We are pleased to bring you this next UPDATE. 

Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE reflects on the work ethic of his former pupils (working on his house) in the context of the current Department for Education (DfE) Curriculum Review and the Government's announcement to tackle the problem of the high number of people of working age not in work: 

"I find myself in the position of, as it were, consuming my own product. Does our school produce people who are not only good at their job, but good at relating to their clients and good at making the most of their lives?"

A theme close to our hearts here in the South West, we report on the recent National Institute of Teaching study into the experiences of delivering Early Career Framework (ECF)-based programmes in different school contexts across England, with a particular focus on schools in rural and coastal communities.

This resonates with the report on educational isolation at our Autumn Leadership Forum by Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Dean of Place and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University. Ofsted Assistant Regional Director, Sarah McGinnis reports back on the Big Listen commitment to help to build a better Ofsted.

We interview Ilsham English Hub Lead and Early Years and Phonics Specialist Leader of Education, Danni Cooke with the Learning Academy Partnership South West whose dedication to reading, English and all things literacy is abundantly clear.    

This issue features exciting educational opportunities.
If you are looking for a professional learning opportunity to visit other schools, you might wish to apply for the LSSW Connect Leadership Study Visit Programme taking place in January. 

School-centred charity, the Colyton Foundation is offering support for Sixth Forms for competitive Higher Education applications. Worth a read for those schools considering applications for their students to Oxford, Cambridge and universities in the USA; plus those applying for Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry. 

If you have yet to meet The Laurel Trust, you can find out more about the work of this national charity to support schools with a funding opportunity. The theme this year is Effective Transition | Educational readiness for every school at every phase.

On the topic of considered collaboration, Kingsbridge Research School provides a thoughtful feature on why it is important to engage people in planning.

Our sponsor, SchoolPro Safety presents some excellent guidance on staff mobile phone safety and safeguarding in school that is a very worthwhile. We need them, but we need to use them safely and sensibly in school. 

Also, Exeter Supply Partnership are here/ there if you need them and with their caring ethic to support your school and the supply teacher.  You can step into the world of ONVU Learning with a video demo of the 360-degree camera technology by VP Matt Tiplin and see how this can support professional development in your school and Trust.

If Educatering has yet to reach your school kitchen, the pictures say it all in this issue. Healthy and exciting that bring alive school dinners with an international twist this time and support for Children in Need 2024.

We hope you enjoy reading and discovering in this issue of UPDATE and we wish you all a rewarding end to the Autumn Term and a Happy Christmas very soon.

For our Autumn Forum, Ofsted Assistant Regional Director, Sarah McGinnis was the first speaker with an update on feedback to the Big Listen to help build a better Ofsted.

“We will be a learning organisation that operates transparently, listens to challenge and takes action to change.” 
​ 
Education can feel like a cyclical routine with certain known quantities playing their role as moving parts; notably, leaders, teachers, staff and children and young people. But we also know that things change. New leadership can lead to a new ethos, curriculum reviews impact on timetables, new thinking in response to a variety of events and circumstances - artfully articulated in school improvement plans.
 
So, when change is afoot, it feels right to sit up straight and listen, which is exactly what Ofsted have been doing in response to their Big Listen. Instigated by the Chief Inspector (HMCI), Sir Martyn Oliver wanted to hear from the sector and children about their experiences during his first year of office, and Ofsted has engaged extensively.  

Change with goodwill and good intentions and the mantra to build a better Ofsted based on the feedback results is focusing on the following three R’s to: 
1. Reset
2. Refine
3. Rebuild
 
During Sarah’s presentation, there was there was a palpable can-do-ness, a willingness to listen, to foster a positive and professional dialogue, Open honest conversations, combined with transparency and consistency and support for school leadership - and the Ofsted teams as well. 

The various Big Listen feedback results was an important exercise to underpin the changes and were thoughtfully condensed into seven core messages – the Seven C’s:
 

1. Children and learners first
2. Care and well-being of those we inspect
3. Consistency of inspections
4. Content of frameworks
5. Complaints
6. Consequences of judgements
7. Constructive feedback and reporting 

Sarah also explained in more detail about ungraded inspections further to extensive piloting and listening with an emerging greater flexibility, no shifting the goal posts and opportunity for dialogue between school leaders and the inspection team to work together to plan the inspection and to demonstrate impact.
​
Another C = collaboration.
 
Looking to the future, the Big Listen certainly feels like a significant opportunity for positive and hopeful change. The consultation continues in January.

We were also listening attentively to our second speaker, Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Dean of Place and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University. Tanya has been instrumental in shaping thinking around what educational isolation looks like and how it plays out in the South West from her extensive research around the South West, and also the UK and into the United States, Norway, Australia and other areas.

Tanya’s own geography started in Kent where she grew up in rural, coastal socio-economically deprived, Romney Marsh before moving to Cornwall where she has lived for the past 30 years that has both benefits and economic deprivation, geographical remoteness and cultural isolation.

Educational isolation is when a school is in a place that experiences high levels of socio-economic deprivation, cultural isolation, and geographical remoteness.
 
Most educationally isolated schools in the UK are in rural, coastal or ex-industrial areas away from the large urban conurbations. The concept evolved from schools identifying these three factors as the key challenges they faced as a consequence of place.
 
One fifth of the South West is rural/coastal.
In 2020, in England, 19% of all primary schools and 16% of secondary schools were in a rural area (DfE).
The South West is impacted more significantly because of the type of schools and places they are serving compared to other places in the country.
 
Educational isolation is not a deficit model of schools.
It seeks to identify and conceptualise the place-based challenges for schools and once these are understood, strategies can be put in place to mitigate them.

The effects of educational isolation can limit a school's access to resources needed for school improvement; including and very significantly, recruiting and retaining a high-quality workforce and notably Early Career Teachers, a lack of churn with middle career teachers and more unqualified teachers in schools; limited access to professional development and learning; limited access to school-to-school support and externally funded interventions. All of which can ultimately limit outcomes for pupils. Although in her paper, “Getting a Fair Deal,” Tanya showed how school leaders in coastal schools did everything they could to ensure their children and young people had opportunities of cultural diversity, and trips and visits as they wanted their children and young people to have a full and balanced curriculum.
 
This is why educational isolation offers an important model that Government can use to identify the ways in which it needs to target resources.
 
In some cases, however, educational isolation can add other benefits and richness that can be utilised by the schools in different ways, including outdoor learning for a rural school.

Of significant concern, research shows that persistently disadvantaged pupils in educationally isolated schools do less well and have poorer outcomes than similarly disadvantaged pupils in urban schools.

The definition however needed clarity. For example, in defining geographical remoteness. In the busy summer season, even a short distance in Cornwall can be doubled when the tourists arrive. Hence, Tanya uses the complex software, Track Data, to look at the exact time taken at different points in the day, and different points in the year to get from one place to another.

School-to-school support has changed since the pandemic with opportunity to access high-quality professional learning online. Although it can still be more difficult for educationally isolated schools to get to places where high quality professional development and learning because of travel time and costs and time out of school.

Compared to the urban situation, Tanya’s work with colleagues in London local authorities shows that disadvantaged children are doing very well. Partly perhaps from the investment of the London Challenge. But advantageous collaborative working practices with London schools were already established, working closely in terms of resource-sharing and opportunities for school improvement and enhancement. Significantly, London schools benefited from close proximity geographically and could share staff, ideas and professional learning - all of which supports school improvement and school enhancement. 

​Urban and rural areas clearly present different infrastructural challenges. It is less disruptive in London and other densely populated urban areas for school leaders who wish to progress and move on in their career. There are more likely to be close-by schools to move to and therefore less need to move house, plus the other practical implications of children moving schools and spouses finding work.

Rural and coastal areas present other infrastructural challenges for young staff. Housing is costly. There is also the prospect of winter. Teachers might be attracted by the memory of a happy summer holiday, but then have to work through a winter here; which is very different. Rental properties available in the winter are not always available in the summer because they are used for Airbnb, pushing up the rental prices. Buying a house in the South West depends on the location. But a more affordable area might not be supported with the same resources.
 
Other push and pull factors of moving to and staying in rural schools include limited public transport and travel time, few non-seasonal employment opportunities for spouses, fewer leisure or cultural opportunities, variable WIFI – all of which can impact on a sustainable and stable high-quality teaching workforce. 

For those staff who have been in the same school for a long time, internal promotion opportunities can be low. Although this is changing with the progression of Multi Academy Trusts who are using promotional opportunities within the Trust as a way of maintaining and sustaining their retention of teachers.

When speaking at an educational conference in Blackpool earlier this year Tanya reported that none of the 200+ leaders in attendance recognised any positive impact from the Opportunity Area Funding. Blackpool suffers from extreme child poverty that cascades through into school and places additional demands onto teachers in terms of additional support for child welfare and well-being; which is similarly experienced in the South West.
 
It is worth noting that data can be skewed because of multiple indices. The South West has affluence and poverty juxtaposed which nullifies the data. Hence, the educational isolation concept is helpful because it can target down to the granular level of the school where support is needed and identify place-based challenges that school faces.

As a positive example, Tanya cited a South West Multi Academy Trust she worked with who wanted to create a structure to support their educationally isolated schools and to give them access to resources. For example, small schools who do not have a minibus, to get their children to the swimming pool for swimming lessons.
 
In her “Locality Matters Report,” Tanya showed how the MAT successfully circumvented some of the place-based challenges, transport and even housing issues for teachers coming into schools by creating a Hub model. Their 20 schools were geographically co-located into groups of four, two fives and six with a Hub Lead who was an existing Headteacher for one of those schools and supported their Hub schools by creating a network for the school leaders to work and collaborate together.
 
