We are pleased to bring you the next EVENTS issue with a featured article, highlighted programmes, courses and events from our delivery partners to support your professional development and enhance the work of your school. 
 
SWIFT 2026 Summer Conference 
A reminder if you have yet to register your place at the ​SWIFT 2026 ​Summer Conference on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse. Find the full line-up of speakers and book here
 
Highlighted Courses/Support:

• Moderation Sessions
• Advanced Coaching Programme for School Leaders
• Safer Recruitment
• SWIFT NPQ Programme Update
• Early Career Teacher Programme | September 2026 Registration Update
• National Institute School-Level Professional Development Research Project
• Professional Communities 
• Primary and Secondary Subject Briefing
• EYFS & Primary Courses
• Secondary and Sixth Form Courses
• Other events for your diary

May Day has passed and we hope that you enjoyed the Bank Holiday, but today is UPDATE May Day and we are pleased to bring you the latest news.

As Executive Director Martin Smith reflects in his introduction: 
"This May issue brilliantly exemplifies what a mature school-led system looks like...The many high-quality articles bring together expertise from individual schools, Multi Academy Trusts, education partners and the National Institute of Teaching." 

With partnership at the heart of our SWIFT work, Martin will soon be engaging with stakeholders on the partnership with our Teaching School Hub colleagues, OneCornwall to develop and widen the scope across the region. 

Read up on the recent National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) Teacher Educator Development Day led by Kyle Bailey, NPQ Lead for the South and West at NIoT and Birmingham South Teaching School Hub. The aims of the day were to strengthen the professional skills and expertise of teacher educators, engage critically with research and apply it to inform and enhance practice and build, sustain and deepen relationships between local colleagues. 

You can also catch up on some important Golden Thread programme updates to keep you informed.

If you are contemplating a smartphone-free environment in your School or Trust, Kingsbridge Community College's Principal, Tina Graham shares their journey and tips that developed as part of their wider commitment to student wellbeing, focus, and positive development. 

This month's interview is with Anthony Lees, Deputy Head of School for Marpool Primary School & EdTech Lead for the Cornerstone Academy Trust. A self-confessed tech nerd, Ant is well-placed to provide an insight into this rapidly growing area within our professional and personal lives. You read it here in UPDATE!

Devon Research School (DRS) shares a post on being one step ahead when it comes to Adaptive Teaching from fellow Cornwall Research School. As you would expect this is insightful, intentional and evidence-based and will add meaning to your practice. 

On that note, the Region's RISE Team invites you to attend the Boolean and London South West Maths Hubs’ Mainstream Inclusion Conference on Primary Maths coming up on Thursday 4 June 2026. Book here

From September, schools across England will be expected to take a more structured approach to allergy management and our sponsor SchoolPro TLC provides guidance on how to prepare.  As former school leaders, teachers and incumbent Governors, they are caring and knowledgeable. Contact the Team here

Nursery and Primary school cover service Exeter Supply Partnership are celebrating their tenth anniversary - and we commend their first decade dedicated to providing "reliable, experienced supply staff, and above all, offering an ethical, not‑for‑profit alternative that puts schools, educators and pupils first."  Contact here
 
As we have come to expect , Educatering our school catering sponsor are showcasing yet more of their delicious and nutritious food. See more pictures to feast on! If you are not yet part of the Educatering Schools Revolution contact the Team here 

Remember to book your place at the 2026 Summer Conference on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse. Five school weeks today! Designed to be relevant and memorable with presentations on: AI and Assessment, Equity, Wellbeing and Leadership, Care and Culture, Disadvantaged High Attainers, Masculinities in Schools and more. Network with like-minded colleagues and enjoy some lovely food from Goosemoor Educatering.

In the spirit of true and lasting partnership, we hope you relish a dip in this issue.
With all best wishes from the SWIFT Central Team - and a happy and rewarding onwards. 

“Piloting a smartphone-free environment at KCC has already shown the difference it can make, helping our students to engage more fully in their lessons, interact with one another, and build resilience.”

At Kingsbridge Community College (part of Education South West), the move towards a smartphone-free environment has developed as part of our wider commitment to student wellbeing, focus, and positive development. The decision has been informed by listening carefully to students, parents, and staff, alongside growing national discussion about the impact of smartphones, social media, and constant connectivity on young people. We began by piloting the approach earlier this academic year, allowing us to test and refine the policy in a structured and supportive way.
 
Our intended outcomes were to create a calmer, more focused school environment where students could engage fully in learning and social interaction without the distraction and pressure of smartphones. We also wanted to reduce stress, improve concentration, and support students in developing stronger face-to-face relationships and resilience in everyday social situations.
 
Preparation involved extensive engagement with students, parents, and staff to gather views and ensure clarity of purpose. We also implemented a pilot phase, which allowed us to test systems, gather feedback, and identify practical considerations before the rollout. This helped ensure that expectations were clear and that routines were well established.
 
As with any change, there were initial questions around routines and practical implementation. Some concerns were raised about consistency and how the policy would work in practice across the school day. There was also the need to ensure clarity for all stakeholders during the early stages of the pilot. 
​
We addressed challenges through clear communication, consistent expectations, and a phased introduction via the pilot. This allowed us to respond to feedback in real time and refine systems. Working closely with staff, students, and families helped ensure any concerns were quickly resolved and understanding was strengthened across the community.
 
The most rewarding aspect has been seeing the overwhelmingly positive impact on the school environment. Teachers have reported improved concentration in lessons, students are interacting more positively with one another, and the overall atmosphere is noticeably calmer and more focused. It has also been encouraging to see strong support from the majority of parents and students.
 
Following the success of the pilot, we are moving forward with the full launch of the smartphone-free approach. We will continue to refine systems where needed and share clear information with families ahead of implementation. We are also exploring practical solutions, such as working with local bus companies to support safe and effective communication around travel arrangements.
 
My tips for other schools and MATs looking to introduce similar measures would be:

• Start with a clear purpose focused on wellbeing, learning, and student development
• Engage early with students, parents, and staff to build understanding and support
• Pilot the approach to test systems and gather feedback before full rollout
• Communicate clearly and consistently at every stage of implementation
• Maintain calm, consistent routines and respond quickly and constructively to feedback

 
Report by Tina Graham, Principal at Kingsbridge Community College 

“I feel energised as a Teacher Educator at a time when I was beginning to feel demotivated. I now want to push beyond my current remit to action system level change within my organisation and feel that the work today has helped empower me with tools and starting points for those conversations.”

The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) Teacher Educator Development Day took place at the end of last month at the Birmingham Campus originally conceptualised around the themes of the NIoT rubric, with an opportunity to network and share, and learn from the dedicated research team at the NIoT.
 
Led by Kyle Bailey, NPQ Lead for the South and West at NIoT since 2024, Kyle’s other day job is Birmingham South Teaching School Hub Lead. In his NIoT role, Kyle benefits from working with great people, including members of our SWIFT TSH Team, Jen Knowles and Fiona McNeile, and OneCornwall partners; as well as other Associate Colleges, with whom Kyle has been working closely to better understand the needs of their regions.

Kyle is privileged to visit Campus Facilitators, many of whom are serving school leaders, which prompted his thinking for the day in recognising the need for colleagues across to country to meet in-person. He also wanted to give back and to amplify the work of Facilitators and to enable them to bring and share concrete resources to their NPQ delivery sessions. ​

​The audience of 80 colleagues spun the spectrum of the Golden Thread, including those currently leading the Early Career Teacher Programme, Teaching School Hub Directors, Heads of Professional Development at Multi Academy Trusts – plus representation from the Local Authority, and colleagues who currently work / do not work with the NIoT. Kyle is keen that colleagues are aware that the NIoT is more than its programmes and offers huge research opportunities.

Keynotes included Dr Chris Baker, who leads professional development at the Cabot Learning Federation (partner with Ambition Institute), on Why Teacher Educators are Essential for Sector Improvement - focusing on the role and challenges as a Mentor, Facilitator, and Head of Professional Development in school. NIoT Executive Director for Programmes, Reuben Moore led on Horizon Scanning and Implications for the Sector and Input on the Curriculum Assessment Review changes. Too often, information can be provided piecemeal and Reuben gave an overview on what is currently in place and what colleagues might need to consider and change. Finally, Margaret Mulholland from ASCL led the keynote on Supporting Other Teachers in an Educational Landscape with Greater Need, building on Reuben’s overarching themes, as well as inclusion – always a relevant focus for Schools and Trusts and a current big priority for the Government following the recent White Paper.
 
Delegates could choose to attend a variety of workshops. All of which shared the purpose of thinking through how to design and conceptualise teacher education. 

Dr Rob Nash, Head of Psychological Research at the NIoT led on Feedback Literacy and How to Make Receiving Feedback Less Awful, which was well received (not surprising perhaps with its engaging title!). Aretha Banton from Mindful Equity led the session on recruiting career changers from more ethnically diverse backgrounds and cultural competence. Leyla Palmer and Hayley Bissell from NIoT Associate College, Windsor Academy Trust, led the session on Adaptive Facilitation in Practice: Balancing Structure, Responsiveness and Instruction Synopsis. Whilst Oasis Community Learning, the founding NIoT MAT here in the South West, and One World Education, led a session together on Leading Learning: Rigour and Joy in Every Classroom. NIoT Tutors, Balli Dalli, Pete Gandon and Faye Murphy invited delegates to a session on Squeezing the Sponge: how can we provoke hard thinking and make effective application more likely in teacher education to get the most out of your practice. Finally, Chris Baker led on Making Change Stick: the Systematic ‘transfer of training.’
 
The Teacher Educator Day was a momentous day: impactful conversations and uplifting feedback on all the sessions. Feedback from attendees about the day was very positive with strong engagement in the sessions and colleagues attending from the North West and London will be hosting Facilitators at their own sessions later in the year.
 
“The best, most thought-provoking day of professional learning I have had in many years. I have made many notes and been inspired to reflect on my practices and our organisation as a whole.”
 
