Cerys Griffiths is the Head of BBC Bitesize, the BBC's free, online learning resource for students aged 5 to 16, their teachers and parents. Bitesize also aims to support educating the whole child through it's Careers, Study Support and media literacy offer, Other Side of the Story, as well as special educational initiatives like the Bitesize Guide to AI.

Cerys was, for many years, a journalist in the North West, a TV and newspaper reporter and then an editor of news programmes for both ITV and the BBC. She is on the board of the Micro:bit Education Foundation and is an advisory board member for the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.

Key Takeaways

Teen attitudes to AI are complex — BBC Bitesize's annual Teen Summit Survey found a third of teenagers are worried about AI's impact on their career prospects and the spread of misinformation, while 47% are already using AI tools for homework and revision.

Confidence can be a blind spot — Many young people feel they already know enough about AI when in reality they don't fully understand its deeper implications. The challenge is helping them recognise what they don't yet know.

Critical thinking is the core skill — Rather than focusing on specific tools (which change rapidly), BBC Bitesize's approach centres on equipping young people with the ability to assess, verify and question the information they encounter every day.

AI as a collaborator, not a substitute — Cerys emphasises that AI works best as a companion tool. Young people still need to be thinkers, creators and developers alongside it — not passive users of it.

A positive, empowering outlook — BBC Bitesize's Guide to AI uses real young people in real-world scenarios to show both the benefits and risks of AI, deliberately avoiding a fear-based approach.

New resources to tackle misinformation — Solve the Story is a brand new episodic mini-drama for classroom use, where students must solve a fake news mystery across six episodes — a creative, engaging way to build media literacy skills.

Trust is BBC Bitesize's superpower — All content is reviewed by practising teachers and education consultants, making it one of the most trusted sources of educational content in the UK.

Chapters:

• 00:03 - Introduction to BBC BiteSize
• 06:08 - The Evolution of AI in Education
• 09:35 - The Role of AI in Education and Misinformation
• 18:55 - Introducing 'Solve the Story' - A New Educational Initiative
• 23:20 - Educational Content Creation and Trust
• 29:00 - Empowering Youth Through Education

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

Instagram: @bbcbitesize

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.

https://www.educationonfire.com

🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

https://www.educationonfire.com/support

#EducationOnFire

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

2026 Conference

Keynote : Reading for Pleasure – Dr Roger McDonald

Workshops focusing on National Year of Reading : Writing, TESOL, Oracy, Drama and Story Telling, Poetry

https://educationonfire.com/reading

Ross W. Greene, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and the originator of the innovative, evidence-based approach called Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS), as described in his influential books The Explosive Child, Lost at School, Lost & Found, and Raising Human Beings.

He developed and executive produced the award-winning documentary film The Kids We Lose. Dr. Greene was on the faculty at Harvard Medical School for over twenty years and is now founding director of the nonprofit Lives in the Balance. He is also currently adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech.

Dr. Greene has worked with several thousand kids with concerning behaviors and their caregivers, and he and his colleagues have overseen implementation and evaluation of the CPS model in countless schools, inpatient psychiatry units, and residential and juvenile detention facilities, with dramatic effect: significant reductions in recidivism, discipline referrals, detentions, suspensions, and use of restraint and seclusion.

Takeaways:

1. Dr. Ross Greene emphasizes the necessity of adopting proactive strategies in education to better support children facing mental health challenges.
2. We discusses the importance of meeting each child where they are developmentally, rather than enforcing a one-size-fits-all approach in education.
3. Dr. Greene's approach advocates for understanding and addressing the underlying problems causing concerning behaviors rather than merely modifying the behaviours themselves.
4. The conversation highlights the alarming increase in mental health issues among children, which necessitates a shift in educational practices and societal attitudes towards youth.
5. A focus on developmental variability is crucial in education, as every child's needs and experiences are unique and deserve tailored support.

Chapters:

1. 00:11 - Introduction to Dr. Ross Greene and Collaborative Solutions
2. 08:17 - Meeting Every Kid Where They're At
3. 10:54 - Understanding Developmental Variability in Education
4. 22:34 - Understanding Student Behavior and Systemic Issues
5. 32:54 - The Importance of Collaborative Change in Education
6. 38:22 - Empowering Change in Education

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Kids-Who-Arent-Okay/Ross-W-Greene/9781668203903

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.

https://www.educationonfire.com

🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

https://www.educationonfire.com/support

#EducationOnFire

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

2026 Conference

Keynote : Reading for Pleasure – Dr Roger McDonald

Workshops focusing on National Year of Reading : Writing, TESOL, Oracy, Drama and Story Telling, Poetry

https://educationonfire.com/reading

In this solo reflective episode, host Mark Taylor wraps up the first part of the Ger Graus Gets Gritty season by doing something personal — instead of a straightforward summary, he weaves the season's key themes through the story of his own life in music. From a secondary school wind band to 30 years as a professional musician and music educator, Mark explores how opportunity, community, practice, and personalised learning shaped his path. He draws on insights from his conversations with Ger Graus to reflect on what great education looks like — and what's at risk when funding, trust, and time are taken away. A heartfelt and thought-provoking listen for anyone who believes in the transformative power of education.

1. Children can only aspire to what they know exists Exposure is everything. Mark's entire music career began because a school programme placed an instrument in his hands. Without that structured opportunity, he simply wouldn't have known it was possible. Educators and systems have a responsibility to show children what the world contains.

2. The task is not to make the impossible possible — but to make the possible attainable Big dreams don't require giant leaps. What they require is a visible next step. Mark's path grew one rung at a time: junior band → senior band → county ensemble → music college → profession. Clear, accessible stepping stones are what turn potential into reality.

3. Deep practice builds something you can rely on under pressure When Mark performed his first brass band drum solo, it went well not because of talent — but because he'd practised so thoroughly it was in his muscle memory. Real mastery means the skill holds even when nerves are high. This applies far beyond music.

4. Community makes the individual possible Behind every successful learner is a network of people: a visionary head teacher, an encouraging music teacher, parents organising lifts, peers in an ensemble. Mark's journey wasn't a solo performance — it was a collective effort. Nurturing that ecosystem around a child matters as much as the teaching itself.

5. Wellbeing isn't a bolt-on — it's what happens when children are fully themselves Rather than offering mindfulness classes as a fix for an overburdened curriculum, Mark argues that real wellbeing comes from giving children time to pursue what lights them up. Meaningful, deep engagement with something they love is the wellbeing strategy.

🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources and be part of our season finale with Ger.

https://www.educationonfire.com

🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

https://www.educationonfire.com/support

#EducationOnFire

Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape