQA backs our Craig'n'Dave Festival of Computing 2026.
At the chalk face: Why AQA backs our Craig'n'Dave Festival of Computing 2026.A Behind-the-Scenes chat with this year's Festival of Computing Headline Sponsor AQA.In this special Festival of Computing episode, Craig & Dave si...
At the chalk face: Differentiation is dead
At the chalk face: Differentiation is dead“Differentiation is dead”… or is it? 🧠🔥In this week’s At the Chalkface, Craig and Dave dive headfirst into one of the most controversial (and misunderstood) ideas in modern teaching....
At the chalk face: It's not in the mark scheme
At the chalk face: It's not in the mark schemeEver marked a mock and heard, “But it’s not in the mark scheme…”? 🤔In this episode of At the Chalkface, Craig and Dave tackle one of the biggest misconceptions in Computer Science assess...
At the chalk face: Making learning fun
Does learning really have to be fun to be effective? 🤔In this episode of Craig’n’Dave 'At the chalk face', we tackle one of the biggest debates in education — making learning fun — and whether it actually leads to better outcomes for st...
At the chalk face: Tackling GCSE Discuss Questions
At the chalk face: Tackling GCSE Discuss QuestionsExam season is just around the corner… and while students might be feeling the pressure, we know teachers are too! 😅In this episode of At The Chalk Face, Craig and Dave tackle on...
At the chalk Face: Inception of the Festival of Computing
At the chalk Face: Inception of the Festival of ComputingThe Festival of Computing 2026!Join us Wednesday, 1st July 2026, at Bromsgrove School for the Festival of Computing 2026 – a fantastic CPD event in the UK dedicated to sec...
At the chalk face: Craig'n'Dave Festival of Computing Sponsor Highlight - VEX Robotics
At the chalk face: Craig'n'Dave Festival of Computing Sponsor Highlight - VEX Robotics 🚀 Robots, rivalry (the friendly kind!) and reinvigorating computing education 🤖In this episode of At the Chalkface, we’re joined by Chri...
At the chalk face: Handwriting & embodied cognition
Is Handwriting Still Important in Computing Lessons? 🖊️💻In a world full of keyboards, screens, and now AI, do students still need to pick up a pen? In this episode of At the Chalk Face, Craig and Dave dive into the surprisi...
At the chalk face: Is Ofsted copying and pasting inspection reports?
At the chalk face: Copy and paste Ofsted reports? Is Ofsted copying and pasting inspection reports?In this episode of At the Chalkface, Craig and Dave dive headfirst into one of teachers’ favourite (and most stressful) topics: ...