Looking beyond the conference, the intention is for colleagues to reference what they have learned and heard in the sessions and to mention in their NPQ facilitation training and to adjust the way they give feedback.
Equally, it has been an invaluable outreach exercise to some of the colder spots around the country and those Schools and Trusts who have yet to work closely with the NIoT - several of whom have already been in contact to request speaker details to ask them to lead on training sessions for their Trust.
 
Commenting on the day Kyle Bailey said:
“Above all, the Teacher Educator Development Day was pivotal in supporting the work of the NIoT in bringing together, connecting people, and supporting Schools and Multi Academy Trusts.
The NIoT is making a big effort here in the South West to push outwards and for members of our NIOT Team to run sessions to help boost the system overall and we are delighted to be leading on this support work.”
 
The South West region is central to supporting future NPQs and the delivery of the NIoT role by bringing people together and connecting Facilitators with Schools and Trusts. NIoT’s strong focus is on serving school leaders and it is gratifying that this aligns well with our SWIFT ethos of working with Schools and Trusts.

Teaching School Hubs will continue to play a vital, place‑based role, recognising that schools’ needs vary by geography and system context. Local knowledge in linking Schools, MATs, Research Schools and Hubs will strengthen collaboration and working alongside, listening, learning and feeding back is essential, and here at SWIFT as Teaching School Hubs, we will always be proud to exemplify this schools‑led, collaborative approach.

We are proud to partner with the NIoT for the Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP) and National Professional Qualifications (NPQs).

Report by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

"I believe the power of technology is about bringing equity of opportunity to learners - to all pupils and students - by raising universal provision, and not simply through the accessibility tools, which are the obvious quick wins, (i.e. text to speech, speech to text etc), all of which is hugely important and makes a big difference to teaching and learning.”
 
Deputy Head of School for Marpool Primary School in Devon, Anthony is also the EdTech Lead for the Cornerstone Academy Trust.

Previously Ant was the Primary Lead for The National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) Computing Hub for Devon and Dorset and for the Cornerstone EdTech Demonstrator School. Other roles include a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) and SSAT Lead Practitioner Facilitator and Ant is currently supporting the RISE Digital Skills and AI Hub.

For 15 years, Ant has led the Trust's EdTech strategy and approach to online safety, driving the one-to-one device programme within the project-based curriculum, and also maintains the Trust’s Microsoft Showcase School Status. 

The SWIFT Team are grateful to Ant who has trained us over the years on various aspects of digital learning, and we are always grateful to learn from his expertise.

As AI moves apace for us all and is part of the SWIFT professional development programme this year, it seemed a timely juncture to find out more about Ant’s journey and work in the world of digital learning. 

1. What has been your personal journey into digital learning and AI?
Reflecting for this interview, it has been a very interesting journey!
 
I was a class teacher for about ten years, then spent some time in different schools teaching Music. After a short time in Broadclyst Primary School doing various music-related teaching my role gradually moved into EdTech, as I was a bit of a nerd, as well as into Music and choirs. Gradually my role became more about the EdTech and staff development and training and suddenly, I had found a niche for something that I loved.

Broadclyst had already academized at the first opportunity and within a few years of being in post, it became apparent that this area was growing and it needed to become a Multi Academy Trust, and it was by building some Free Schools and taking other schools into the Trust my role evolved into leading EdTech for the Trust, but also staff development and CPD, as we have a lot of Early Career Teachers within the Trust and my role included supporting them.
 
During this time, Cornerstone got further involved in running the Science Hub for the area and gradually, I became a Senior Professional Development Lead for STEM, taking on the running of the primary arm of The National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) for Devon and Dorset in partnership with Exeter Maths School. My role evolved from leaving the classroom to becoming heavily involved in CPD and the development of colleagues and eventually into leadership and I have been Deputy Head of a few of our Trust schools over that period too.

Because of the heavy lean on EdTech, we have been very involved in the Microsoft Showcase School Network and my roles necessitated ensuring, for example that our schools maintain the Showcase Status, training up our staff to be Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts, and securing Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) accreditation. That has been a fun part of the journey as we have always been at the forefront of trying to push what is innovative in education and how technology can leverage the best support for learners and teachers and as AI has moved to the forefront, it has become our new horizon.

As I said earlier, I am a bit of a nerd and a tinkerer, as far as technology goes, and I have always been aspirationally looking for what is the next best app, the next best tool for myself, but also for technology; which I would call “a hopeful unsettledness.”

2. What do you find to be most rewarding in your role as EdTech Lead for the Cornerstone Academy Trust?
For me at the core, I think it is about supporting and developing colleagues, because I find that very rewarding and I also know that it is the best way to have an impact at scale to improve the opportunities for learners. Now that I am not in the classroom myself, that is my best vehicle and is very rewarding.
 
3. What do you believe to be the main benefits of digital learning and AI in education today?
Building on the second question, I believe the power of technology is about bringing equity of opportunity to learners - to all pupils and students - by raising universal provision, and not simply through the accessibility tools, which are the obvious quick wins, (i.e. text to speech, speech to text etc), all of which is hugely important and makes a big difference to teaching and learning.
 
At Cornerstone, we are very embedded in the Microsoft Platform in Teams, and that ability for learners to collaborate at whatever scale is appropriate for the project cannot be undervalued and I genuinely believe that we are preparing our learners for a future job market that has yet to exist; which you might say, is the ultimate goal for education. We are not looking to be the matrix, to plug learners in and turn-out brilliant form fillers. We are looking to develop young people that have the skills they need, and which we would beratingly call soft skills, the reasoning part of the three R's, and which are so valuable.

On the AI front, the more I listen to some clever people talk about this topic, I think the benefits for students is the speed of feedback that AI can provide learners and the consistency. We are now at a stage where we have proven that consistency of feedback is much better from AI than it is from a teacher, however well-meaning and able. On the staff side, the obvious benefits that are hugely powerful include time-saving, quality, and the ability of AI to draw links between large amounts of information, which as an individual, I do not have the cognitive bandwidth to hold and the ability to draw ideas together and to spot links that maybe an individual practitioner would not be able to do.
 
4. What do you consider to be the main challenges and what steps do you take to overcome them?
Reference EdTech, I think the current main problem is that we are at a point where there is a confusion about what is the place of technology in the lives of young people, both at home and in the classroom.

There is some great work going on here. Mobile phone awareness is perhaps the biggest. For example, Smartphone Free Childhood, who are undertaking absolutely incredible work that I completely endorse in helping parents to see what is the right time and boundaries for smartphone use. However, there can be a lot of confusion about mobile phones in general and devices and there is a huge screen time debate underway that is probably more prevalent than it has ever been. It is important, and very powerful and positive that discussion and debate is going on, of which more and more people, including parents, play a part.
 
The downside is that it leads to a confusion about the place of technology in education and one can sometimes become a stick to beat the other if we are not careful. For us at Cornerstone, what we have learned over the last few years is to simplify our message about how technology contributes to our project-based curriculum and to the opportunities and provision that we are putting in place for learners. For screen time, we try to be very, very clear about the difference between using a device to access resources and to check the information, which is very different to bingeing on Netflix or sitting on your Xbox in the evening.

For AI, there is a danger in avoiding the cognitive heavy lifting that comes from work and the exercise of learning, recalling what you have learned, applying it in situations and creating something new. If we are not careful, there is an opportunity for AI to be seen as a mechanism to skirt around that very important process and not to flex those mind muscles. In a time of increased social media usage, declining attention spans, and an inability to single task - that I see in myself as much as in other people – herein lies the danger for me. I think the solution is for us to be clear with families and all our stakeholders and pupils.
 
5. What are your hopes (ideally) for the future of digital learning and AI in education?
Cornerstone is one of the founding organisations of the Digital Skills and AI Hub, which is a RISE-funded project currently giving us opportunities to test and learn, which we are doing at scale with two other Trusts, and with ten different working parties who are trying out how AI can be used in all sorts of different contexts, classroom, student feedback, back office processes, business, finance, workload, and for leadership and governance.

With the test and learn, we are looking at what can we learn? What is the right way forward?
My real aspiration is that as AI evolves into a more mature technology for education, and we develop those safe and ethical tools for education, as we are at a place where sometimes we have to compromise on the facility in order to use it safely. As an example, I would say that as an organisation, we are in the Microsoft world, hence our tenancy is on Teams, including SharePoint etc and CoPilot is very safe within that world. However, there are incredible things that can also be done with Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini and all sorts of other tools. But they are not safely in our tenancy, and we are not using them and will be missing opportunities at the moment. Yet, it is more important that our learners' data is safe and ring-fenced than we explore those opportunities.

But over time, as the tech matures, it is my hope that safe and ethical facility becomes more available and there will be lots of tools that we can use. If I were to name-drop a few, I would say through Magma and Olex.ai who are developing tools that not only mark and return grades to pupils (because that has been around for a while); but now tools that take the input submitted by the pupil and develop new challenges and tasks for the learner based on what the students submitted. That is exciting because we are into a time of bespoke use of technology for each individual, rather than pushing them through a conveyor-belt of experiences.
 
From the work of the Digital Skills and AI Hub it has been clear to us that the biggest impact for schools is those who are experimenting and testing. I would encourage other Schools and Trusts to join the Hub and get involved. This is an exciting time in education and to be involved in the process of shaping the future impact of AI in education.

5. What would be your five Top Tips for using AI?
TIP 1: Start with the problem, not the tool.
What is it that is limiting learning? What is challenging teachers?

TIP 2: Use AI to amplify teacher thinking, not replace it.
AI can draft a good lesson, but it does not know your pupils. It is about doing something to enhance the learners. The power comes from the teacher's ability to refine and adapt, not from the ability of the AI to produce something quickly.

TIP 3:  Turn one thing into many.
AI gives you the ability to take smart wins from a single text or lesson and allows you to create multiple things for different age ability readers, and cognitive levels and response expectations.

You could add more challenging questions, more inference and deduction, and not simply recall and to generate discussion prompts.

TIP 4: Model great learning, not simply great answers.
You can get pupils to use AI to get answers instantly.
As we are a primary MAT, we do not give our pupils direct access to chat-based AI as that is clearly legally inappropriate and not the goal.

