Class Divide
Class Divide
3 Creators
3 Creators
Class Divide is a powerful podcast series that exposes educational inequality in the UK. Through two years of documentary work, it sheds light on education in underprivileged areas such as East Brighton estates of Whitehawk, Manor Farm and Bristol Estate. Shockingly, only 37% of young people in East Brighton achieved basic GCSE grades compared to 69% in the rest of the city in 2019.
The series follows the lives of a daughter and three sons from Whitehawk, emphasizing the transformative power of education. Along with families and teachers, education experts such as Professor Diane Reay and writer Fiona Millar will weigh in on the roots of the UK's educational segregation and attainment gap. The series also features guest appearances by renowned figures such as Darren McGarvey.
The series is written and presented by Curtis James. Curtis grew up in East Brighton and went to school in Whitehawk.
Class Divide is a grassroots campaign fighting to draw attention to the deeply injust educational attainment gap for young people from the communities of Whitehawk, Manor Farm and Bristol Estate in Brighton and Hove. The campaign is made up of parents, residents, experts and supporters who have experienced these problems or have expertise in education, and are funded where necessary by donations and independent of any political organisation.
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Top 10 Class Divide Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Class Divide episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Class Divide for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Class Divide episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Class Divide at Brighton Festival
Class Divide
02/15/24 • 16 min
We're thrilled to unveil some work set to debut at this year's Brighton Festival. Join us in this special episode as host Curtis James sits down with sound artist Simon James – who just so happens to be his twin brother – to delve into the origins of this new work.
Curtis and Simon discuss the genesis of the project, drawing inspiration from a pivotal moment in their lives at the age of 15. Discover the creative process behind Neolithic Cannibals, which will see Simon working with a group of young sound artists from Whitehawk.
Save the date! The exhibition opens its doors this May. To get all the details, head to www.lighthouse.org.uk/
For updates.....
Follow us @divideclass on X
Follow Lighthouse on X
And subscribe to the Class Divide Newsletter for updates on our campaign.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 7 - The Future
Class Divide
06/07/23 • 55 min
In the final episode of the series, we delve into a story that exemplifies the emergence of hope from the darkest of places. We visit the Crew Club, a community centre at the heart of the council estate in Brighton where the murder of a young boy nearly three decades ago inspired something extraordinary—a place of hope. We travel to Finland and Doncaster to hear how education can be different and successful. We advocate for individuals to overcome prejudices, acknowledge privilege, and recognise the collective responsibility of towns and cities to nurture and support young people. Join us as we dare to think bigger and braver.
Featuring:
Gwyn ap Harri from the XP Trust
Darren and Lorraine Snow from the Crew Club
Johanna Jarvinen Taubert from Learning Scoop
Class Divide was written and produced by Curtis James. The executive producer is Eve Streeter. Location recording by Simon James. Sound design, post production and mixing is by Curtis James, with editorial support by Carlie Goldsmith.
Music in the series was kindly donated by Salvatore Mercatante, Traams, Shida Shahabi, Max de Wardener, Simon James, Clarice Jensen, Polypores, Toydrum, and Shopping, Olivier Alary, Maaja Nuut, Rumm, Neil Hale, Minor Pieces, Rutger Hoedemaekers Thank you to Fat Cat Records, Castles in Space.
The series was funded by Necessity. If you'd like to support the Class Divide campaign follow on Twitter and Instagram, or visit the website, classdivide.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 5 - Class Ceilings and Bounded Paths
Class Divide
05/03/23 • 41 min
In this episode of "Class Divide," we explore the impact of leaving school without qualifications, including low self-esteem and limited job opportunities. We hear from someone who couldn't pursue their chosen career due to generational challenges. We also discuss the issues faced by working-class individuals in pursuing higher education and the systemic issues that make it difficult for them to break out of the cycle of educational disadvantage.
Featuring:
Carlie Goldsmith - https://twitter.com/GoldsmithCN
Asa, and Ryan
Emeritus Professor Peter Squires - Professor of Criminology and Public Policy
Courtney Stephenson - Researcher from a working class background
Grant Phillips - Ex Stanley Deason Student
Diane Reay - https://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/people/staff/reay/
Mary Bousted - National Education Union
Class Divide was written and produced by Curtis James. The executive producer is Eve Streeter. Location recording, sound design, post production and mixing is by Simon James, with editorial support by Carlie Goldsmith.
Music in the series was kindly donated by Salvatore Mercatante, Traams, Shida Shahabi, Max de Wardener, Simon James, Clarice Jensen, Polypores, Toydrum, and Shopping, Olivier Alary, Maaja Nuut, Rumm, Neil Hale, Minor Pieces, Rutger Hoedemaekers Thank you to Fat Cat Records, Castles in Space.
The series was funded by Necessity. If you'd like to support the Class Divide campaign follow on Twitter and Instagram, or visit the website, classdivide.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 4 - Losing our school
Class Divide
04/19/23 • 41 min
In this episode we're looking at how years of neglect and middle-class flight resulted in the closure of East Brighton's only secondary school also known as "the school that died of poverty".
How is that allowed to happen? And what does it say and do to a community when its school is closed?
Featuring:
Carlie Goldsmith - https://twitter.com/GoldsmithCN
Arron, Asa, and Ryan
Jill Clough - Ex COMART Head
Andy Schofield - Ex Varndean School Head
Mr Hubbard - Ex Stanley Deason/Marina High/COMART head of drama
Diane Reay - https://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/people/staff/reay/
Darren McGarvey - https://twitter.com/lokiscottishrap
Class Divide was written and produced by Curtis James. The executive producer is Eve Streeter. Location recording, sound design, post production and mixing is by Simon James, with editorial support by Carlie Goldsmith.
Music in the series was kindly donated by Salvatore Mercatante, Traams, Shida Shahabi, Max de Wardener, Simon James, Clarice Jensen, Polypores, Toydrum, and Shopping, Olivier Alary, Maaja Nuut, Rumm, Neil Hale, Minor Pieces, Rutger Hoedemaekers Thank you to Fat Cat Records, Castles in Space.
The series was funded by Necessity. If you'd like to support the Class Divide campaign follow on Twitter and Instagram, or visit the website, classdivide.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 2 Teaser
Class Divide
03/11/23 • 2 min
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Episode 2 - The hills and the hollows
Class Divide
03/15/23 • 33 min
In this episode, we're in Whitehawk, one of the most underprivileged communities in the UK, where we will meet the residents who call this place home. We will look into the issues facing this community and explore how the stigma attached to council estates like Whitehawk has contributed to the systemic inequalities that exist in our education system.
We'll uncover the challenges faced by those living in this community, including high levels of poverty and low educational attainment. We'll also explore how the stigmatisation of council estates has perpetuated these issues and made it even harder for individuals to break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage.
Featuring:
The Whitehawk Bygones Society speak about moving to Whitehawk as children and where the negative perceptions of the area might have come from; social historian and author John Boughton; writer, performer, and activist Byron Vincent; and rapper, broadcaster, campaigner, and Orwell Prize-winning author Darren McGarvey, who talks about the flawed approach of always bringing outsiders into a community to "fix things".
Class Divide was written and produced by Curtis James. The executive producer is Eve Streeter. Location recording, sound design, post production and mixing is by Simon James, with editorial support by Carlie Goldsmith.
Music in the series was kindly donated by Salvatore Mercatante, Traams, Shida Shahabi, Max de Wardener, Simon James, Clarice Jensen, Polypores, Toydrum, and Shopping, Olivier Alary, Maaja Nuut, Rumm, Neil Hale, Minor Pieces, Rutger Hoedemaekers Thank you to Fat Cat Records, Castles in Space.
The series was funded by Necessity. If you'd like to supprt the Class Divide campaign follow on Twitter and Instagram, or visit the website, classdivide.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 3 Teaser
Class Divide
03/24/23 • 3 min
Here's a sneak preview of the upcoming episode, out on the 29th of March.
We'll be exploring what happens when children from the same family, living in the same house end up going to two very different schools.
Find out more about Class Divide here: www.classdivide.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 6 Teaser
Class Divide
05/16/23 • 3 min
In this episode we make the case for a more integrated state school system, not just in Brighton and Hove, but across the country.
Episode 6 is out on the 17th May 2023.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11/29/23 • 51 min
Support the proposed changes here.
In this bonus episode we delve into the critical consultation happening within the council that could reshape the landscape of education in Brighton and Hove. The spotlight is on a proposed change in secondary school admissions that would prioritise free school meal children, aiming to bridge the class divide and create a more socially inclusive education system.