One of the unexpected findings of the research were the relationships that developed between the school leaders who became very caring of each other and the opportunities to develop their schools within the Hubs. This led to collaboration and sharing resources, including minibuses, Ofsted materials, as well as teachers and administration staff. The Hub became their own community of practice; and fed out to parents and carers in the wider community, running events outside school as a Hub and created an ethos and presence in their locality.
 
It was supported by the MAT’s communication strategy to support the Hubs through concentric circles of communication. The Executive Leadership Team were aware of the Hub issues through the Hub Leads and then through the schools to the teachers via the Headteachers.
 
Named the “Locality Matters Report,” Tanya showed how the MAT successfully circumvented some of the place-based challenges, transport and even housing issues for teachers coming into schools within their Hubs.

We thank Tanya for sharing her research and wisdom on this important topic that resonates for many schools here in the South West.
 
You can also read more about the recent research of the National Institute of Teaching into how to support educationally isolated schools and particularly those in coastal and rural areas and how to support their Early Career Teachers here

More Leadership Forums
Watch out more details about the Spring Leadership Forum details and save the date for the 2025 Summer Conference on Thursday 19 June 2025 at the Future Skills Centre in Exeter.

Reports by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

​SWIFT is pleased to be collaborating with the Colyton Foundation and Colyton Grammar School on a new initiative for schools.

The Colyton Foundation is a school-centred charity which aims to increase access to competitive higher education courses for young people in the South West, particularly those who have experienced disadvantage.
 
Working in partnership with SWIFT, we are pleased to share details of a programme of support for students in South West schools considering applications to Oxford, Cambridge and universities in the USA, plus those applying for Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry. The programme also seeks to develop the knowledge and expertise of teachers and advisors supporting higher education applications in participating schools.

This programme aims to use the knowledge and capacity Colyton has developed in this area to support students in schools and colleges which may have fewer applicants to these destinations each year.
 
The programme combines advice, guidance and subject specific preparation for students with continuing professional development for Sixth Form teachers and advisors, designed to develop their ability to support future competitive applications.
 
Teachers and advisors receive a half day training course early in the programme and are encouraged to shadow student participants during other programme elements to develop their capacity to support students in future.
 
The fee for participation of the programme, to include CPD for one teacher/advisor and application support for up to four students, is £975 per school.
 
In line with the Colyton Foundation’s aims as a charity supporting schools, every attempt has been made to keep the cost to schools as low as possible.
  
Bespoke quotations are available where numbers of participating students and staff vary, and where multiple schools within a Multi Academy Trust wish to participate in the programme.

For More Information
If you would like to discuss the potential for collaboration with your school or college further, please get in contact on the links below.

​By Nick Wakeling, Director, Colyton Foundation

“Schools are doing so many wonderful things, but to get children to access that curriculum independently then we have to focus on getting them reading.”

Danni Cooke is the Hub Lead for Ilsham National English Hub which is one of 34 designated by the Department for Education since 2018.  She is also an Early Years and Phonics Specialist Leader of Education and works for the Learning Academy Partnership South West. 
 
A Graduate of Education, Danni then qualified as a teacher and for her first three/ four years she taught in Somerset, before moving to Devon and joining Ilsham C of E Academy as the Early Years Lead. At this time, Ilsham was a national support school and Danni supported other schools and nurseries before becoming one of a small number of Specialist Leaders in Education (SLE) in the first recruitment round in 2012. 
 
You can read more about Danni’s journey throughout her career in question 2.

1. What do you find most personally rewarding as Ilsham DfE National English Hub Lead? 
The rewards come from being part of each school's journey and sharing their successes along the way.
I am lucky to work with a large team consisting of literacy specialists, audit team members and the English Hub leadership team.  Together we work with the other national English Hubs to help everyone in schools to make a difference in the main three Hub aims of supporting learning to read through systematic, synthetic phonics, building the love of reading and supporting early language. 

We focus on the main English Hub aims enabling children to reach their full potential and flourish. It is knowing that we are making a difference to children’s reading outcomes and building children as readers.  Seeing the impact of everyone’s hard work is rewarding.
 
2. How has your own journey guided you in your role? 
I have been very lucky in my opportunities in the 18 years of my teaching career. 
I became a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) for Early Years and Phonics in 2012 and since then I have undertaken different school improvement roles, supporting schools in teaching and learning, classroom practice, assessment, phonics etc. 

I was also an Assistant Head and have led the Early Years across a range of schools, as well as being a classroom teacher. So, I understand what it is like on a daily basis in the classroom and I understand the challenges.   
 
In the past, we have led a strategic school improvement Department for Education (DfE) funded project in the South West to raise phonics attainment through a train-the-trainer model. I have also undertaken work previously with Ofsted on phonics.  Our work on phonics and the outcomes of the children's early reading at Ilsham, the hub school supported our bid to become a National English Hub.  I have been the IIsham National English Hub Lead since it was formed in 2018.
 
Ilsham Academy is the English Hub school base which is part of the Learning Academy Partnership (South West) Multi Academy Trust of 18 schools, where I oversee the Early Reading and Phonics leadership. 

I think I am fortunate to have such a fulfilling job.  Every day I can help support the futures of so many children.  Across the years my role has changed, I have had a multitude of opportunities and I feel proud to have been able to provide support to both teachers, support staff and leaders. My role has enabled me to work together with hundreds of other schools across the South West region where everyone is dedicated to supporting children to succeed in learning to read, giving them the best possible chances and this is rewarding for me. 
 
3. If we were to visit your school, how would you wish us to perceive English and literacy? 
The first thing we want anyone to experience when visiting schools is to see that the love of reading is everywhere, and is at the heart of the school, the bedrock. Children can be seen immersed in books, both choosing and wanting to read independently.  Staff read and share books with children, expanding their vocabularies and supporting them in reading for pleasure.  Crucially all staff know their children really well and see them as readers in their own right. 
 
Staff know the importance of teaching children the mechanics of learning to read, giving them their crucial next steps to success and ensuring that every child is successful, regardless of background, needs or abilities, overcoming whatever barriers that they may have.  Staff focus on keeping children reading as we collectively know that reading changes lives. Once children become independent readers, we know then the curriculum is unlocked, and only then can they independently access all those amazing opportunities that schools are providing.  Because, even in Maths, for example, children need to have basic reading skills as an independent reader to comprehend what they need to do. 
 
Staff understand that those children with barriers can get frustrated and too often, rely on someone else to help them to access their work.  The key is continually working hard to ensure that this does not happen.  We know that if we systematically teach and support every child to read early whilst facilitating and growing that love of reading, being aware of the importance of supporting early language development, then we can close those barriers early.  We can support all children to flourish and get the best outcomes by the end of primary school. 
 
The main three aims of the English Hubs are supporting getting children reading, focusing on phonics as their route to learning how to read independently.  Building children’s love of reading, creating volitional readers who want to read and keep reading. Finally focusing on the early language gap, vocabulary and oracy, the importance of interactions and sharing stories; particularly post-COVID we know there are increasing numbers of speech and language challenges in our schools. 
  
4. From your experience, what do you consider to be the most significant challenges to foster good literacy in primary schools? 
The most important challenge I feel is to build relationships with schools, to work closely to get buy-in from the Senior Leadership and the whole team. We talk about unlocking the curriculum for our children.  Schools are doing so many wonderful things, but to get children to access that curriculum independently then it is important to focus on getting children reading.  We have to know that if we do not get it right for early reading, this has a knock-on effect in every subject area. 
 
I know that a huge challenge for schools at the moment is time. If only like Bernard's Watch, we could stop time and had extra time! Everyone needs to find what works for them and their school.  We might need to think more creatively about how to overcome some of the barriers we are facing.  As an English Hub we work collectively to support schools and build the whole staff team expertise; rather than focusing on only one staff member being the ‘spotlight of excellence’.  It is about reading being everyone's responsibility and on everyone's agenda. 
 
We know that we have so many excellent people in our schools and it is making sure that we are building that whole team together.  The importance of spending time supporting training and ongoing professional development, to give people time to monitor what is happening, coach and to support. Thinking about those small incremental steps to support staff, building confidence in the delivery of what is being taught so it can be of the highest quality.  This then supports every child to get to their age-related expectations.   
 
I am a firm believer that, everyone is in the teaching profession for a reason.  Staff are passionate and dedicated to making a difference.  They are improving children's outcomes and supporting and helping them with their next steps.  It is a job where there are never enough hours in the day, thus making it crucial to think about how we can provide support to schools about small next steps with the mantra of working smarter rather than harder.  We know within all schools that staffing is a challenge.  How can we retain staff and help teams overcome barriers together? Working alongside, coaching and championing staff to help them overcome challenges.  This is not about us telling people what to do and then leaving them to it, this is about teamwork, working together, thinking creatively paving the next steps together. 
 
5. What are your three top tips for promoting literacy? 
Number one: read, read, and read some more. 
Get to know your children's books and your old and gold, your new, diverse and bold.  This will support you making recommendations to children.  Become a reading influencer! 
  
Number two: get to know your children as readers. 
What do they like? 
What do they dislike? 
  
The American author, James Patterson said that there is no such thing as a child who hates reading. There are children who love reading and there are children who are reading the wrong books. 
I am very passionate about finding the right book for every child to ignite that love of reading.  We need to continue to support our staff in order to boost their subject knowledge of appropriate texts. We work hard to get our children reading.  However, we also need to think about what we are doing to keep them reading, wanting to read and loving reading.  How can reading be seen as a positive social habit? 
 