We are however, looking at how we can use AI to help teach pupils how to think. To spot the question, mistakes, how to improve and refine responses over time. That is where I think the power is in using AI as a thinking partner, and critical friend, rather than your first draught buddy.

Let the tool get to know you because the more your AI tool understands your context, role and drivers and your objectives, the better quality the response. Rubbish in, rubbish out.

TIP 5: Start small - but start now.
A whole AI strategy for your school might be down the road.
In the first instance pick a single problem. For example, planning feedback.  Trial it and get it up and running because the AI and digital technology is not yet mature, but is evolving all the time and the only way to be on board is to start dipping in your toe.

We thank Ant for his thought-provoking interview and his thoughtful leadership on the increasingly compelling topic of digital learning and AI.
​
Interview by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant  

The last day of term and in the midst of activities and celebrations, we are pleased to bring you the latest UPDATE.

Executive Director Martin Smith reflects on the connectedness of education: 
"'Uplifting' was the feeling I had when reviewing this issue of the UPDATE. What a rich and connected profession has been developed in education." 

From Initial Teacher Training to NPQs, we are more connected to high-quality research than ever before, which is enriching the teaching profession and thank you to all our school and Trust partners for working with us. 

Talking of which, you will be enriched at the 2026 Summer Conference on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse. Gain fresh perspectives, sharpen your skills, and connect with professionals who share your drive. Experience expert-led sessions and resources on a range of relevant topics designed to support your practice in school and the classroom: AI and Assessment, Equity, Wellbeing and Leadership, Care and Culture, Disadvantaged High Attainers, Masculinities in Schools and more. Network with like-minded colleagues and enjoy some lovely food from Goosemoor Educatering.

Deputy Headteacher and Induction Tutor, Jo Llewellyn at Widey Court Primary School shares their journey to effective mentoring: “At Widey Court Primary School, supporting Early Career Teachers (ECTs) is more than a statutory requirement - it is a deeply embedded part of our school’s culture.” With the most positive “shout-outs” for more than one Mentor, Jo shares their journey and top tips.

This month's interview is with Lindsay Cooper Smith, Director of Inclusion for St Christopher’s Academy Trust.
Lindsay loves her role as a Facilitator for SWIFT for both the Early Career Teacher Programme SEN Group and the NPQSENCo and reflects on supporting Special Educational Needs and inclusion in schools today. 

Devon Research School (DRS) signposts us to the Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) new adaptive teaching resource: Check.Adapt.resource that presents a simple, but actionable model to check understanding of all learners and adapt teaching to move learning forward.

The South-West Social Mobility Commission (SWSMC) have published The Equity Scorecard: Strengthening Educational Equity in Schools, bringing together findings from their pilot work across schools in the South West Peninsula. There is also an invitation to attend the FREE event 'In Conversation with Sir Martyn Oliver, HMCI’ on Wednesday 22 April 2026 from 1730 – 2000 at the University of Exeter. If you are interested in digging deeper into equity, the Commission are offering a professional learning qualification in ‘Leading Educational Equity: From Principles to Practice.’   

Further to previous issues, our sponsor SchoolPro TLC continues the theme of wellbeing and supervision for school leaders and considers the sometimes loneliness of leadership and how the Safeguarding Team can provide support. Contact here

Once again, Educatering our school catering sponsor have been busy in schools celebrating out-of-this-world food to enliven and enrich school catering. Enjoy the pictures! Contact the Team here to find out how they can support your Catering Teams.

Sponsor Exeter Supply Partnership are hosting an introductory session to primary ECT supply recruitment in Devon and Torbay on Wednesday 22 April 2026 from 1600 – 1700. You can also find out about the FREE South West Education Jobs - it's worth a look. Contact them here for support. 

We hope you find something to enjoy and enrich in this issue.
Thank you for this Spring Term and we wish you a happy and restful (and sunny!) springtime Easter break.

“I would wish all children to be educated locally with their peers and to get the support they need at the earliest possible opportunity to make sure there is a genuine holistic approach to inclusion with the family, school and professionals involved.”

Lindsay has been teaching in primary education for 20 years in various settings working with children from Nursery to Year 6. Her passion for inclusion has led Lindsay to achieving the SENqual and becoming a SENCo. Previously, Lindsay worked with other agencies across Plymouth to develop person-centred practice and in 2018 she developed a nurture provision for primary school children at risk of exclusion, which was highly successful in supporting children and was partially funded by the Local Authority. 
 
Lindsay now works as the Director of Inclusion at St Christopher's Academy Trust and is a Specialist Member of the SEND Tribunal and a Trustee at Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust. She enjoys working with schools across the South West and is proud of the inclusive practice which is in the heart of every one of the St Christopher's Schools. 
 
Lindsay loves her role as a Facilitator for SWIFT of both the Early Career Teacher Programme SEN Group and for the NPQSENCo. Last year she co-authored, “The A-Z of SEN” - something she never thought she would achieve and is incredibly proud of this accomplishment. 
 
We were pleased to ask Lindsay more about her thoughts on Special Educational Needs and inclusion practice. 

1. What do you consider to be most personally rewarding for you as a Facilitator for the SWIFT ECTP and NPQs programmes?
Firstly, it was lovely to be asked because even though I have been doing this job for 20 years now, when I am asked to do something, my first response is always, there must be someone better than me who can do it! But it is a rewarding and proud feeling to be asked (thank you Team SWIFT).
 
I have always been concerned about the Initial Teacher Training programme for teachers and the level of SEN content. When SWIFT explained they wanted their new Early Career Teacher (ECT) to have a SEN cohort and that they would like me to facilitate it I was thrilled. It is great to bring all those new teachers with passion and drive together to share ideas, best practice, and help and support each other, rather than SEN teachers feeling side-lined. This collaborative spirit is very important.
 
With the NPQ for SENCOs, it is encouraging to work with new SENCOs who have got a real determination to make a strategic difference to children with Special Needs in their settings.
 
I love being a SENCO and I often think we can get a bad rap for being miserable or overworked. Yet I do not find this to be the case with the SENCOs in my team and certainly not with the SENCOs who are on the NPQ for SENCOs. I have appreciated listening to them, hearing the peer support they give each other. The coaching element of the NPQ for SENCOs has been valuable to all the SENCOs and very rewarding to me. Each term when we meet up and I ask about their previous actions, they tell me their successes.... this child is now no longer at risk of permanent exclusion, or a child has got a placement at a Special School. Priceless!

2. What has been your greatest professional learning curve in inclusion in SEND and how did you overcome it?
I had to think about this one for quite a while!
 
I think the thing that I still find quite challenging is to understand that people have a different view of inclusion. Challenges when you might hear someone say:
 
“Well, you know, they're choosing this behaviour, or this child shouldn't be in this setting, or it's the parents' fault.”
This kind of dismissive behaviour towards children with Special Educational Needs was a big learning curve for me because at first I would get angry or walk away and stewed on such words. But now in the moment, I have had to learn to offer alternatives:
 
“Okay, so you think it could be to do with parenting at home, but why are the parents struggling with this child? Do you think the parent wanted to impact the child's wellbeing?”
“Or where do you think this behaviour is coming from?”
“Or you think this child should be PExed, but what is going to be the trajectory for that child if that is what we do?”
 
Posing challenging questions, picking it up in the moment and being brave is important because this is what the children deserve. This was a big challenge for me because I was shocked that people do not all think the same about inclusion or hold the same value of our children with SEN within our schools.

3. What do you consider to be the biggest current challenges for supporting children and young people with SEND in Schools and Trusts?
I think the biggest challenge for us has been the SEND sufficiency in the South West.
In Plymouth, Devon and Torbay, there are limited spaces in Special Schools available, which means the complexity of children we now have in our mainstream settings is much higher than we have seen previously.
 
It means that we have had to start to think differently. Ten of our Trust Schools at St Christopher’s have now got either an intervention base or an inclusion classroom, so there is space for children with Special Educational Needs to go and access either targeted intervention, regulation breaks or support. Or an inclusion classroom where children can work alongside their peers on a bespoke curriculum to meet their needs with trained and qualified staff.

That is not where we were 20 years ago, and probably not even five years ago, but it is developing and I am very proud of my schools and always impressed when the leadership teams think differently and come to me with ideas. Recently in our West Devon schools isolated on the Moors, the leadership teams are working as a group of schools in recognising the need to explore how they can work together to see what they can do for the greater good in a collaborative way.

4. What would be your top three tips for effective inclusion?
Number 1 is collaboration and that is with parents, children and professionals, the multi-agency team around your children to make sure that everybody is on board, and you are getting the very best advice. Ensuring people are being open and honest with each other and not missing anything. Collaboration here is key and as with our Inclusion classrooms, we require collaboration either with stakeholders within the Trust or externally. You cannot do anything by yourself.
 
Number 2, I think, links back to what I previously said about relationships and my passion for inclusion. I do not think you can be a good SENCO and have an inclusive school unless you are using relational approaches. Building those positive relationships with all stakeholders, including professionals and families, to make sure voices are heard and everybody feels psychologically safe to challenge to get the best for the children within that school environment.
 
Number 3 is impact. Everything we do within SEN can be costly: either of time, adult support or financially and we need always to be thinking about how we are going to measure the impact. With Inclusion classrooms, we need to make sure that there is progress happening:
 
Is the child's attendance improving? Are there reduced behaviour incidents?
Can they now do their times tables?
 
There are many different ways to measure impact.
Is the pupil voice positive? Is the staff voice positive?
 
In doing that, we can ensure that the provision that children are getting is appropriate, suits their needs and is pushing them forwards to continue to make progress. When we see a lull or a stagnation in that progress, that is when we know we have to think differently or to look elsewhere for answers or support for these children.

5. What are your hopes for inclusion and send in the future educational landscape?
I really liked what was written in the recent SEND Reform White Paper.
 
I would wish all children to be educated locally with their peers and all children to get the support they need at the earliest possible opportunity to make sure there is a genuine holistic approach to inclusion with the family, school and professionals involved.
 
My hope for the future is that what is stated in the SEND Reform has the impact, I hope it is successfully embedded and implemented so that children feel part of their communities.

We thank Lindsay for her upbeat and positive reflections on her work on Special Educational Needs and inclusion and for being one of our valued Facilitators.

​Interview by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

A new, national resource to equip teacher educators with research evidence and practical insights to inform professional learning is the hot topic on educator’s lips across the country.
 
Built by a dedicated team at the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT), the recently published Evidence Portal brings together rigorous, high-quality research and expert perspectives from Schools and Trusts to empower teacher educators to be able to make evidence-informed decisions when designing and delivering professional learning and support. 

So why does it exist?
One of the NIoT’s core missions is to improve the quality of teacher and leader development at a system level by generating and interpreting research, applying the insights to the design and delivery of high-quality teacher development programmes to be shared across the sector.
 
We have seen this in practice with our published work with the NIoT on the delivery of the Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP) in coastal and rural communities and more recently a research study into school level professional development. A number of SWIFT schools are also currently involved in an exciting AI and mentoring research project. 
 
£1.4 billion and nearly 2 million working days are spent on professional development each year. 
As teacher educators, we are surrounded by vast amounts of research but finding the time to make sense of it and knowing what really works in our own Schools and Trusts can be difficult. 
 
The NIoT Evidence Portal aims to solve this problem by bringing coherence to a crowded landscape and strengthens professional development by supporting teacher educators in accessing, interpreting and using research thoughtfully in their own context.
 
The Evidence Portal currently comprises two major features: 

The NIoT Evidence Toolkit
The toolkit brings together bite-sized, trustworthy summaries of professional learning approaches drawn from systematic reviews of international research on initial teacher education and professional development.
 
It is organised into a number of different strands, including inclusive professional learning, coaching and leading professional development in schools. Each of these strands summarises what the evidence shows about the approach’s effectiveness, its impact on teachers and pupils and the key factors that support successful implementation. Importantly, each strand also includes an ‘In Practice’ section which features insights from experienced teachers and leaders who share how they have applied the approaches, allowing contextualisation of the research making the evidence usable, relevant and ready to apply.
 
Your Questions Page
The team at the NIoT are aware that not every professional learning question can be answered by the Toolkit alone and often there is not enough systematic research evidence to create a strand within the Toolkit for emerging or under-researched topics. In this section, therefore in order to address this gap, they share rigorous evidence-informed responses to the questions that matter most to teachers, Mentors and leaders.
 
How can Professional Development be designed to support workload?
What motivates teachers to engage in Professional Development?
Is it most effective when it is specific to the setting, phase or subject?
 
This collection will be expertly curated over time, responsive to your questions and needs. 

Your Voice Matters 
As the Portal develops, new strands and more resources will be added so that it continues to evolve and to ensure that the evidence remains practical, relevant and responsive to the priorities of Schools, Trusts, leaders of professional development and teachers.  
 
The NIoT Team are keen to feature professional learning experiences from across the sector, so please do get in contact if you would like to share (see the links below).
 
We increasingly value our SWIFT NIoT Partnership. Alongside their wide range of high-quality programmes, the Portal is another dynamic and exciting initiative that we hope our Schools and Trusts will embrace.
 
If you have yet to discover the Evidence Portal, we encourage you to do so and we will keep you informed of other innovative NIoT opportunities to benefit you and your teams.

By Jen Knowles, SWIFT Director of Teaching School Hubs 

With the most positive “shout-outs” for more than one Mentor, Widey Court Primary School’s Deputy Headteacher and Induction Tutor, Jo Llewellyn shares their journey and top tips to effective mentoring.
 
I have been an Early Career Teacher (ECT) Induction Tutor at Widey Court since starting here as Deputy Headteacher in September 2022. My mentoring journey has been both rewarding and developmental for me. Whilst I have had many years’ experience of mentoring students and Newly Qualified Teachers, to lead the process myself, has necessitated knowing and understanding the expectations of my role and content and progression through the Early Career Teacher Programme.  
 
When I started in my role, ECTs at Widey Court were about to start their second year and were fully embedded into the programme, which was helpful as their journey was already underway. 
 
Now that I am in my fourth year, I reflect on how important it is to value the amount of time and effort Mentors and ECTs have to invest in the success of the programme and how building trusting relationships is vital between the three parts of the process: Tutor, Mentor and ECT. Tailoring our approach to individual needs and having open, honest and reflective conversations are essential to our mentoring journey. Careful thought is given to our ECTs, ensuring that they feel supported - not only in developing their classroom practice, but also in becoming part of the wider life of the school. This holistic approach helps ECTs to build confidence quickly and to develop a strong sense of belonging. 

I believe that being an Induction Tutor is as a collaborative process where both Mentor and mentee learn and grow together. We are very fortunate to have the most experienced, nurturing, supportive mentors at Widey Court and are equally proud of the ECTs that we have recruited over the last four years. All of whom are engaged, eager to reflect, improve and enhance their teaching toolkit as they begin their teaching careers.
 
What truly works at Widey Court is the culture of openness and collaboration. Staff at all levels are committed to sharing practice and to supporting one another, creating a team ethos that ECTs quickly become part of. Successes are celebrated, challenges are shared, and everyone works together with a common goal: providing the best possible education for pupils.
 
A key strength of the provision lies in the work of the Mentors, who play a pivotal role in guiding and supporting new teachers. Mentors meet regularly with ECTs, offering advice, constructive feedback, and encouragement. An effective Mentor combines strong interpersonal skills with clear pedagogical expertise. 

I like to think the key ingredients of an effective Mentor include:
 

• Trust and empathy – creating a safe, non-judgemental environment.
• Active listening and respect – understanding the mentee’s perspective before offering guidance.
• Clarity and structure – providing focused and actionable feedback.
• Adaptability – tailoring support to the ECT’s stage and needs.
• Challenge and support – balancing encouragement plus that professional stretch.
• Consistency and rigour – being reliable and maintaining regular communication.
• Time - prioritising time and structure for meaningful Mentor-Mentee / Induction Tutor-Mentee interactions.

Same Phase Mentors
We have four trained Mentors at Widey Court: one in each phase (EYFS, Key Stage 1, Lower Key Stage 2 and Upper Key Stage 2). This enables us to ensure that the Mentor assigned to the ECT, whatever their teaching year group, has experience of teaching in that phase, knows the planning, team, data and teaching/learning expectations to support the ECT.
 
Mentoring has significant benefits for both me and my mentoring colleagues.
For me, it has deepened my understanding of teaching and learning, as articulating best practice requires clarity and reflection and has strengthened my leadership skills, particularly in communication and professional development.
 
For my colleagues, mentoring fosters a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility and encourages open dialogue about teaching practice and creates opportunities for staff to learn from one another. Ultimately, it contributes to a more supportive and reflective school environment.

If I had to note a learning curve, it would be finding the balance between supporting ECTs and allowing them the space to develop their own teaching identity. They are qualified teachers, after all, which we fully appreciate and respect.
 
When I was new to the role, I sometimes felt the need to provide too many solutions that I would reflect on and advise. However now, our discussions/meetings are very much ECT-guided and reflective of their practice, with next steps guided by them. I ask questions but self-evaluation is the biggest driver for improving. Engaging with Induction Tutor training and reflecting on my own practice, has also helped me to refine this balance.
 
Feedback from ECTs reflects our endeavours. ECTs often highlight the value of feeling supported and listened to and appreciate having a consistent point of contact who provides both warm, positive reassurance and constructive challenge. Many have commented on the usefulness of regular, structured meetings and clear, actionable feedback that helps them to improve their practice. Others have noted that the mentoring process has helped to build their confidence and encouraged them to reflect more deeply on their teaching.
 
Strong relationships and maintaining a personalised approach are very important to us.

Looking ahead, I am hopeful that mentoring ECTs at Widey Court continues to be the success that it has come to be. Ultimately, my aim is for mentoring to remain a strength of our school in supporting, not only ECTs but contributing to a culture of continuous improvement for all staff.
 
I also hope that ECTs at Widey Court will develop into confident, reflective, and skilled practitioners who are well-equipped for the demands of the profession. Thanks to the dedication of their Mentors, they are given the strongest possible start to their teaching careers.
 
We thank Jo for her insight and upbeat report on effective mentoring at Widey Court Primary School.
 
By Jo Llewellyn, Deputy Headteacher and Induction Tutor, Widey Court Primary School

We are pleased to bring you the next EVENTS issue with a featured article, highlighted programmes, courses and events from our delivery partners to support your professional development and enhance the work of your school. 

SWIFT Summer Conference 2026
We are delighted to invite you to the SWIFT Summer Conference 2026, taking place on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse. View the full line-up of speakers and book here
 
Highlighted Courses/Support:

• Building an Oracy-Rich Classroom
• Primary Languages Professional Community
• Early Years Moderation
• SWIFT NPQ Update | Autumn 2026 Cohort
• Professional Communities

• Primary and Secondary Subject Briefing
• EYFS & Primary Courses
• Secondary & Sixth Form Courses
• Other events for your diary 

March marches on and we are pleased to bring you the latest UPDATE.

Following the publication of the White Paper last week Executive Director Martin Smith reflects on: "the renewed commitment to strengthening the education workforce, particularly the investment in recruiting 6,500 new teachers and the significant expansion of high‑quality professional development opportunities." 

We are here to play our part as Teaching School Hubs to support you in our delivery of the Early Career Framework, National Professional Qualifications, and evidence‑informed CPD across our region. 

Meanwhile, founder and Lead Coach of The Thinking Academy, Leonie Hurrell shares her thinking behind the "Leadership Skills" course designed to help leaders boost their self-awareness, build connections, and communicate clearly, including the importance of soft skills. Feedback from this week's course is heartening: 
"It was valuable to be reflective and a great opportunity to plan next steps for my leadership' (said one delegate).

With engagement referenced in the White Paper The Engagement Platform (TEP) engage us with their February 2026 findings, drawn from 165,000 pupils across 263 schools and articulate what engagement means. You can take advantage for your School/Trust with a special subsidy for Colyton Foundation partner schools, as well as all other schools.  

This month's interview is a thoughtful piece on Religious Education in schools with Ed Pawson, our SWIFT RE Professional Community Lead and Consultant. A natural enthusiast for the subject, Ed reminds us of the value in networking and building a community through the Professional Community. 

Always in tune with the latest teaching and learning research, Devon Research School (DRS) signposts us to some practical ways to help pupils build independence through explicit teaching and careful scaffolding in the recent Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) blog.

Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC continues the theme of wellbeing and supervision for school leaders and how stress is not just stress anymore - it is a safeguarding issue. The Safeguarding Team are there to provide support and you contact here

Educatering our school catering sponsor share some of their foodie in-school delights - including pizza and cookie making and an imaginative Taste, Touch, Smell – I am a Teacher, Get Me Out of Here session (the proof is in the pics). Contact the Team here to find out how they can support your Catering Teams.

If you have planned absence on the horizon, our sponsor Exeter Supply Partnership are ready to help you get organised and with their not-for-profit ethos you can feel doubly positive. Contact them here for support. 

This should keep us all focused and as spring edges ever nearer, we wish you a rewarding continuation of this Spring Term.

We were pleased to see the White Paper signal a material shift in the role of pupil engagement as a school improvement lever, with TEP highlighted as a case study:
 
"Schools are taking new approaches to measure pupil, employee and family engagement. One example is The Engagement Platform (TEP). TEP works with schools, local authorities and trusts nationwide to generate data insights on their performance, to target their practice and improve outcomes.
 
TEP data, now drawing from 300,000 children, indicates that low engagement is often linked to low attainment outcomes and poor attendance. Secondary school pupils with lower engagement scores are around three times more likely to be persistently absent than pupils with high engagement scores.
 
Equipping schools with data on pupil engagement enables them to target interventions and improve practice. Schools focusing on activities such as improving transition support, actively listening to pupil and employee groups, and using inclusive routines, have been able to achieve engagement scores that are better than the national average."

In response to the publication of the White Paper, Professor John Jerrim, Research Director at The Engagement Platform, has published the background literature and evidence-base underpinning TEP's engagement framework (see "Background and development of TEP measure of pupil engagement").

What the Research Tells Us
Engagement is what researchers call a "meta-construct": not a single trait, but an umbrella concept combining cognitive engagement (what pupils think about school), emotional engagement (what they feel about school and their relationships within it), and behavioural engagement (how they act). TEP's framework captures eleven distinct drivers across these three domains, including agency, peer relationships, safety and inclusion.
 
TEP’s latest February 2026 findings, drawn from 165,000 pupils across 263 schools, provides evidence that this framework maps onto measurable outcomes. Persistent absence rates differ substantially by engagement level: in primary schools, the gap between the lowest and highest engagement thirds is eleven percentage points; in secondary, nineteen. On attainment, schools in the top third for engagement average nearly ten Attainment 8 points higher than those in the bottom third - roughly a full GCSE grade per subject. At primary, schools in the highest quartile for the agency driver see 45% more pupils achieving the higher standard in RWM at KS2.-

​he data also points to staff engagement as an independent predictor of pupil outcomes, distinct from school intake or local deprivation levels. Within the higher-disadvantage half of the sample, schools in the top third for staff engagement had persistent absence rates 9.4 percentage points lower and Attainment 8 scores 6.5 points higher than the bottom third. This shows us that staff engagement is not a parallel concern to pupil engagement. It is a predictor of it, and one that schools can actively influence.  
 
Taken together, the findings suggest that engagement data, when measured rigorously and benchmarked with precision, functions as a lead indicator: pointing to where outcomes are heading before they arrive, and where the conditions for improvement might most usefully be examined.

We are pleased to announce that the Colyton Foundation has secured a 50% subsidy this academic year for all Colyton Foundation partner schools — with a 40% subsidy also available to all other schools.

Report by Agnes Fitzpatrick, Regional Director, The Engagement Platform 

The day before she will be leading the Leadership Skills Training Day, Founder and Lead Coach, Leonie Hurrell of The Thinking Academy reflects on the importance of soft skills to empower leaders. 

In today’s fast-paced educational world, being an effective leader is more important than ever. Many leaders know they need to handle tough conversations, motivate disengaged team members, and rebuild trust.
 
But figuring out how to do these things can be tricky.
 
As a coach for educational leaders and a former Headteacher, I have noticed that whilst we have plenty of knowledge and tangible skills, we often miss out on developing those essential soft skills. Most professional development courses focus on content, strategy, and evaluation — all valid areas. But without the necessary soft skills, our strategies may struggle to make meaningful impact.
 
That is why I created the "Leadership Skills" course that is all about helping leaders boost their self-awareness, build connections, and communicate clearly, so they can really thrive and create effective and energised teams.

​The Power of Soft Skills
Research shows that strong soft skills can make a huge difference for school leaders, especially Headteachers.
 
A study from the National College for Teaching and Leadership points out that effective leadership goes beyond technical skills; it includes emotional intelligence, trust-building, and communication (National College for Teaching and Leadership, 2015).
 
Leaders who develop these skills can better navigate interpersonal relationships and create a positive, safe and engaging environment in their schools.
 
Brené Brown, a well-known researcher on vulnerability and emotional intelligence, highlights that leaders who embrace vulnerability and build genuine connections create more resilient teams. When leaders connect with their teams, they foster collaboration and support, boosting morale and job satisfaction (Zins & Elias, 2006). Schools led by emotionally intelligent leaders often cultivate vibrant cultures.
 
Research shows that when Headteachers prioritise soft skills, it leads to improved teacher morale, student engagement, and overall school performance – demonstrated in the study by George Washington University that discovered schools with strong emotional intelligence practices saw better academic outcomes and lower dropout rates (Brackett et al., 2019).

As schools face  continued recruitment challenges, investing in leadership development is more critical than ever. By nurturing the soft skills of our current leaders, we are preparing tomorrow’s resilient leaders. This proactive approach not only helps keep talent, but also ensures our schools have visionary leaders capable of inspiring teams and building brighter futures for our children.

The Leadership Skills Course is designed to blend theory with practical application. Over one impactful day, participants will dive into emotional intelligence, learn effective communication, and gain strategies for navigating conflict. Our interactive workshop focus on enhancing presence, active listening, and powerful questioning techniques. Participants will explore various soft skill methodologies and develop personalised strategies to fit their unique leadership styles. There is also plenty of time for deep reflection and action planning, so leaders can create the clear steps they need to apply their new skills.

Feedback from participants on the course has been incredible, with an impressive rating of 9.9/10 last month.
I am looking forward to tomorrow's session that I know will highlight the transformative power of learning at SWIFT and the importance of investing in leadership development. 

Together, we can create environments where leaders thrive, teams collaborate effectively, and everyone feels valued nurturing a positive atmosphere for every child in our care.

Feedback from this week’s Leadership Skills Training Day:
"It was valuable to be reflective and a great opportunity to plan next steps for my leadership." 
"Just a fantastic day.  I know I can empower my team. It was so so good!"
'It was great to really think things through in relation to my role and school.  Such an informative and useful day." 
"An excellent course!" 
"So useful to takeaway learning that can be applied to our everyday role."
 ​
By Leonie Hurrell, Founder & Lead Coach, The Thinking Academy

“When I look at my primary colleagues, my fundamental purpose in being an advisor is to help those who do not have RE as their number one subject and have never really studied it and do not feel confident. I would love to be able to feel that I have supported people to enjoy teaching RE and to gain satisfaction.”
​
Ed Pawson spent 23 years as a Secondary Teacher of Religious Education and Subject Leader. He is currently the RE adviser to a number of SACREs in South West England, Programme Director for Learn, Teach, Lead RE teacher networks (SW) and the former Chair of the National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE). Ed currently sits on the Board of the Religious Education Council and is the SW Lead for RE Hubs. He has published work on Islam, Contemporary Issues in RE and spiritual development.

Ed is passionate about the way RE can offer young people a unique opportunity to develop skills of critical evaluation and dialogue and he believes that an education in religion and worldviews plays an invaluable role in enabling young people to become more inquisitive, reflective and engaged members of society.
 
As our Religious Education Professional Community Lead, we invited Ed to share some of his thoughts about RE teaching today.

1. What personal and professional skills and qualities do you bring to your role as SWIFT Religious Education Professional Community Lead?
I was a Secondary Teacher of RE for 23 years in the classroom and as a teacher, I felt connected to pupils and motivated by my subject, and becoming a Subject Leader.
 
About 11 years ago I stopped teaching and became an RE consultant and advisor. I think I bring to the role, all those skills as a teacher in being committed, having a passion and a deep understanding for the subject and being interested in pupils, and fundamentally liking children and wanting the best for them in a rounded way. I believe this empathy is important (as a skill or a quality) in being interested in my subject matter and the pupils and the way that teachers can connect with them.
 
2. What do you find to be most rewarding in this role?
I am interested in networking and building a community. I think that sometimes in school, we lack a sense of belonging as teachers.

I recall when I started teaching, you felt that schools invested in you and that you could build your career and your interest in the subject within the context of the school. However, I think that we have lost a lot of that now and what I find rewarding about this role is being able to connect teachers in a way that has often been lost in not being able to do as much CPD as we might have been able to do in the past. It is often very hard to get subject specific CPD in Schools and Trusts these days because it is not offered.

I think my role as RE Professional Community Lead is linked to the subject content and subject matter and being a bit of an RE geek myself (!), in being able to give people a community who are also interested in knowing more and in working together – which is very exciting for me.

However, thinking about networking. Not all teachers are interested in networking. Personally, I love networking and I think that is why I like doing stuff outside school and the classroom. But some teachers will want to teach a 9 to 5 and that is fine. But the rewarding thing for me is where you are connecting with other people and with your shared interest.
 
3. How do you seek to motivate members in the Group?
When people come along to CPD in their own free time, and I work with the Hub and Network leaders who are doing this in their own time; you have to be very respectful of their needs and to give them space. It is important not to be demanding or certainly, to keep demands to a minimum. It is vital to understand that the fundamental aim is to help children enjoy the subject of Religious Education in school and if teachers want to help in learning more through CPD time, that is brilliant. It is about the motivation: the carrot, and not the stick.
 
4. What do you consider to be the biggest challenge for teaching Religious Education in schools?
Recent reports have shown how a significant number of primary teachers of RE feel that they lack the confidence and knowledge to teach the subject effectively.
 
Teachers often do not know enough about the subject, and that is not a criticism, but an observation as they lack confidence when they fear that they will get it wrong. Hence it is very important to help teachers know more and to encourage them to be more confident in who they are and to be open to making mistakes and not feel like they will be criticised.

The second thing is the lack of status in schools. Traditionally, RE has a low status in schools and there is a real shortage of Teachers of RE in schools. In secondary, for instance, only half of Teachers of RE have it as their main subject. If we compare that to English, nearly 90% of Teachers of English have it as their main subject, which is significant because it means that RE is always on the back foot and a pupil can only expect 50% of the time the teacher will really know the subject very well. This is an important difference from other subjects.

When I look at my primary colleagues, my fundamental purpose in being an advisor is to help those who do not have RE as their number one subject and have never really studied it and do not feel confident. I would love to be able to feel that I have supported people to enjoy teaching RE and to gain satisfaction.
 
Pupils love RE when it is taught well. They absolutely, love it. But I understand that a lot of teachers that I come across, especially in primary, are teaching about Islam or Sikhism or Hinduism, or Humanism, but have never actually met a Muslim or a Sikh or a Hindu or a Humanist. In creating a context where they can meet or at least learn firsthand about the topics that they are teaching is important. There are big challenges, especially in an area like Devon, where we do not have big numbers of diverse people.
 
Finally, we are hoping that RE will become a National Curriculum subject. It is in the balance at the moment; but by March or April, we should know if RE will be put forward to change legislation. All the other subjects are in the National Curriculum. However, RE is not and it never has been and I truly hope that this happens because I think it will raise the status of the subject.
 
5. What would be your greatest hope for Religious Education teaching in schools?
Picking up on the last point about becoming a National Curriculum subject, I think that we currently see a postcode lottery for the subject.
​
It is taught brilliantly in some schools and yet hardly exists in others and there is very little benchmarking that Ofsted can do to challenge when they can see that RE is not being taught well. We need these national standards that do not currently exist for RE at the moment. But we would if we became a National Curriculum subject.
 
The recent introduction of a religion and worldviews approach to the subject has transformed the way many pupils respond to their lessons. This fundamental change, seeing people as central to RE, has opened up a more inclusive way to study religions and beliefs. The emphasis on looking at people's real-life lived experience, alongside understanding the structures and features of religious and non-religious traditions, makes it much more meaningful.
 
I think in raising the status of RE it would mean that teachers feel more confident about what they are doing in the classroom and the children would love that, because my experience, is that children, talk about RE as being the only subject where they can share their opinions. Pupils say there is no right and wrong answers in RE That is not quite true. There are right and wrong answers, but what they mean is that they feel listened to and a good Teacher of RE listens to people. Young people need to be listened to, and this is my fundamental mantra for schools.
 
We thank Ed for his insights interview and leadership of our Religious Education Professional Community.
Interview by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

We are pleased to bring you the next EVENTS issue with a featured article, highlighted programmes, courses and events from our delivery partners to support your professional development and enhance the work of your school. 

SWIFT Summer Conference 2026
We are delighted to invite you to the SWIFT Summer Conference 2026, taking place on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse. You can view the full line-up of speakers and book here
​
Highlighted Courses/Support:

• Leadership Skills Training Day
• Working Smarter Not Harder: Embracing AI with Mr P ICT (three sessions)
• Supporting Females on the Autistic Spectrum
• SWIFT NPQ Update | Autumn 2026 Cohort
• Professional Communities

• Primary and Secondary Subject Briefing
• EYFS & Primary Courses
• Secondary & Sixth Form Courses
• Other events for your diary

Landed! February UPDATE and lots to engage you.

Executive Director Martin Smith announces the date and line-up of the Summer Conference 2026 on Thursday 18 June 2026 with relevant and purposeful topics – including, equity and inclusion, wellbeing and leadership, AI, oracy and disadvantaged high attainers. Book your place here

"SWIFT takes pride in our vision of professional development to create outstanding opportunities for leaders to learn, develop and connect and is passionate about enabling schools across the South West to access the best of regional and national, as well as the latest research." 

The Engagement Platform (TEP) engage us with their latest research on why pupils’ belief in their own agency for reading really matters and there are some thoughtful practicals for you to do in school.  Find out more about TEP in an engaging interview with Jess Easton, Director of The Engagement Platform (TEP). Plus there are more handy teaching and learning top tips from Harry Fletcher-Wood's presentation at the Spring Leadership Forum on improving teaching for which we thank Harry. We also thank Laura Clitheroe for showcasing all the opportunities of the CODE Maths Hub

Thinking about reading, Devon Research School (DRS) considers reading goals and how to develop a shared approach to purposeful reading: "The ability to read and understand complex text plays a critical role in our students’ success, not only in terms of their academic outcomes but also in relation to their wider life chances on leaving school."

The February feature from our sponsor SchoolPro TLC is on supervision for school leaders on a sensitive note of how school leadership can feel heavy: "Recent wellbeing surveys show that over three quarters of school staff feel stressed, with senior leaders reporting the highest levels of exhaustion and emotional overwhelm." The SchoolPro TLC Safeguarding Team are there to provide support and you can contact them here

In preparation for the forthcoming Year 6 SATs the RISE Team are hosting a Raising Attainment Conference on Thursday 5 March 2026. Book your place here and we hope it helps you prep your pupils.

Educatering our school catering sponsor are leading the way across our region with their complete service to provide nutritious and exciting lunches with local food sources, and bespoke support to your Catering Teams. Contact the Team here 

We are still in the winter months (despite our hopes for an early spring) and we understand that supply teaching is a sometimes necessity for schools. Our sponsor Exeter Supply Partnership values their teachers and provides professional development to ensure skills are refreshed to boost and provide the best service to your School and Trust.  If you need any support you can contact them here

AND we are here to support you, and we wish you a fulfilling and happy onwards with the term - and in a few weeks' time, a restful Spring Half Term Break!   

Recent wellbeing surveys show that over three quarters of school staff feel stressed, with senior leaders reporting the highest levels of exhaustion and emotional overwhelm. Teaching Unions echo the same picture: almost 80% of leaders say their workload is unacceptable, and nearly nine in ten say they struggle to protect time for strategic leadership because urgent issues keep flooding in. Three quarters of school staff feel stressed, with senior leaders reporting the highest levels of exhaustion and emotional overwhelm. Teaching Unions echo the same picture: almost 80% of leaders say their workload is unacceptable, and nearly nine in ten say they struggle to protect time for strategic leadership because urgent issues keep flooding in.
 
Schools are managing a level of emotional and operational complexity that would have been unthinkable just years ago - safeguarding demand, behaviour escalation, emotionally exhausted families, stretched external services, and the expectation to “stay resilient” even when you are running on fumes.

This is where supervision comes in - not as a performance tool, but as a protected space to breathe, think, and be human for an hour. It is a moment to look after the part of you that holds everyone else together. Other high-pressure sectors have relied on supervision for decades because it helps people stay grounded, safe, and emotionally resourced. Education is only now starting to catch up.
 
We know from cross-sector studies that effective supervision reduces burnout and improves decision-making. It gives leaders structured reflection, emotional containment, and time to make sense of the hardest parts of the job. 

“If people could really understand engagement, where it comes from and what drives it,
I think we would see significant improvements in areas we traditionally measure, such as attendance, persistent absence and outcomes.”

Jess Easton is Director at The Engagement Platform (TEP), where she leads the insights work, supporting Schools, Trusts and Partners to understand how engagement shapes outcomes for pupils, employees and families.
 
Previously, as Director of CPD, Jess worked with hundreds of schools nationally and internationally to design and deliver professional development that makes a lasting impact in classrooms.
 
SWIFT member schools have the opportunity to work with TEP as an engagement monitoring platform and partnership, including training and ongoing support. Following the publication last week of new research on reading age and perceived control, we spoke to Jess to learn more about her role and the work of TEP. 

1. What personal skills and experience do you bring to your role as Director at The Engagement Platform (TEP)?
I am most proud of having spent over 15 years in education, beginning my career as a Secondary Teacher of Mathematics in 2010 and investing a great deal of time in developing my craft. I progressed through leadership roles, including Head of Department and School Improvement Lead across a trust, before becoming part of the group that founded White Rose Education.
 
In my role as Director of CPD, I found it incredibly empowering to support Schools, Trusts and teachers to deepen their pedagogical knowledge of Mathematics. However, one of the most important lessons I learned was that improving practice in classrooms only goes so far if the wider culture is not moving in the same direction.
 
Often, the limiting factors were not about pedagogy itself, but about culture, buy-in and shared direction across the organisation. That experience is what ultimately led me to TEP, where the focus is on understanding culture, engagement and the conditions that enable improvement to stick.
 
Both TEP and White Rose are deeply mission-led organisations, and that has stayed with me throughout my career. It is genuinely empowering to work with people who are committed to improving education for everyone.

2. What do you find to be most rewarding about working for TEP?
One of the things I have always enjoyed most is building networks and communities. TEP is about connecting people and amplifying the work of those doing incredible things in education.
 
The partnerships we build with schools and trusts, and the sense of community that develops through that work, is hugely rewarding. Hearing the stories of how organisations are using engagement insight to improve culture, buy-in, attendance and outcomes is what really drives us forward.
 