Featuring:
Dr Ellen Greaves
Andy Schofield
Rachelle Otulakowski - Longhill Head
Cllr David McGregor
Cllr Jacob Taylor
Class Divide was written and produced by Curtis James. The executive producer is Eve Streeter. Location recording, Sound design, post production and mixing is by Curtis James, editorial support by Dr Carlie Goldsmith and research by Dr Sara Bragg.
Music in the series was kindly donated by Salvatore Mercatante, Traams, Shida Shahabi, Max de Wardener, Simon James, Clarice Jensen, Polypores, Toydrum, and Shopping, Olivier Alary, Maaja Nuut, Rumm, Neil Hale, Minor Pieces, Rutger Hoedemaekers Thank you to Fat Cat Records, Castles in Space.
If you'd like to support the Class Divide campaign follow on Twitter and Instagram, or visit the website, classdivide.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A Pre-Election Manifesto Discussion - Changing the Education System for Low-Income Families
Class Divide
06/11/24 • 45 min
In this podcast episode recorded before major parties released their manifestos, Curtis James and Carlie Goldsmith discuss their newly launched manifesto focused on transforming the education system to better support children from low-income families. With the general election approaching, they express concerns over the lack of national discussion on education policies. They highlight the need for comprehensive policy changes and share five key ideas from their manifesto, including prioritising free school meals in admissions, making school transport free, securing pupil premium funds for their intended purpose, increasing working class representation among teachers, and redesigning the education system as a whole. The episode calls for raising awareness and encouraging discussions on education in the run-up to the election.
Introduction to the Podcast
00:28 Launching a New Manifesto
01:00 The State of Education in National Politics
02:09 Addressing Child Poverty and Inequality
03:50 The VAT Debate on Private Schools
04:11 Teachers' Struggles and Welfare Needs
05:33 Five Ideas in the Manifesto
06:12 The Importance of Consistent Leadership in Education
07:01 Historical Context and Current Challenges
08:30 Polling and Public Concerns on Education
09:32 Breaking the Wealth Barrier in Education
The Manifesto ideas
11:55 Free School Meals Priority Policy
17:25 Transport Policy Changes
26:32 Pupil Premium and School Funding
30:48 Increasing Working-Class Representation in Teaching
38:25 Redesigning the Education System
43:38 Call to Action and Conclusion
Links:
Read our manifesto: https://www.classdivide.co.uk/news/introducing-our-new-manifesto
The Sutton Trust: https://www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion/all-news-opinion/fairer-school-admissions-could-you-be-the-change/
Download social media graphics to share: access here
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Podcast Q&A
Why did you start this show?
We started the Class Divide podcast to highlight the unfair education system in the UK. Our stories focus on the communities on the outskirts of Brighton and Hove, where only 37% of young people leave school with basic grades, compared to 69% across the rest of the city. The series is written and presented by Curtis James who grew up in East Brighton, and left school with one exam pass, a C in drama. He never went back to school.
What do you hope listeners gain from listening to your show?
We want to build a movement around a fair education system for all in the UK. We are starting with Brighton and Hove, but issues aren't unique to this small city on the south coast of England.
Which episode should someone start with?
Episode 1.
What is your vision for your show?
To make education equal for everyone in the UK.
What is your favourite other podcast that isn't yours?
The Mystery Show.
How did you come up with the name for your podcast?
Its the name of our education campaign.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I started out in radio when I was 17, volunteering for local station 'Festival Radio'. I was only able to do this because the government allowed me to receive benefits while learning how to make radio. I didn't have any parental support or qualifications. Those few years of learning have given me a lifetime of amazing opportunities, all leading up to making this podcast series, which I consider to be the most important project I've ever worked on.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Class Divide have?
Class Divide currently has 25 episodes available.
What topics does Class Divide cover?
The podcast is about Learning, Society & Culture, School, Documentary, Podcasts and Education.
What is the most popular episode on Class Divide?
The episode title 'Episode 1 - The Early Years' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Class Divide?
The average episode length on Class Divide is 31 minutes.
How often are episodes of Class Divide released?
Episodes of Class Divide are typically released every 6 days, 23 hours.
When was the first episode of Class Divide?
The first episode of Class Divide was released on Feb 15, 2023.
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