Number three: thinking about the reading routines. We brush our teeth every day, twice a day, because we are programmed to know that it is important. So how can we think about habits and the importance of routines, systems and structures for sharing books and making independent reading routines.  As soon as children can independently blend sounds together to read a simple word how are we encouraging that practice?

Building the habit of reading.  The more we practise, the better we get and the better we get the more we want to practice.  How can we help children to find time to practise, because practice is important and practice makes permanent.  Once we get our children reading, if we keep them reading, we are going to change their life chances. 

If we can target children as soon as gaps arise and daily work towards closing those steps then we are supporting them in accessing the curriculum. It is a bit like footballers or playing the piano and lots of other different skills, the key is repeated practice, every day, little and often. 
 
And I would add a number four, if you have yet to contact your local English Hub, please do so.  
There are 34 national English Hubs.  We can provide free support, advice and funding to schools.  This is about knowing where to go to tap into knowledge and support, working together, problem-solving to make a difference to ensure the best outcomes for every child to flourish.  

More Information about English Hubs 
Department for Education National English Hubs offer a range of support and continuing professional development (CPD) to primary schools to improve the teaching of early reading, with a particular focus on systematic synthetic phonics, early language and reading for pleasure through tailored support from a literacy specialist, professional development and funding to buy phonics and early language resources.  

In our role as an Associate College of the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT), SWIFT was pleased to be involved in a recent study that resonated with our Teaching School Hubs (TSHs) area.

The study was designed to understand experiences of delivering Early Career Framework (ECF)-based programmes in different school contexts across England, with a particular focus on schools in rural and coastal communities, and especially small schools (the definition is intentionally broad).
 
Working alongside the David Ross Education Trust (DRET), a Multi Academy Trust with a Teaching School Hub in North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, the one-year collaborative study also aimed to identify good practice delivered by these rural, coastal and small schools to deliver ECF programmes and to support Early Career Teachers (ECTs), and to understand how these can be adapted to better support schools.
 
It is pleasing that the impetus came from conversations between the NIoT and our SWIFT Team in highlighting the importance of generating formal evidence into how small schools in Devon are experiencing the ECF, and what support they may need. It is particularly pleasing our Director of TSHs, Jen Knowles was part of the study author team and Director of Business Development, Fiona McNeile provided feedback through the RAG board for the Research Team.

This was a mixed methods study, conducted between February to May 2024.
It involved a survey of 132 participants in 68 schools across England, and qualitative interviews with staff from nine schools within six Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) in rural and coastal communities.

The study found that whilst the ECF was valued, and most experiences were positive overall, all schools are facing similar challenges. Some schools are struggling to deliver ECF programmes, but this did not appear linked to school context.
 
80% of all ECTs were very or somewhat satisfied by their induction offer.
91% of Mentors felt able to manage their mentoring workload alongside their other duties, which was a consistent trend across schools of different sizes and locations.
 
There were some differences in the delivery of ECF programmes for schools in rural and coastal communities, compared to urban and inland schools, but this did not seem to affect overall satisfaction. Overall, there were different approaches to delivering the ECF, linked to school culture and context.
 
Small schools had particular strengths in delivering ECF programmes. For example, offering whole-school support to ECTs. However, fulfilling the requirements of the ECF, particularly around staff time and timetabling, could be challenging for schools with small staff bodies, and the support of Trusts (or other external) was very important, particularly in rural and coastal communities.

The Early Career Framework
The ECF is an established two-year package of support and training for state schools in England.

In-school Mentors are essential in supporting Early Career Teachers (ECTs) and this support is mutually valued. However, it can place a burden on Mentors alongside their existing workloads and equally for schools, the Government-required entitlement for time off-timetable for the training and mentoring activities can pose logistical and financial challenges for schools.

Key questions that are currently being considered in Initial Teacher Education and also questions around content repetitiveness, and suitedness of ECF programme content for different school contexts.
 

Value-Added Research 
After asking the questions, the value of any research is putting into practice the findings and the onwards work and this study has highlighted some important signposts that the NIoT, SWIFT and DRET, as providers of the Early Career Framework (ECF) will be considering in the continued design and deliver of the NIoT ECF programme.

Similarly, the signposts will be useful for other ECF providers and schools across the country as a platform for discussion about how to continue to strengthen support for Early Career Teachers. 

We are pleased to bring you this next EVENTS newsletter with details of professional learning opportunities. 

Leading Effective Disadvantage Provision for Primary School Pupils
The programme will support effective planning for disadvantaged pupils in primary schools, showing how to measure the impact of strategies, but also knowing what to stop doing.

Marc Rowland will share his expertise to teach and empower participants, also presenting on social isolation and focusing on what strong leadership of school culture and expectations can look like as a key to unlocking better outcomes.
 
Highlighted Courses/Support:

• Understanding Communication - Friendly Practices & Provision in EYFS
• FREE Support for Pupil Premium Key Stage 2 Pupils
  
• Outstanding Curriculum Design for Primary Languages Programme
• TA Training: New to the role of Teaching Assistant
• Professional Communities
• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• The Laurel Trust - Funding available for innovative school-based projects
• Events for your diary

We are pleased to bring you this next EVENTS newsletter with details of professional development opportunities. 

Supporting your Professional Development  
This issue includes the following programmes, courses and events from our partners for your professional development intended to support and enhance the work of your school: 

• '12 Dialogues for Boys & Young Men' Being Safe & Safe to be Around
• FREE Support for Pupil Premium Key Stage 2 Pupils
• Outstanding Curriculum Design for Primary Languages Programme
• Understanding and Monitoring Early Years - for Subject Leaders
• An Introduction to Trauma Awareness for teachers and leaders
• Lego Therapy Workshop
• Leading Effective Disadvantage Provision for Primary School Pupils
• Professional Communities
• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project
• Events for your diary

SWIFT Autumn Term 2024 Leadership Forum | A WEEK TODAY | Thursday 21 November 2024
Committed to bringing together leaders from all educational settings within the area, our online Leadership Forums link to the best of local, regional and national.

For our 2024 Autumn Term event, we have two speakers:
Sarah McGinnis, Ofsted Assistant Regional Director and Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Dean of Place and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University.

Find more information here 

"Personally, the thing I enjoy the most of working for a Teaching School Hub is the diverse range of schools and colleagues I get the opportunity to work with and their absolute wealth of expertise and experience shared with me.”

Tania Cox is the Trust Director of Training and Learning for Blackdown Education Partnership and works with schools across the Trust, as well as schools across the South West, linked with her SWIFT Teaching Hub Partnership roles of Appropriate Body Service for Early Career Teachers (ECTs), Early Career Framework Facilitator, Initial Teacher Training Campus Lead and Course Facilitator, and Membership Services Lead for Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
 
After graduating in Environmental Science, followed by a PGCE, Tania has 20+ years of primary teaching experience, having worked across all primary Key Stages in a range of teaching and leadership roles, including a recent Headship of a primary school in the First Federation Trust in Devon. Last year, Tania successfully completed a Masters Degree in Education Leadership & Management (MSc).
 
Tania has always been passionate about supporting staff at all phases of their careers to progress in a way that supports their interests and bespoke career pathways, and has been involved in supporting trainees, Early Career Teachers and Mentors, and draws on this experience to support her current role to oversee trainee and ECT induction and development.
 
The driving factor behind Tania’s work is knowing that the support and investment in staff at all stages, but particularly in the early stages of colleague’s careers, enables staff to thrive, grow as expert practitioners and ultimately benefit the children in our schools. 

1. Drawing on your experience as a former Headteacher, what key skills do you bring to your roles with SWIFT? 
The main benefit of my experience as a former Headteacher is a living and breathing understanding of the challenges faced by schools.
​
As a result of my first-hand experience of these significant challenges, I can bring this understanding into my various roles with SWIFT; Membership Services, Appropriate Body and Initial Teacher Training. This is particularly true when thinking about regional and individual challenges faced by schools. For example, I can help to shape the SWIFT Membership Services CPD provision based on local Trust and School Improvement Priorities.  

We know that a significant challenge faced by schools is insufficient funding and resources, and this insight informs how we can help schools to find the most cost-effective, value for money sources of professional development opportunities for staff by understanding school needs as a starting point. 
This also contributes to my support for Early Career Techers (ECTs), Mentors and School Leaders in the work I do with the SWIFT Appropriate Body Service, in trying to find creative solutions to challenges that may occur during their induction.  

My role as Headteacher has also guided my strong belief in investing in people and ensuring the Golden Thread of professional development supports staff to grow from trainee to ECT, to middle leadership and beyond. I have always been proactive and proud to support colleagues either to progress through the leadership scale or to develop a specialism or an area of expertise. Having that understanding helps me to think about my work with SWIFT Membership Services in considering appropriate training we can provide colleagues that enables them to progress most effectively, which benefits staff significantly and ultimately, the children we serve. 

I have experienced teacher recruitment and retention challenges, and enjoy working with SWIFT Initial Teacher Training to ensure that we are recruiting and training the best people to work in our schools, leading through to helping ECTs to continue their teaching profession journey. It is my hope that this investment provides a solid foundation for teachers to thrive, and not only survive their early career stage and to remain in the profession in the future.  

In terms of skills that I bring to my work with SWIFT from my role as a Headteacher, I would add empathy, diplomacy and negotiation skills; because my current role can sometimes place me in situations where I have to support schools and teachers and to find a positive outcome.

Finally, my direct work with colleagues in schools benefits me because I am no longer primarily based teaching in a school, and I could otherwise find myself quite distanced. But the work that I undertake with trainee teachers in delivering training, and delivering seminars for the Early Career Framework as well as visiting schools and supporting ECTs and trainees in their schools is an enjoyable aspect of my role with SWIFT and also keeps me connected to the classroom environment. 

2. What do you find to be most rewarding as a SWIFT Appropriate Body Service Lead?
As already mentioned, there are times when things do not always go smoothly for a number of reasons. There are occasions where ECTs can find their two-year induction to be a particularly challenging time. Understandably, they are suddenly removed from having a lot of support as a trainee teacher, to having a full-time class, and many of the roles and responsibilities of their 20 + years experienced colleagues; which can be very challenging for some ECTs.

This is why I enjoy supporting ECTs who might be finding this a challenge and supporting those schools who perhaps have not had an ECT in their school until now. Helping Induction Tutors in schools to navigate all the systems and procedures to help them have a good experience through induction. For example, helping schools to develop a support plan and finding that teachers can meet the Teaching Standards at the end of that journey is particularly rewarding.

Continuing this work, I love my training facilitator role for ITT, and Early Career Framework Delivery Lead for Year 1; working directly with trainees and ECTs; seeing how theory delivered in seminars links with their practice, watching them grow and develop over the year.

3. From your experience working with SWIFT, what do you consider to be the current biggest challenges in education?
As mentioned earlier, I think the current biggest challenge in education is funding and therefore providing resources in schools, which is becoming increasingly difficult. Even though schools wish to invest in professional development for teachers and available services, it is becoming increasingly challenging because of limited funding.
 
We know that here in the South West there is quite a high level of disadvantage for our students in many of our schools for one reason or another; which is another big challenge, of which I am aware, certainly when I am working with trainee teachers and Early Career Teachers.
 
Another significantly reported challenge that I experience through my work is the high level of need in schools balanced with available resources when we think about Special Educational Needs, and some of the challenges that presents due to the lack of available agencies and support services, which can consequently impact on workload and well-being for staff. 

4. What do you most enjoy about working for a Teaching School Hub?
I have now been in this role for exactly a year and personally, the thing I enjoy the most about working for a Teaching School Hub is the diverse range of schools and the colleagues I work with and their absolute wealth of expertise and experience shared with me.
 
Being a primary practitioner, I have learned a lot from secondary colleagues and am also fortunate to have access to the most up-to-date research and thinking through the work that the teaching hub provides. The training that I deliver through the Early Career Framework and initial teacher training enables me to access the most current thinking in education. Being a facilitator also encourages me to continuously reflect on your own leadership and practice, drawing on my prior experiences to share will colleagues - both what has worked and not worked! 

I value working with colleagues across the whole of the South West, in addition to my work within Blackdown Education Partnership, which is mutually beneficial in building networks and collaborations.
I can support schools in providing the optimum professional development opportunities. Schools can also be supported with their teacher recruitment challenges through trainee placements. 
 
I also enjoy drawing on the expertise within those schools. For example, people who might lead Professional Communities and who can mentor trainee teachers.

5. What are your three main hopes for the future of the teaching profession?
How to narrow this to three things?!
 
Thinking about the teaching profession, I would have once said reforms to Ofsted; but I would probably not prioritise this as highly now that there appear to be some positive adaptations in progress.
 
Firstly, I would focus on teacher retention and improved retention, with schools offering more competitive salaries, flexible working arrangements, specialist training, promoting leadership, a work-life balance and better well-being, in addition to alternative routes to gaining QTS.
 
I have worked with some amazing colleagues, but they do not have a degree and many Teaching Assistants who have been in the role for years and are virtually, teaching classes, but do not have that specific qualification to progress into teaching officially.

Hence, I think we need to be looking at alternative routes, which seems to be beginning to happen, and I would like to see that happen more rapidly.
 
Secondly, increased professional development and collaborative practice.
Having more time dedicated for professional development, including that important follow-up. Not only sending someone on the training, but giving thought to how the training will be implemented and most impactful so that afterwards, the specific training has supported and upskilled teachers.

Thirdly, more opportunities for collaboration and sharing good practice and expertise.
I am a very strong believer that shared practice and collaboration can be hugely impactful and we should be outward-looking, outside of our Schools and Trusts, at all levels, by ensuring we are equipped and confident to make the best decisions to suit the learners in our school, to serve our communities as a common goal.
 
That is why I love working with SWIFT and my role supports that idea, and ethos of collaborative working together, networking and partnership strengthened by those common goals. 

We thank Tania for sharing insights into her roles and for her valued contributions as a SWIFT Partner.
Interview by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

We are pleased to bring you this next UPDATE. 

Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE muses on how politics sits within leadership following a post-budget discussion about inheritance tax:

"The very best school leaders that I know lead from a position of deeply held beliefs and values.
It is this passion which gets them out of bed in the morning and enables them to motivate others.  It drives the sense of authenticity that enables others to trust them."

Find out more about the the new Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator's (SENCO) National Professional Qualification (NPQ) in which 85 Programme Members are currently engaged. You can also learn about Social Stories following the recent workshop led by South West Autism Support Services and be guided to starting a story with your pupils and young people. 

If you have yet to do so, remember to sign-up for the Autumn Term Leadership Forum on: Thursday 21 November 2024 from 1530 – 1715 (online). Ofsted Assistant Regional Director, Sarah McGinnis will be sharing updates and opportunity for Q&A, whilst Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Dean of Place
and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University will consider place-based disadvantage and the way it reduces coastal and rural school access to resources, especially teachers. 
FREE for SWIFT Members and £35 for all other colleagues, book your place here

Director of Kingsbridge Research School, Jon Eaton provides clarity on schools as complex adaptive systems: "As school leaders will know all too well, there are no end-points to complex problems, where we can confidently down tools and declare things solved. For instance, literacy improvement in schools is not something that can be declared ​“done.”" 

Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC provides some excellent timetabling for success advice for those colleagues tasked with this mission and who might be already thinking about next year. Valid point by point tips for clear planning.

Meanwhile our other sponsors have been busy.
You can see some of Educatering's seasonal and cultural foodie goodies with children hands-on in the kitchen, and find out how Exeter Supply Partnership can support your primary teaching supply needs. You can download ONVU Learning's new White Paper "Unleash your Teachers’ Superpowers" that outlines strategies for fostering high-performance teaching and learning environments. 

We wish you all an enjoyable and rewarding half term and thank you for taking the time to read this issue.

Lisa first discovered the value of Social Stories nearly 25 years ago when she used her son’s special interest in Mr Bean with the aim of helping him to learn the social requirements of lining-up in the playground. This was followed in 2006 when she attended a workshop by Social Stories pioneer, Carol Gray who shared how she invented the concept to “describe a situation, skill or concept in terms of relevant social cues, perspectives and common responses in a specifically defined style and format.”

Back in 1989, Carol began writing stories for her students to share information with them that they seemed to be missing. Information that we so often take for granted and many of these stories resulted in immediate and marked improvement in her students’ responses to daily events and interactions.
 
Social Stories are based on a social understanding approach, which assumes that to teach “appropriate social responses” to a student with an autistic spectrum disorder could hold little meaning if others do not understand the student’s perspective, or the student does not understand what is occurring around them and why.
 
The first step to teaching social skills is to ensure, beyond all assumptions, that the student has accurate and specific social information. A Social Story is not something that tells a child they are doing wrong. But rather, it informs and guides. It is not to be referred to in a punitive way and it may also be seen as a social demand for those young people who experience demand avoidance.
 
Before you commence a Social Story, Gray recommends essential information-gathering via the art of observing, talking and collaborating with the aim of promoting understanding; rather than changing behaviour and the goal of sharing the information.
 
The aim of a Social Story is to share accurate social information in a patient and reassuring manner that is easily understood by its audience. Half of all social stories developed should affirm something that an individual does well. It should never be intended to change the individual’s behaviour, but to improve the individual’s understanding of events and expectations may lead to more effective responses. 

The Ten Defining Criteria and Guidelines for Writing a Social Story
 
1️. Meaningful | A Social Story meaningfully shares social information with a child in a reassuring way and at least half of the story applauds achievements.
 
2️. Structure | The story has an introduction that clearly defines the topic, a body that adds detail and a conclusion which reinforces and summarises information. A beginning, middle and end.
 
3️. Questions | A social story answers the “wh” questions (why, what, where, when and who).
 
4️. Perspective | It should be written from the first or third-person perspective (I, my, and he, she, they) and not second person (you!).
 
5️. Language | Use positive language with descriptive sentences, with the option to include any one or more five remaining sentence types (perspective, cooperative, directive, affirmative and/or control sentences).
 
6️. Perspective Sentences | Consider sentences that refer to, or describe, a person’s internal state, their knowledge, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, opinions, motivation or physical condition and health.
 
7️. Description | Describe more than direct.
 
8️. Format | Consider a format that is tailored to the abilities and interests of the audience that is usually literally accurate.
 
9️. Illustrations | Use individually tailored illustrations to enhance the meaning of the text.
 
10. Title | This should meet all the applicable Social Story criteria and share accurate information.
The topic may pose a wh- question, and is written in the first or third person, uses positive language or announces something the child does well and is easily understood /interesting by/to the audience and contains/ is accompanied by illustration.

Guidelines for Initial Writing of Social Stories
 
1. Observe a targeted situation.
To take Lisa’s example from her own experience, this could be lining-up in the playground.
 
2. Take plenty of notes, ask questions.  Do people line-up differently, say in morning break or to go to assembly? What are the sensory and social demands involved?
 
3. Speak with all adults involved, parents and school staff, Mealtime Assistants, Teaching Assistants, Teachers etc. 

4. What do you feel is the “motivation” for the current response or learned response?
 
5. Consider anxiety responses, transitional difficulties and sensory needs.
What does the child say is happening (their perceptions)?
The child’s perception is key to addressing the issues.
 