3. With TEP’s emphasis on rigorous research and trustworthy data, can you share an example of which
It might be helpful to start by explaining how we develop our question sets. Our Directors of Research, including Professor John Jerrim from UCL and the ImpactEd Group, draw directly on established research and psychometrically test each question after each of our census windows to ensure it is valid, reliable and meaningful to the sector. We are very deliberate about not asking questions that do not serve a clear purpose.
 
Over time, we refine and evolve these questions. For example, issues around safety have been explored in more depth recently because of how that data was behaving and because of its growing importance across the education sector. Seeing the question set respond to sector needs is incredibly powerful.
 
A good example of the impact of this approach comes from a Trust that joined TEP after running internal surveys using tools such as Google Forms. While those surveys were cost-effective, they did not allow leaders to understand how their results compared to the wider national picture.
 
The Trust believed they had a wellbeing and workload issue, as these scores appeared low in their internal survey. When they engaged with TEP, they discovered that while wellbeing and workload scores were lower relative to other internal drivers, they were actually above the national benchmark. Leadership and line management, however, were below benchmark, despite leaders believing this was a strength.
 
By benchmarking nationally and then drilling into contextualised data, the Trust realised that Middle Leaders in particular were struggling with buy-in to strategy. This prompted a shift in focus towards leadership culture and CPD, rather than continuing to invest heavily in wellbeing initiatives that were already performing well.
 
Uncovering and challenging those assumptions enabled the trust to target its resources more effectively and take a more strategic approach to cultural improvement.
 
4. How is working with Schools and Trusts through SWIFT’s offer benefiting your work at TEP?
We are really pleased to be working with SWIFT in partnership. It enables Schools and Trusts to understand not only the national picture, but also what is happening regionally.

In the South West, for example, TEP supports organisations to see where things are going well compared to national benchmarks and where there may be opportunities for improvement. That combination of reflection, challenge and context is incredibly powerful for leaders.
The region is also benefiting from growing momentum around engagement work in rural and coastal areas, where funding can be limited and insight is particularly valuable in targeting effort and resources effectively.

5. What is your greatest hope for improving engagement in schools and classrooms?
As a relatively young organisation founded post-COVID, my greatest hope for TEP is that engagement becomes better understood across the sector.

We break engagement down into emotional, cognitive and behavioural drivers, from wellbeing, inclusion and workload, to how people think about school and how they act within it. When leaders truly understand these drivers and where they are coming from, engagement becomes a powerful lever for improvement.

If we can help Schools and Trusts get to grips with engagement in this way, I believe we will see significant improvements in the outcomes we traditionally measure, such as attendance, persistent absence and attainment. Ultimately, my ambition is for engagement to be recognised as central to improving education across the sector.

We thank Jess for sharing her insights into engagement and the work of TEP.

Interview by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

We are pleased to bring you the next EVENTS issue with a featured article, highlighted programmes, courses and events from our delivery partners to support your professional development and enhance the work of your school.

Working Smarter Not Harder: Embracing AI with Mr P ICT (3 Sessions)
The course, led by Lee Parkinson (Mr P), will be packed full of ideas for how to enhance teaching and learning using technology with a focus on emerging AI technology. Find out more and book here
 
Highlighted Courses/Support:

• SWIFT Spring Leadership Forum
• TA Training: New to the role of Teaching Assistant
• Leadership Skills Training Day
• Fully Funded Opportunities from The MTPT Project
• Professional Communities 
• Primary and Secondary Subject Briefing
• EYFS & Primary Courses
• Secondary & Sixth Form Courses
• Other events for your diary
• Improving Oral Language Programme with Devon Research School

Happy new year!
We are pleased to start the year with good intentions and bring you the first UPDATE of 2026.

Whether or not you are a New Year's Resolutions afficionado, Executive Director Martin Smith shares his thinking and what he might say to his younger self in his past role as a Headteacher:

"Commit to being kind to yourself…” 
For example, remind yourself that you turn up each day committed to being the best leader you can be. 
Celebrate and cherish the small and everyday things: a pupil turning a corner as a learner, a parental act of kindness, an Early Career Teacher completing their first term..." 

Devon Research School (DRS) considers three things that schools can start to do about oral language ahead of the response from the Department for Education's to the Curriculum and Assessment review. Also look out for the DRS's Improving Oracy in Schools programme. Book here 

Keen to keeping you safe, with the increase in cyber-attacks to email accounts, our sponsor SchoolPro TLC share their top tips to be super vigilant and what to do if you suspect your staff email account is compromised. Contact them for a FREE consultation to explore how they could support you. Contact here

Nick Wakeling, Director of the Colyton Foundation is our January interviewee and may you enjoy finding out more about his work and vision for this important charity established to ensure that, for Young People in the South West, background is no barrier to flourishing at school, attaining highly and progressing to higher education.

We are pleased to work with the The MaternityPaternity Project (MTPT) to support returning parents to teaching after parental leave. You can read about last year's engagement in their recently published report and sign-up for their training and workshops this year (see page 2). 

As part of our ongoing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) work, the SWIFT Central Teams recently boosted their awareness with training from the Belonging Effect on Cultivating a Culture of Belonging for All. You can read some of the highlights in this issue. 
 
With Census Day on the horizon on Thursday 15 January 2026, our sponsor Educatering is standing by to assist schools across the South West gearing up to ensure pupils enjoy their school lunch and help maximise vital funding allocations. This is a statutory data collection that provides the Department for Education and Local Authorities with key information on pupil numbers, free school meal eligibility and school dinner uptake, all of which drive decisions about school funding for the coming year. It is particularly important for primary schools. Contact here

Understanding January can bring fresh planning and a clearer idea of the support your school and nursery might need, you can check in with our sponsor Exeter Supply Partnership if you are exploring supply options for the term ahead. Contact here

Remember to book for the CODE Maths Hub Conference on Thursday 28 February 2026 with keynotes, Lee Elliot Major, Professor of Social Mobility at the University of Exeter and Sue Johnston-Wilder, Associate Professor at the Centre for Education Studies at the University of Warwick. Book here

We hope like us, you are looking forward to the year ahead and we are excited about supporting you with our programme delivery and professional development offer.

Wishing you a productive end to the first week back!  

“I hope the sense of a regional movement to support under-resourced pupils will have gathered further momentum, and that the Colyton Foundation will have become a ‘go-to’ hub for all schools and other organisations looking to support higher attainers & HE progression within the region.”

Nick Wakeling is Director of Studies at Colyton Grammar School, and Director of the Colyton Foundation, a charity established to ensure that, for Young People in the South West, background is no barrier to flourishing at school, attaining highly and progressing to higher education. 
 
We were pleased to interview Nick to find out more about his work for the Colyton Foundation. 

1. How does your position as Director of the Colyton Foundation draw on your qualities and aptitudes?
The Colyton Foundation exists as a charity to support schools and pupils in the South West to make sure that students - particularly those from under-resourced backgrounds - are able to attain highly and access higher education. My background as a teacher with 15 years’ experience in different schools, has been very helpful in terms of understanding schools as institutions.  The way schools work, the challenges that teachers and school leaders must deal with every day and in particular, working at Colyton Grammar School for eight years, I have gained an understanding of what academically able students need to thrive and succeed.
 
This experience is combined with another huge influence on me personally from taking part in the SW100 Programme run by the Reach Foundation. In conjunction with lots of other schools and Trusts in the South West this provided me with fantastic opportunities to visit incredible schools and to hear from national experts who are doing great things to supporting disadvantaged and under-resourced students to flourish. Drawing on this experience and national expertise in visiting some inspiring schools has played a big part in the development of the Colyton Foundation.

However, what is slightly different about my role with the Colyton Foundation from my previous experience in schools is leading a charity that has grown from nothing. It feels more entrepreneurial in some ways compared to my first experiences as a teacher in terms of forging partnerships, bringing together different organisations, and scaling up an idea to something that is having an impact on the ground, and drawing on a different creative skill set. It has been fun, but also challenging, because there is no safety net of existing systems and institutions to draw upon.

As for my qualities, I would say perseverance and determination, and the ability to have a long-term vision and to put together into a strategic plan in order to get to where we wish to be.
 
2. What have you found to be the most personally rewarding in your role to date?
Following on from question 1 above, it has been most personally rewarding to take something from an idea to a reality. We are now at the point where the programmes are designed are now fully up and running.
 
We have yet to experience this moment, but we will shortly reach a hugely significant milestone when our cohort of 130 Year 7 pupils from 32 different schools across the South West physically come together for the two employer visits organised later this month to Leonardo Helicopters and Spaceport Cornwall. This will be a very special moment because the programme is all about bringing together those students and creating that sense of shared belief and a cohort identity, connecting the students and schools. Previously, we brought the cohort together remotely at the launch event back in October. It was wonderful to see all the students there in their schools waving to each other, supported by their parents, teachers and senior leaders. This brought home that project was up and running. It was real and reaching the students that we want to help access to opportunity. When we are together in person, I imagine it will be even more powerful.
 
Another particularly striking moment was our study visit for senior leaders in November to the University of Cambridge and two high performing schools in London. It was very rewarding to spend time with leaders from schools across the South West who so obviously share a commitment to supporting their students to achieve as highly as possible. It was hugely affirming to spend time in their company and hearing their reflections, for example when visiting Cambridge, commenting how the students were both hugely impressive, and on another level, no different from students in their schools in the South West, who can absolutely achieve the same things.
 
3. What insights are you gaining from working with various partners?
A huge amount!
Our model is fundamentally collaborative: it’s about bringing together organisations with shared goals to pool expertise and resources.  Our work can be so much powerful when we pull together.
 
Our partner universities, for example, are very experienced in widening participation and how to support students at the application stage of the university application process, and this advice and guidance have been hugely valuable.
 
Our partner schools have a highly nuanced understanding of the South West context and specific challenges facing their communities – often linked to rural and coastal isolation. Bringing together these first-hand lived experiences with the university perspective has been very powerful.

Finally, working with SWIFT has been incredibly helpful (and I am not only saying that because I am the January interviewee!). The experience and expertise of all the wonderful SWIFT colleagues in designing programmes at scale for teacher professional development has been instrumental as we have started to get our programmes up and running.