6. State what usually occurs, then state what may change. Let children know what they often can expect but what sometimes may happen. It keeps the information honest and realistic and as predictable as can be.
 
7.  Keep the information well within the child’s comprehension level. Use font size and vocabulary within their abilities.
 
8.  Avoid using term such as “always”, “will” or “never.”
Instead try to use words such as “usually,” “often,” “sometimes” and “occasionally.”
 
9. Always use the present tense so that it is relevant to current situations.
Some Social Stories can be used in the future tense if it is a preparation for something that may happen. For example, as an upcoming school holidays, a trip, going to an appointment.
 
10. Illustrations can be helpful a visual reminder to reinforce the written word, but should not distract from the message of the story.
For example, use photographs to demonstrate an area such as a classroom, playground, or toilet.
It can also be illustrated via a theme of a child’s special interest.
 
11. If it is a lengthy Social Story, break it down into steps by using a separate page per “stage.”
 
12. Remember the aim is to use the Social Story as a reminder and in a manner that increases the child’s confidence and skill level and reduces anxiety or unfamiliarity.
 
13. Keep a laminated copy availability once you are able to fade out the Social Story for any reoccurring incidences.

Making Sense of the Sentences
 
Descriptive sentences objectively address the wh- questions: where, the situation takes place, who is involved, what they are doing, and why they may be doing it.
Descriptive Sentences are accurate, assumption-free statements of fact.
 
For example:

• My name is…
• I am attending a discussion on Social Stories.
• The speaker is talking to the audience.

 
Perspective sentences give a glimpse into the minds of those involved in the story and can provide details about the emotions and thoughts of others.
 
This is a type of perspective sentence that may appear in a Social Story.
Most of the time, perspective sentences describe the thoughts and feelings of other people.
 
For example:

• The teacher will like it that I am listening to him.
• It makes me feel happy when I get an email saying thank you for a task I completed.

 
Directive Sentences suggest desired responses tailored to the individual and identify a possible response/solution, and/or gently direct behaviours.
If possible, try to avoid the use of words like “must,” “need” or “should.”
Using the word try opens the space for the student to learn the appropriate behaviours for a social situation.
 
For example:

• I will try to listen to the teacher.
• I will try to sit quietly.

 
Control Sentences are used as a mnemonic device and are often authored by the student himself. It can be a sentence to help remember the story or to deal with the situation. Control sentences may not be used in every story and may be specifically paired with a visual cue to be used as a reminder for the individual of the focus of the story.
 
For example:

• “I changed my mind….”
• When someone says, “I changed my mind,” I can think of an idea, like a caterpillar changing into a butterfly (in the words of a student with ASD).

Using Comic Strip Conversations

Created by Carol Gray, Comic Strip Conversations (CSCs) are simple visual representations of conversation using stick figures and symbols to represent social interactions and abstract aspects of conversation and colour can be used to represent the emotional content of a statement or message.
 
By seeing the different elements of a conversation presented visually, some of the more abstract aspects of social communication (such as recognising the feelings of others) are made more 'concrete' and are therefore easier to understand.
 
Comic strip conversations can also offer an insight into how an autistic person perceives a situation and can show the things that are actually said in a conversation, how people might be feeling and what people's intentions might be.
 
Comic Strip Conversations can help autistic children to understand concepts that they find particularly difficult. By drawing as they talk, CSCs can be used to learn about different social situations. 
In a comic strip conversation, the autistic person takes the lead role, with parents, carers or teachers offering support and guidance.
 
Comic Strip Conversations can be used to plan for a situation in the future that may be causing anxiety or concern. For example, an exam or a social event. However, remember that plans can sometimes change and it is important to present the information in a way that allows for unexpected changes to a situation.
 
How to Create your Own Comic Strip Conversation
 
1. Start with small talk (for example, talking about the weather) to get the person you are supporting familiar with drawing whilst talking and to mimic ordinary social interactions.
 
2. Ask a range of questions about a specific situation or type of social interaction and the autistic person answers by speaking and drawing their response.
 
3. Summarise the event or situation you have discussed by using the drawings as a guide.
 
4. Think about how to address any identified problems or concerns.
 
5. Develop an Action Plan for similar situations in the future; which will be a helpful guide for the autistic person.
 
6. For complex situations, or for people who have difficulty reporting events in sequence, comic strip boxes may be used, or drawings can be numbered in the sequence in which they occur.
 
7. You can use paper, pencils, crayons and markers, and computer word processing applications, or use an app. Ask the person you are supporting to choose what materials they would like to use.
 
8. You can prepare your Comic Strip conversations in a notebook, or save on a smartphone or tablet to refer back to as helpful, and to recall key concepts.

Thank You and More Information
​We thank Lisa for leading this informative workshop session and for the useful notes here. 
For more information, you can click on the links below.

SWIFT Autumn Term 2024 Leadership Forum
Committed to bringing together leaders from all educational settings within the area, our online Leadership Forums link to the best of local, regional and national.

For our 2024 Autumn Term event, we have two speakers:
Sarah McGinnis, Ofsted Assistant Regional Director and Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Dean of Place and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University.

Find more information here 

Sarah McGinnis | Ofsted Assistant Regional Director will be leading on updates followed by an opportunity for Q&A.

Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope | Dean of Place and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University will speak on Educational Isolation: Can a school’s place limit its access to resources and consider place-based disadvantage and the way it reduces coastal and rural school access to resources, especially teachers.

More Information about Our Speakers 

Sarah McGinnis has extensive experience of leading inspections of primary and secondary schools in a range of contexts and initial teacher training providers. She has also worked on national research projects.
 
More recently, Sarah has experience as a Senior HMI and is now the Assistant Regional Director for the South West. Before joining Ofsted, Sarah held middle and senior leadership positions in large secondary schools which included oversight of Post-16 provision. Her responsibilities included leading teaching and learning and curriculum development, self-evaluation and quality assurance, working with departments and individuals to raise achievement. 

Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope is also Visiting Professor at Canterbury Christ Church University, and is in her second term as an elected board member of the International Council of Education in Teaching (ICET), the British Educational Research Association (BERA) and as an invited advisory board member for the Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Teacher Development Fund. She also holds invited advisory and voluntary roles across a range of Education organisations and charities.  
 
Tanya’s research explores rural, coastal and small schools, using the concept of ‘Educationally Isolation’ to explain how a schools’ place can limit access to resources, such as a high-quality workforce. Tanya has maintained a special focus in her research on teachers and issues relating to their recruitment and retention, being driven by a commitment to championing equity in education. Her work in this area has been used by Academics and Governments internationally.  

Tanya is a committed and enthusiastic educationalist with over three decades experience in schools, colleges and universities in England as a teacher, teacher educator, educational leader and educational researcher. Tanya holds the highest professional status for teaching and learning in schools (Fellow Chartered College of Teaching), colleges (Fellow Society of Education and Training) and Universities (Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy). 

The author of numerous papers, reports, articles and books, Tanya is dedicated to exploring social inequity and educational disparity and has focused on the challenges for coastal, rural and small schools, specialising on issues of teacher recruitment and retention and professional development, since 2008.  Her two latest books are: "The Early Career Framework: origins, outcomes and opportunities" (2022) and "Exploring Teacher Recruitment and Retention: contextual challenges from international perspectives" (2020). Tanya’s most recent research report is, "Locality Matters: understanding how to support the challenge of educationally isolated schools" here 

Tanya is the Education Research lead for the University, leading UoA 23 in REF 2021 and is Director of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Group - Context Agency Place and Education (CAPE) and an active PhD supervisor and Director of Studies. Tanya developed and leads Plymouth Marjon University | Cornwall, and continues to extend Marjon’s contribution to place-based equity through transformational opportunities in higher education engagement for places that have been previously under-resourced. 

We are pleased to be working with The Colyton Foundation and Atom Learning to provide FREE access to Atom Home for all Key Stage 2 Pupil Premium/Free School Meals pupils in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset primary schools. 

The Purpose of this Initiative
Evidence shows that children from under-resourced backgrounds in the South West are amongst the least likely in England to attain highly at school, and to access Higher Education. 

The Colyton Foundation aims to work collaboratively with schools and universities throughout the
South West to increase levels of high attainment for under-resourced children, guided by their ‘cradle
to career’ philosophy. Partnering with leading universities and Multi Academy Trusts, The Colyton Foundation are dedicated to supporting high attainment for young people in primary and secondary schools, and Further Education.

As part of this work, The Colyton Foundation has established a partnership with Atom Learning to support pupils from under-resourced backgrounds to attain highly at Key Stage 2 by giving them access to Atom Home. This responsive online learning platform is proven to support successful attainment through tailored support that builds confidence, strengthens knowledge, and prepares children for the transition to secondary education.

Benefits for your Pupils
We understand the challenges faced by schools in ensuring that all children, especially those
experiencing disadvantage, have access to the best possible educational resources.

This Atom Learning initiative is designed to provide that much-needed support, at no cost to your school.

1. Tailored Learning
Atom Home adapts to each child’s learning level, ensuring they receive the right support for
their individual needs.

2. Key Stage 2 Focus
The platform covers all essential content in English, Maths, and Science, supporting your
efforts to raise attainment.

3. Comprehensive Resources
Pupils will have access to an extensive library of teacher-created practice questions, learning challenges, and resources to support their mastery of the curriculum. 

About Atom Learning
Atom Learning is an online learning and teaching company for Key Stages 2 – 3 with a range of products for families and schools to support with learning, exam preparation, teaching and assessment.

Atom Home is the home learning and exam preparation platform for Key Stage 2 pupils.
Practice questions, video tutorials and learning resources are created by experienced teachers and Atom provides targeted support to help all learners thrive.

Areas are identified where each pupil needs support and the difficulty of tasks is adjusted accordingly to provide a personalised learning experience.

This offer is FREE to all Key Stage 2 Pupil Premium pupils in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset primary schools​. Normally Atom Home would cost £575.90 per year. ​

Access Atom for your Pupil Premium Pupils
You can find more information about how to access and implement Atom Home for Key Stage 2 Pupil Premium / Free School Meals (FSM) pupils in your school in the link below.

We are pleased to bring you this next EVENTS newsletter with details of professional development opportunities.

Supporting your Professional Development  
This issue includes the following programmes, courses and events from our partners for your professional development intended to support and enhance the work of your school: 

• Teaching & Assessment in Primary Science Focus4TAPS 3 Day Programme

• Understanding and Monitoring Early Years - for Subject Leaders
• AQA Writing for GCSE English Language Paper 1 & 2 | Stretching Grade 3 to 4
• Two Day Paediatric First Aid
• An Introduction to Trauma Awareness for teachers and leaders
• Professional Communities
• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project
• Events for your diary

Teach Like a Champion (TLAC) | Building a Strong Classroom Culture
Training led by US-based Trainers from Dough Lemov's Worldwide training team, using some of the strategies included in the best-selling book 'Teach Like A Champion 3.0'.

We are pleased to bring you this first UPDATE of academic year 2024 - 2025. 

Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE is prompted by a meeting with a nurse to consider how good leadership and management can motivate and retain staff.

"More fundamentally, it is about how we structure timetables, meetings, duties, admin, marking so that staff know where they are and are not subjected to last-minute or inexplicable and unjustified changes. It might be about having the courage to stop doing stuff in order to release time for staff to do other stuff properly."

Doug Lemov disciples will already be familiar with his Teach Like a Champion (TLAC) motivating mantra. But you now have the opportunity for your own school teach like a champion to be trained up on this new dynamic SWIFT programme. It is perhaps a happy coincidence that TLAC is suggestive of the mnemonic TLC in tune with our Teaching School Hub values. 

The results are in from our annual Teaching School Hub (TSH) School Leader Satisfaction Survey for the last school year, 2023 – 2024 with some helpful feedback to steer our programme delivery. We thank those school leaders who took the time to feedback. Thinking about leadership, save the date for our forthcoming Autumn Term Leadership Forum on: Thursday 21 November 2024 from 1530 – 1715 (online). Ofsted Assistant Regional Director, Sarah McGinnis, will be joining us as keynote speaker with more speakers to be announced. More info to follow! 

A leader we very much enjoy working with is this issue's interviewee, Director of Kingsbridge Research School, Jon Eaton who shares his reflections on the role. And you can read Jon's blog on the Improving Writing in Secondary Schools programme and what the evidence says.

Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC keeps us informed on important guidance updates on Biometric Data for MATs and Schools from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Make sure you're all secure.

Other sponsors, Educatering have been busy working with school catering teams to provide their healthy nourishing food and expertise in the kitchen. Exeter Supply Partnership showcase some of their start of term professional development for their supply teachers with Early Years and Key Stage 1 Workshops. Whilst ONVU Learning introduce their new ONVU Learning Rewards initiative designed to recognise and celebrate the engagement and achievement of users within their platform. It looks good.

As the Autumn Term gathers pace we wish you all a rewarding and productive final few weeks and thank you for taking the time to read this issue. 

The results are in from our annual Teaching School Hub (TSH) School Leader Satisfaction Survey for 2023 – 2024.
​
School leaders were invited to complete a short satisfaction survey on how they believe they have been supported by SWIFT on the Golden Thread programmes plus other Continuing Professional Development, including the High Prior Attainment training day led by The Colyton Foundation.

We are consistently committed to listening and responding to our school leaders and teachers and are grateful to those of you who took the time to feedback about what matters most so that we can improve our programme delivery.
​
Working together as SWIFT, Colyton and Kingsbridge Teaching School Hubs seek to deliver programmes intended to upskill staff in order to boost teacher recruitment and retention; ultimately, to promote better educational outcomes for all pupils in schools, especially the disadvantaged. Hence, it is important to us that our programme delivery is high-quality, relevant and adds value to the endeavours of busy schools in our constantly changing times.
 
A key survey question was whether leaders had been able to access professional development relevant to their setting’s needs and development goals. Certainly, this has individual implications for us as a starting point – although future planning would benefit from more detail. However, a resounding 63% completed agreed, 31% somewhat agreed and a thoughtful and very honest 6% neither agreed or disagreed. 
 
School leaders were also invited to note their satisfaction with their school’s overall experience of working with Teaching School Hubs last year. 69% completed agreed, 30% somewhat agreed and 1% neither agreed or disagreed. The numbers speak for themselves. But clearly prompt a deeper thinking about the sometimes-subjective understanding of survey dynamics. 

With opportunity for further comments, we are very grateful to those school leaders who took the time to share their thoughts. Overall, the prompt, supportive responses and smooth administration and organisation by our SWIFT Team was praised.
 
Several leaders praised our support for Early Career Teachers (ECTs) as part of the Appropriate Body Service and the guidance and advice provided for them to fully support the ECT and help them to make robust progress and they liked our platform to upload and provide evidence for their ECTs.
 
Particularly positive was a comment about benefitting from being part of our wider SWIFT network and appreciation of professionalism and core values. Partnership is at the heart of our SWIFT work and it is rewarding that is reflected back at us. Another school leader commended our seminars as productive, meaningful and relevant, which is very positive.
 
One leader had yet to work with the Teaching School Hubs, which is a valid consideration for us about our marketing and how we present SWIFT to schools. We certainly understand that the educational landscape can be cluttered and confusing.
 
Guiding comments were constructive about improved clarity of our communications. For example, dates for expected termly ECT progress forms to assist time management and planning for schools. Although interestingly, another praised the clarity of ECF assessments etc.
 
Given the variety of communications from different members of the SWIFT Team, one school leader would ideally prefer to have a single point of contact. We also value the reflective comment about SWIFT emails being crisper and concise in view of numerous email communications and we will take this point seriously in considering the reading workload for school leaders and teachers.
 
And finally, in tune with the modern time, one responder was interested in climate awareness training for leaders. It is important to us that we bring meaningful training to you, so watch this space.
 
64 school leaders responded to the survey and we are grateful for your honest feedback and reflections that will helpfully steer us in our onwards work.
61% leaders responded from Devon schools, 23% from schools in Plymouth and 16% in Torbay.
Primary school leaders were the highest responders at 55%, followed by 34% from secondary, and 6% from Special Schools, 3% Alternative Provision and 2% from the private sector. 

Nevertheless, the results were encouraging and thoughtful feedback and we are grateful to all those school leaders who took the time to respond.

Beyond the survey, please feel able to message us with any comments, reflections and/or suggestions about how we can work better and smarter to serve you. We are always pleased to hear from you and you can click on the links below to contact us.  

Report by Jude Owens, SWIFT Executive Assistant

The guidance is relevant for leaders within educational institutions, as it outlines the legal and ethical responsibilities involved and helps you to navigate compliance with Data Protection laws, and provides best practices for implementing biometric technologies in a way that safeguards students and staff members personal information.

What is Biometric Data?
Biometric data is a type of personal information. Article 4(14) of the UK GDPR defines biometric data as:

“Personal data resulting from specific technical processing relating to the physical, physiological or behavioural characteristics of a natural person, which allow or confirm someone’s unique identification of that natural person, such as facial images or fingerprint data.”

This means that personal information is only biometric data if it:

• relates to someone’s physical, physiological, or behavioural characteristics (e.g. the way someone types, a person’s voice, fingerprints, or face);
• has been processed using specific technologies (e.g. an audio recording of someone talking is analysed with specific software to detect qualities like tone, pitch, accents, and inflections); and
• can uniquely identify (recognise) the person to whom it relates.

Who Can Consent to Biometric Data
Consent for biometric data needs to be treated differently than other consents and has specific, stringent criteria.

The Data Protection Act gives pupils rights over their own data when they are considered to have adequate capacity to understand. Most pupils will reach this level of understanding at around age 13.
​
However, the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, which governs the use of biometric data in schools in the UK, has different requirements. Under this Act, the consent of at least one parent is required to process the biometric data of a child under 18. If the child or any parent objects, the school cannot process the child's biometric data.

Schools must notify each parent of a pupil or student under the age of 18 if they wish to take and subsequently use the child’s biometric data as part of an automated biometric recognition system.
As long as the child or a parent does not object, the written consent of only one parent will be required for a school or college to process the child’s biometric information.
​A child does not have to object in writing but a parent’s objection must be written.

What does this mean for MAT’s and Schools?
The decision to implement automated biometric technology is the decision of MATs and schools. However, careful consideration should be taken to assess the purpose of its use, the necessity and proportionality of processing, and consider the potential implications, such as operational requirements, handling of personal information, possible data breaches, and legal obligations.
It is also important for schools to reflect on the ethical considerations around the use of biometric data, including privacy concerns and the potential for future misuse of such data, even when collected in a lawful manner.

Schools should consider whether biometric data is truly necessary and proportional for the task at hand.

Here are some key actions for schools considering or already using biometric data:

1. Conduct a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)
Before implementing any biometric system, schools should carry out a DPIA to assess risks and determine whether biometric data processing is necessary and proportionate. This should be reviewed regularly to account for any changes in technology or usage.

2. Obtain Proper Consent
Ensure written parental consent is obtained in compliance with the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. Schools should also have a clear, documented process for managing consent withdrawals or objections from either the student or their parents.

3. Be Transparent with Parents and Students
Provide clear, accessible information explaining how biometric data will be used, stored, and protected. Schools should offer regular opportunities for parents and students to ask questions or raise concerns.

4. Implement Robust Security Measures
Ensure that any biometric data collected is stored securely, with encryption and access controls in place to prevent unauthorised access. Schools should also regularly review their security practices to ensure they remain adequate in light of evolving risks.

5. Choose Vendors Carefully
When selecting a third-party contractor, schools must perform due diligence to ensure that the vendor complies with UK GDPR and has strong Data Protection measures in place. A contract should clearly outline Data Protection responsibilities and require the vendor to carry out DPIAs.

6. Regularly Audit Data Practices
Conduct regular audits of how biometric data is processed, ensuring that all practices remain compliant with relevant legislation. This includes reviewing how data is stored, who has access to it, and how consent is managed.

7. Prepare for Data Breaches
Develop a clear plan for managing data breaches involving biometric data, including informing affected students, parents, and the ICO if necessary. Ensure that all staff members are aware of the procedure for reporting a breach.

By incorporating these steps, schools can ensure they not only comply with legal requirements but also protect the privacy and rights of their students.

For more detailed information, including lawful basis considerations and best practices, please read
​full guidance provided by the ICO.

By Soton Soleye, SchoolPro TLC

We are pleased to bring you this next EVENTS newsletter with details of professional development opportunities.

Supporting your Professional Development 
This issue includes the following programmes, courses and events from our partners for your professional development intended to support and enhance the work of your school: 

• When the Adults Change - Behaviours Change
• Primary Staff Meeting Series
• TA Training: Supporting pupils with SEND
• AQA Writing for GCSE English Language Paper 1 & 2 | Stretching Grade 3 to 4
• Two Day Paediatric First Aid
• Professional Communities
• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• Teaching & Assessment in Primary Science Focus4TAPS 3 Day Programme
• Events for your diary

Teach Like a Champion (TLAC): Building a Strong Classroom Culture
Training led by US-based Trainers from Dough Lemov's Worldwide training team, using some of the strategies included in the best-selling book 'Teach Like A Champion 3.0'.

​Structured as a series of five 90-minute online Tuesday train-the-trainer interactive training sessions with the following intentional and appealing titles:
 
SESSION 1
Radar/Be Seen Looking | 5 November 2024 | 1600 - 1730

SESSION 2
Least Invasive Interventions | 10 December 2024 | 1600 - 1730

SESSION 3
What to Do and Do It Again | 11 February 2025 | 1600 - 1730

SESSION 4
Systems and Routine and Strong Voice | 25 March 2025 | 1600 - 1730

SESSION 5
Positive Framing and Precise Praise | 10 June 2025 | 1600 - 1730

Each session is led by Teach Like a Champion Trainers based on an impactful implementation model to encourage a motivating momentum for your TLAC Champions-in-the-making. In addition, there will be opportunity to attend optional termly Professional Community Forums to review impact and share good practice with fellow programme members. 

We are pleased to bring you this first EVENTS newsletter of school year 2024 - 2025.

Supporting your Professional Development 
This issue includes the following programmes, courses and events from our partners for your professional development intended to support and enhance the work of your school: 

• National Professional Qualifications 
• Primary Staff Meeting Series
• Advanced Coaching Programme for School Leaders
• '12 Dialogues for Boys & Young Men' Being Safe & Safe to be Around
• Teach Like a Champion (TLAC): Building Strong Classroom Culture
• Professional Communities
• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• Teaching & Assessment in Primary Science Focus4TAPS 3 Day Programme
• Events for your diary

SWIFT Membership 2024 - 2025
We would also like to take this opportunity to welcome you to SWIFT Membership for 2024 – 2025 and we are delighted that so many Schools, Federations, Multi Academy Trusts and other organisations have joined or renewed for this school year.

SWIFT Membership can provide your school with significant cost savings on our programme of professional development - a number of which are free for members.

You can find our full range of courses for 2024 – 2025 HERE
You can register for 2024 – 2025 SWIFT Membership HERE 

On behalf of us all at SWIFT and our Partners, we look forward to working with you and supporting your professional development this year.

This final EVENTS issue for the academic year 2024 - 2024 includes a featured article, as well as highlighted programmes, courses and events from our partners to support your professional development and enhance the work of your school. 

Featured in this issue we have:


SWIFT Membership 2024 - 2025 | Registration now open
We are delighted to open registration to Schools, Federations, Trusts and other bodies to join SWIFT Membership for 2024 - 2025.  Find out more in our Membership Brochure HERE and the link for registration is HERE.
 
Highlighted Programmes:

• National Professional Qualifications 
• Primary Staff Meeting Series
• SWIFT Early Career Framework and Appropriate Body Serve Registration 
• Advanced Coaching Programme for School Leaders
• When the Adults Change - Behaviours Change Two-Year Whole School Programme
• Professional Communities
• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• '12 Dialogues for Boys & Young Men' Being Safe & Safe to be Around
• Events for your diary

We are pleased to bring you this final UPDATE of the academic year 2023 - 2024. 

Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE begins by considering the secret behind the atmosphere of purpose and calm on a recent LSSW Connect Study Tour Visit to Dixons Academy Trust in Leeds and Bradford:

"I was struck by how clearly the leaders articulate what they are doing, why they are doing it and how they are doing it. They speak with a confidence and clarity that is inspiring. They have developed systems that work for every aspect of their operation. They check those systems are working. They invest in staff training and growth. And everything is rooted in the transparent vision and values of the Trust and the individual schools."

And ends with a rallying cry to end the year - inspiring all school leaders and staff to return energised after a good break this summer.

We look back on the 2024 Summer Conference with collaboration at its heart, knowing that some events are worth reliving.  We thank, once again, all our speakers, sponsors  and of course, the delegates for being with us.  
“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” (Henry Ford)

Primary and Secondary Teachers of Art recently enjoyed their very own dedicated Devon Art Teachers' Conference with an enriching and engaging agenda, plus inspiration from the Bovey Tracey’s annual Craft Festival.

As a thank you to all Governors, but celebrating this one as he prepares to retire, we interview Paul Brooks, Chair of Kingsbridge Community College Governing Body and SWIFT Trust Board who shares his thoughtful insights into education over the past 40 years.
 
With the ever-important issues of attendance, Kingsbridge Research School explains the Education Endowment Foundation’s new guidance on supporting schools with attendance structured around six evidence-informed themes.

Another readable feature is from our sponsor SchoolPro TLC who shares their GDPR and Data Protection expertise in understanding the Birmingham Children’s Services Data Breach and the implications and guidance for school and MAT leaders. 

Our sponsors have been busy too. 
The foodie pictures say it all as Educatering whets our appetites in showcasing their menu of delightfully nutritious and exciting food in its school year wrap up. Lucky schools.
 
Exeter Supply Partnership understands the importance of professional development for teachers, but appreciates access whilst working as a supply teacher or Teaching Assistant is not always easy.
This is why they provide access to FREE courses and webinars to support their Supply Team to keep up-to-date whilst working and to help them to prepare for the next step in their career.

ONVU Learning reflects on excellent teachers creating excellent memories and the characteristics of great teachers. If this sounds like something for you, you can meet and find out more about ONVU Learning in a FREE webinar on Thursday 11 July 2024 from 0830 – 0900. Register here

Wherever you are, we hope that these final few weeks will be enjoyable and fulfilling for you all.   
We are not there yet, but the summer break awaits and we wish you the loveliest holiday and thank you for working with us this year.  

Why did you become a teacher? Which teachers do you remember?

​Our sponsor, ONVU Learning thinks deeply about the dynamics of teaching and learning and reflects here on excellent teachers to inspire the next generation of teachers.

We all remember that one teacher who was more than an educator.
A Mentor, a guide, and a catalyst for personal and intellectual growth.
Their passion for their subject matter was infectious, igniting a similar enthusiasm in you.
They possessed an uncanny ability to recognise and nurture your individual strengths, encouraging you to pursue your dreams with confidence.
 
Their lessons may have extended beyond textbooks, imparting valuable life skills and wisdom that resonated long after the school bell rang. Through their unwavering support and belief, they instilled a sense of purpose and self-worth, with memories of their kindness, patience and innovative teaching methods remaining a source of inspiration.

​​Perhaps it was that inspiration that led you to teaching.

Creating Lasting Impressions
Excellent teachers have the unique ability to create lasting, positive memories for their students, shaping their lives in profound ways. As educators, they transcend the traditional role of a subject teacher. 

Through dedication and enthusiasm, their classrooms are transformed into spaces of inspiration and discovery. They foster a love for learning, ignite passions, and build confidence, leaving an indelible mark on their students.
 
For some, the absence of such teachers in their own education becomes a powerful motivator to be the teacher they never had. These reflections underline a critical truth: inspirational teachers are not only transmitters of knowledge but are pivotal in nurturing well-rounded, motivated individuals who carry their influence long into adulthood.
 
Empowering Teachers for Excellence: Strategies to Create a Supportive, Judgment-Free Environment
Empowering teachers to excel requires a clear vision and a nurturing environment that supports their growth without judgment. Schools must foster a culture where teachers feel valued, heard, and encouraged to innovate; which means creating collaborative spaces for sharing best practice, challenges, and successes.
 
By involving teachers in decision-making processes and policy development, schools can cultivate a sense of ownership and commitment. Recognising and celebrating teachers' achievements can significantly boost morale and motivation.
 
Ensuring teachers have access to necessary resources and a supportive administration creates a foundation where they can focus on what they do best: teaching and inspiring students.
 
Tailored Teacher Professional Development: Introducing Practical, Customizable Tools
Effective teacher development must be bespoke, in recognising the varying stages of a teacher's career and their unique classroom dynamics. Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and the Early Career Framework (ECF) establish foundational practices and habits. However, further professional development needs to be adaptive, helping experienced teachers maintain good practices whilst responding to new challenges, such as changing student demographics.

Practical examples include coaching approaches to fine-tune teaching practices, growing teacher agency to encourage confident, well-chosen risks, and making it standard practice to discuss teaching methods alongside insights from authentic lesson observation feedback. This approach ensures that professional development is not a formality, but a meaningful, growth-oriented process that aligns with the evolving educational landscape.

How is ONVU Learning Supporting Teachers and Schools to Create Lasting Impressions
ONVU Learning’s complete 360-degree lesson capture solution helps educators to reflect, collaborate and analyse the entire teaching and learning process. By using 360-degree cameras, your teachers can capture the entire classroom allowing them to review and share clips of best practice from our web-based platform, to improve teaching techniques and empowering teacher autonomy.
 
Schools across the country have been implementing ONVU Learning to enhance their Early Career Framework programmes, to enhance and scale effective Teacher Continuous Professional Development programmes, and ultimately, to improve teaching standards and learning outcomes.
 
Learning is a complex process in which teachers are pivotal.

If teachers are to be effective contributors to children’s change in behaviours, attitudes, knowledge and skills then they need a tool that helps them see teaching and learning inside their
classroom with clarity and without judgement.

By putting the teacher in the driving seat, ONVU Learning allows you to customise your professional development by choosing which lessons to record, choosing what to share and what to keep private, tag and comment on key moments during your lesson and collaborate with colleagues without taking up valuable resource time.

To Find Out More
Join ONVU Learning at a FREE webinar on Excellent Teachers Create Excellent Memories on Thursday 11 July 2024 from 0830 – 0900.
 
Hosted by ONVU Learning’s Matt Tiplin and Stella James, you will explore transformative strategies that empower teachers to excel in order to enhance student achievements.
                       
You will also look at personalised development plans that combine the best practices of memorable teaching with innovative growth opportunities tailored for teachers.

Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC shares here their GDPR and Data Protection expertise in understanding the Birmingham Children’s Services Data Breach and the implications and guidance for school and Multi Academy Trust (MAT) leaders.
 
In May 2024, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued a reprimand to Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company (BCTCIC) for an inappropriate disclosure of a child’s personal information.
 
This unfortunate incident underscores the critical importance of robust Data Protection practices, especially when dealing with sensitive data related to children and criminal offences.
 
As leaders in schools and MATs, understanding the implications of this reprimand and implementing key actions can help safeguard your institutions from similar breaches.

Overview of the Incident
On 10 November 2022, BCTCIC experienced a significant data breach involving the inclusion of sensitive information about another person in a Child Protection Plan (CP Plan) sent to a family.
This breach occurred within the Child Protection and Review (CP&R) department, which routinely handles both personal data relating to children and criminal offence data.
 
The specific incident involved two neighbouring families.
Family A had raised concerns about interactions between their child and Child X from Family B.
During the formulation of a Child Protection plan, information from a separate strategy meeting with West Midlands Police, containing serious criminal offence allegations against Child X, was inappropriately included and this sensitive data was subsequently disclosed to Family A, resulting in a violation of Data Protection regulations.
 
Key Findings and ICO Reprimand
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) found that BCTCIC had violated Articles 5(1)(f), 32(1)(b), and 32(2) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

Articles that mandate personal data must be processed securely to protect against unauthorised or unlawful processing and accidental loss, destruction, or damage.
 
Several key issues were identified:

• Inadequate Policies and Procedures | BCTCIC’s existing policies lacked detailed, practical guidance on Data Protection, particularly regarding the inclusion of personal data in documents like Child Protection plans.
• Over-Reliance on Professional Standards | BCTCIC relied too heavily on Social Work England’s standards, which were not specifically designed for Data Protection compliance.
• Insufficient Training | Whilst BCTCIC provided general Data Protection training, it lacked specific, role-related training for social workers, reducing the effectiveness of the training.   

Implications for Schools and MATs
The ICO have highlighted that Schools and MATs must be vigilant to avoid similar data breaches:
 
1. Develop Robust Policies and Procedures 
Ensure that your Data Protection policies include specific, detailed guidance on handling sensitive personal data.
This should cover what data is appropriate to share and under what circumstances.

2. Implement Role-Specific Training
General Data Protection training is essential, but it should be supplemented with role-specific training.
Staff should understand how Data Protection principles apply to their roles within the context of their setting.

SchoolPro TLC are developing SEND and Designated Safeguarding Lead-specific Data Protection training to help boost staff confidence when responding to information requests.

3. Conduct Regular Audits and Reviews
Regularly review and audit Data Protection practices to identify and mitigate risks.
Look at who the school has shared information with, how much and the method for exchange.

4. Regular Records Review
Create time to review the records you hold, checking the quality and accuracy.
Feedback to staff to support the development of a safer culture within the school.
 
Actions and Recommendations
Based on the ICO’s recommendations and the lessons from the BCTCIC incident, there are specific actions for schools and MATs to consider.

• Granular Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Develop detailed SOPs for producing and reviewing sensitive documents such as safeguarding documentation. Ensure these procedures include independent checks for personal data.
• Comprehensive Training Programmes: Enhance your training programmes to include specific modules on Data Protection relevant to different roles within the institution.
• Risk Assessments and Mitigation Plans (DPIAs): Conduct thorough risk assessments to identify potential Data Protection vulnerabilities and implement measures to mitigate these risks. These would be in the form of Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).
• Regular Policy Updates and Staff Briefings: Regularly update your Data Protection policies and conduct staff briefings to ensure everyone is aware of their responsibilities and any changes in procedures.
• Feedback and Continuous Improvement: Create a feedback loop to continuously improve Data Protection practices. Encourage staff to report any issues or suggestions for improvement.

Conclusion
The reprimand issued to Birmingham Children’s Trust serves as a stark reminder of the importance of robust Data Protection practices, especially when dealing with sensitive information related to children.

By understanding the implications of this incident and implementing the recommended actions, schools and MATs can better protect their data, ensure compliance with data protection regulations, and better safeguard their students.
 
As leaders, it is our responsibility to foster both a culture of Data Protection and Child Protection within our settings, by going above and beyond to ensure the safety and privacy of all individuals whose data you handle. Data Protection is Child Protection.
 
By Ben Craig, Director, SchoolPro TLC Ltd

​Led by the inspirational Art Subject Specialist, Sam Eyre, from Coombeshead Academy, and supported by Joe Long, Art Lead at The Spires College, Primary and Secondary Art Teachers attended the 2024 Devon Art Teachers’ Conference last month with an informative and inspiring agenda.
 

Attendees benefitted from updates and feedback on the AQA assessment objectives from Aly Diggle-Perry and Sandra Allan from AQA Examination Board, who provided a valuable opportunity for attendees to see an exhibition of exemplar work from students to support assessment. 

There were lots of resources and links to tap into about grants, funding and projects by freelance artist Claire Harmer; a former teacher, who uses South Devon as the inspiration for her work and works directly with schools (find more information here). ​

Teachers were challenged to delve into the world of AI, as Sam presented opportunities and challenges of implementing artificial intelligence in the art classroom, such as how to use AI to create digital pictures. Enriching information that may help to keep us one step ahead of our learners!
 
One of the most valuable parts of the day centred on networking with colleagues and sharing from experiences, with teachers having an opportunity to share their challenges and find solutions to improve their practice for their pupils. 

There was also time to explore the vast array of arts and crafts at Bovey Tracey’s annual Craft Festival and to meet many crafts people and observe workshops, demonstrations and talks, taking away ideas to use back in their own settings. 

MAKE Southwest 
Hosted by Educational Manager Ian Wilkins at MAKE Southwest in Bovey Tracey, this craft education charity is funded by Arts Council England with a thriving membership of over 300 crafts people, with an engaging exhibitions programme and retail gallery, championing the highest standards of craftsmanship since its formation in 1955 and has become a leading advocate for crafts education. 

A FREE Creative Opportunity for Torbay Schools
Craft Council Material World Project - a funded opportunity for school teachers
Outreach Programme

Craft School is open to all schools nationwide, but other geographical areas have been identified where they would like to increase participation in Blackburn, Kirklees and Torbay with a wish to boost participation from schools with higher levels of Pupil Premium funding.

The Craft School Outreach programme will offer additional training to prepare and support teachers through the delivery of Craft School working with 12 teachers from six schools in each region over two academic years.
The programme is offered to schools free of charge and will aim to:

• Increase teacher confidence and skills delivering practical craft activity.
• Introduce and build confidence with the Crafts Council’s Make First pedagogy.
• Provide support and inspiration as teachers deliver Craft School with their learners for the first time; work with them to explore the application of Make First in their settings.
• Build a local network to support craft education by building relationships between schools.

 
Two members of staff from each school, notably Teachers, Teaching Assistants, Technicians or other support staff are all welcome to participate and will be able to attend professional development sessions, which will include an element of practical making.

Torbay Project Timeline
​Thursday 11 July 2024 from 1630 – 1830 | First face-to-face professional development session.
September 2024 | Second Torbay professional development session.
September 2024 | Enrol in Craft School: Material World.
October 2024 | Third Torbay professional development session.
September / October 2024 | Start to deliver Craft School: Material World with learners.
To make use of Craft School Teacher toolkit, professional development sessions and other resources.
December 2024 | First Torbay online support session.
February 2025 | Second Torbay online support session.
April 2025 | Submit evidence of learners’ work and making journeys to Craft School: Material World (online portal).
May 2025 | Judges select work for awards (one per Key Stage).
June 2025 | Online celebration event for all participants.