4. What would you wish “a regional centre of excellence for high attainment” to look like?
Our vision is for the South West of England to be seen in the same way as the areas of London – the Borough of Newham is one particularly striking example – which have transformed school outcomes, HE progression and other opportunities for under-resourced young people over the last 10 to 15 years.
 
The context in the South West is very different, with different challenges, but there is no reason that, through the collective effort of schools, universities and the Third Sector, we can’t develop a similarly transformational model. On the one hand, it is about improving school outcomes and progression rates. But it is also about creating that powerful network of organisations and schools with a shared commitment to ensuring all young people from the region can access opportunity.
 
Sadly, there are not many rural areas where these efforts have been successful, and that is why our partnership work at the Colyton Foundation is all the more important and exciting. We have interest from the Department of Education from HE partners looking at our work as a potential model to be replicated and repeated in other areas with similar demographic contexts. I am hopeful the South West can become a model and inspiration for other areas of the country facing similar challenges can help young people to flourish.
 
5. What are your top three aspirations for the Foundation over the next five years?
In five years’ time, “Your Future Story” will have been running for five years, and will have supported 500+ children. Our pathfinder cohort, who have started the programme this year, they will have taken their GCSEs and we will look forward to seeing the impact of the programme on their outcomes, and in our partner schools more widely.
 
I hope the sense of a regional movement to support under-resourced pupils will have gathered further momentum, and that the Colyton Foundation will have become a ‘go-to’ hub for all schools and other organisations looking to support higher attainers and HE progression within the region.

Our work with “Your Future Story” work, which starts support at Year 7 and runs throughout secondary school will, I hope, have fully connected with our partnerships with Atom Learning offering attainment support to all FSM & PP pupils in primary schools, and the support we offer Sixth Forms in the region with applications to the most competitive university courses, to see outcomes for young people in the region improve in all these areas.
 
In other words, there is lots of look forward to over the next five years and every moment will count!
 
We thank Nick for sharing his passion and vision for the Colyton Foundation.
Interview by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant 

We are pleased to share with you the latest Laurel Trust newsletter.

The Laurel Trust's Winter Update is a truly informative read, with articles from two project leaders and the lasting impact that their collaboration has had in the community.

The article by Professor Jo Van Herwegan from the Institute of Education at University College London, tells of the meta-study she has undertaken into effective classroom practice and the MetaSENse database she and the team have developed. Information is shared about each intervention and goals, who it is designed to help, what the evidence says, how well it works and links to relevant resources.
 
Look out for the next round of Laurel Trust funding opportunities towards the end of next term.


The Laurel Trust is a charity with a track record of supporting schools serving disadvantaged communities to make sustainable differences to children’s learning and life chances. They provide grant-funding and work together with schools and other agencies to put evidence informed research into practice. 

We are pleased to bring you the next EVENTS issue with a featured article, highlighted programmes, courses and events from our delivery partners to support your professional development and enhance the work of your school.

SWIFT Spring Leadership Forum
Harry Fletcher-Wood will be presenting on How to Improve Teaching who will be looking at why it is hard to improve teaching, and what teachers, leaders, and schools can do to make it easier. 
Plus, there is an introduction to the CODE Maths Hub by Hub Lead, Laura Clitheroe, and a foreword about SWIFT by Martin Smith, Executive Director. Find out more and book here
 
Highlighted Courses/Support:

• SWIFT Secondary Leadership Professional Community
• Supporting Learners with Extreme Anxiety and Demand Avoidance
• Working Smarter Not Harder: Embracing AI with Mr P ICT (three sessions)
• Fully-Funded Opportunities from The MTPT Project
• Professional Communities

• Primary and Secondary Subject Briefing
• EYFS & Primary Courses
• Secondary & Sixth Form Courses
• Improving Oral Language Programme with Devon Research School
• Other events for your diary

Now live it's the final UPDATE of 2025 and our ruby edition.

To start us off, Executive Director Martin Smith aptly considers "the collective goodwill that exists within the profession around supporting one another to develop" - not least in our role as Teaching School Hubs. Plus a special Happy Christmas message and a reminder of all the lovely aspects of being a teacher and leader at this time of year.

It is proving to be very popular, so remember to sign-up for the Spring Leadership Forum in January with keynote speaker Harry Fletcher-Wood presenting on improving teaching, an intro to the CODE Maths Hub with Laura Clitheroe and a foreword by Martin.

Thinking about understanding engagement amongst low-income White children in England’s schools, you can find out more in the report by The Engagement Platform with some suggested support ideas. Read up too on the latest webinar led by the South West English Hubs on the Department for Education's Writing Framework published earlier this year.

Keeping it relevant, there is more guidance from the Education Endowment Foundation on Metacognition and self-regulated learning from Devon Research School. Equip yourself with the three new classroom tools to support you putting the evidence into practice.

If you are looking to refine your timetabling tools, our sponsor SchoolPro TLC share their year-round timetabling approach to strengthening this essential work within school and they are available to support you if you need that helping hand.

Faye Steele, our Senior Administrator for the SWIFT Appropriate Body Service is our December interviewee and how good it is to know that she is at the helm for this integral service with her “relentless unwavering determination to procure the information we need on time and to meet our deadlines and tracking.” We are only as good as our staff and systems!
 
If you are deliberating about taking the bold step to change your contracted catering to in-house, read on as our sponsor Educatering share all the benefits of keeping your own kitchen staff, behind-the-scenes support, compliance and allergen management, staff training, bespoke menu development - and SO much more that makes sense for a fully supported service.  

Looking ahead to January, if you need any teacher cover, our sponsor Exeter Supply Partnership remind us why not all supply services are the same and the benefits of working with them. For a start, this not-for-profit organisation with true heart puts people first - and that means supporting local schools and teachers.

We are nearing the shortest day and if you need a reading boost, remember to check out Mr T’s instructional series (AKA Christopher Tribble, Headteacher at Honiton Primary School). We like an edifying read!

We are glad to work with you, support you and hope that you will end the Autumn Term on an uplifting note with the end of term Christmas celebrations.

See you in 2026! 

Following the release of The Writing Framework, English Hubs are delivering a series of webinars specifically aimed at school leaders and teachers to ensure an understanding of the importance of writing, the key messages, and expectations for writing over the next academic year, and to help planning the next steps in their school.

The third webinar in the series last week looked at the Importance of Reception for English Leads and Early Years teachers with Vanessa Morley and Michael Kimber from the Kernow and Cornerstone English Hubs hosting the session on behalf of the South West English Hubs.

The Writing Framework was published by the Department for Education in July this year and outlines a common approach to teaching writing based on evidence and existing good practice.
 
“All our children should be successful writers able to share their ideas confidently and articulately. Enabling children to write clearly and well is critical to success both at school and beyond.”
(Foreword by the Secretary of State for Education)
 
The Framework is non-statutory guidance intended to ensure Reception children have the best possible start, feel included in a strong whole school writing culture and start to feel like writers, finding joy in communicating and writing, encouraged to enjoy writing and to experience what it is like to write.

Following a significant drop in writing skills during the pandemic, writing is at its lowest at Early Years Foundation Stage since 2022.

The key objective of the Framework is to help schools meet the expectations set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework and the National Curriculum, and it also aligns with Ofsted’s Education Inspection Framework and the Reading Framework.
 
The Government’s Plan for Change has set a milestone for 75% of children to reach a Good Level of Development (GLD) at the end of Reception by 2028.

The Writing Framework is a national priority with support to schools from the RISE Teams.  There is also further support around this area available to schools for free through the National English Hubs from September 2026.
 
It is essential to build on the writing foundation in Reception to underpin children’s skills by the end of Key Stage 2 SATs. Building on foundations for success will help to build a strong writing culture and a community of writers with positive implications later in children’s schooling and GCSE Language success.

The webinar discussed how all children should be supported to with daily teaching to support their writing journey including letter formation and spelling instruction in phonics as well as time to ensure all children have explicit handwriting instruction in addition to this daily lesson.  Phonics teaches letters in an order that will generate the most words and handwriting teaches letters in groups of letters with a similar formation.
 
The Writing Framework encourages teachers to:
 
1. Foster a love of language through shared reading, storytelling, learning and repetition of rhymes, poems and songs.
2. Create opportunities for expressing thoughts and ideas.
3. Encourage high-quality interactions between children and adults.
4. Model high-quality language and echo what children say.
5. Question sensitively. 

“The most successful schools teach the two distinct parts of writing – oral composition and transcription – separately in the early stages.” (Ofsted)
 
Whilst children are developing their ability to form letters and spell in Reception, the majority of composition will be oral, and there needs to be lots of practice in how to compose simple sentences orally. Children should be supported in how to make links between talking and writing to say out loud what they wish to write, or else they are unlikely to be able to write it.

Teaching needs to be explicit in how to compose sentences regularly and consistently all of which should not be rushed; but with opportunity to practise for oral rehearsal. The key is to keep it simple, thinking about developing quality rather than quantity.
 
Writing is complex and it involves motor and cognitive skills.  This can be a challenge for young children in the classroom. The physical development of writing should be supported in how children develop motor skills that underpin writing to develop consistent routines for handwriting in a considered way.
 
Writing can also be encouraged during play. For example, writing menu cards in play kitchens, labelling instructions and activities that support the physicality of writing.

The Writing Framework encourages teachers to be ambitious for all pupils including those identified for SEND and every child should receive and be included in writing instruction.
​
For children who find writing difficult, teachers need to identify and respond to their strengths and difficulties, and it is important that the teacher observes the children’s techniques and spots any errors and then plans on how to close this gap.
 
Success builds motivation and self-motivation is vital to build in every child.  Schools are encouraged to have consistently high expectations and to identify the needs in their own school. 

The English Hubs will be delivering another three Writing Framework webinars in the Spring Term. 
Webinar 4 will be looking further at transcription, Webinar 5 will explore Composition and the final Webinar 6 will be focusing on Pupils Who Need the Most Support. 

​All six webinars are being recorded and schools can access these through their local English Hub for free.

Report by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant