 “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” (Henry Ford) This time last week, it was lift-off for the SWIFT 2024 Summer Conference at the new venue of the Future Skills Centre in Exeter. Hosted by Executive Director, Martin Director and Jen Knowles, Director of Teaching School Hubs, delegates fastened their seatbelts for what was to be a supersonic day. Education South West (ESW) CEO, Matthew Shanks’ welcome set the tone for the conference in considering the current challenges and key themes for schools and leaders - with a call to action for collaboration across schools in the South West. “Our job is to help every single child.” Matthew reflected how alas, the system is not currently built for collaboration due to disincentivizing league tables and a lack of support and funding for children’s services. However, with ESW the lead Trust for the Kingsbridge Teaching School Hub, Matthew echoed the SWIFT ethos of selfless collaboration that helps to make a better society and fulfils our vision of creating high-quality opportunities for staff to learn, develop and connect. So that all children, especially the disadvantaged, achieve the best educational outcomes. After the fantastic first three years as Teaching School Hubs, the statistics are splendid to behold. 3,295 teachers and leaders have engaged in over 80,000 hours of training with SWIFT that importantly, practicably, and hearteningly has a direct impact on the quality of education and lives of young people in South West schools. And the good news is that SWIFT is committed to building on this successful support.   On that stirring note, the first keynote speaker took to the stage. Presenting on “Why nice isn’t working: why relational currency supports positive behaviour,” teacher, behaviour specialist, author, education reformer and advisor, Paul Dix began by sharing his own experience as a 24-year-old teacher. Re-living the case of the humbling home visit to his pupil, Robert; Paul recounted the discovery of his positive notes that Robert had previously crumpled up (and Paul assumed to have been thrown away) and yet were pinned-up on Robert’s bedroom wall, in an otherwise nearly empty home. Heart-rendering. In a talk that was entertaining and energising with visual props, Paul highlighted the importance of relationships being predictable, systematic, consistent and habitual. Think of the primary children who slipped happily into the habit of shaking the hand of their teacher every morning on arrival into class and who were disappointed when she suddenly stopped this hands-on habit. Such was this happy habit, even parents came into school to shake the teacher’s hand as well. Relational practice begins with the easy actions. The positive noticing, in a pure and nuanced way and it is this emotional currency that leads to trusting relationships. “There’s no teacher in the world who doesn’t know the power of positive noticing.”  In an endearing peer-to-peer relationship-building story, Paul shared the example of the school who gave all their Year 8 pupils a brown postal label. With echoes of much-loved national treasure, Paddington Bear, the pupils were all invited to write something nice about each other on the label, which they then swapped and tied onto their bag or tie. Instead of teen uneasiness, these positive peer labels stayed visibly tied on for a long time. Get your labels ready, and make a date in your diary on Wednesday 13 November 2024 for Positive Noticing Day to celebrate in your schools and organisations. By looking at the behaviour of adults first, this starts the change. It can be hard work to do the right thing and some people might prefer the easier route. But as Paul reminded us, it is the children who suffer when adults take the easy route and ultimately, scripted intervention does not work. Clear away the bindweed! Remember the leadership gauge of what you are doing, the why and the priorities. Paul invited delegates to consider three behaviours that work with children and the suggestions were uplifting. Smiling, clarity, resetting, listening, curiosity, emotional acceleration. Hands kept popping up. Be ready, respectful and safe and know that consistency is worth fighting for and understand how you define this consistency. Knowing adults will listen and knowing there will be a positive response is essential. In terms of implementing relational practice and bringing the whole school together, Paul compared the tortoise and the hare leaders. The hare leaders could lead a two-minutes pupil spotlight in staff meetings where colleagues with the best knowledge present a 360 view on individual pupils to provide and show how the child learns best and gather strategies from other members of staff. A bank of small spotlights builds up, and is a practical way before going into the classroom to equip all teachers with strategies, even if they do not teach a specific child, it helps to build relational practice across the school.  Another top tip was the use of termly Threads that state three rules to start a whole school conversation to encourage commitment from both staff and students, that builds each half term on the previous Thread. In a memorable film clip, Paul showed the young football team standing stoically in the rain and how one-by-one in an image of wraparound love and care, each teacher put their own jacket around the child in front of them to protect them from the rain. Back to the hare and the tortoise, the slower of the duo builds their knowledge before making changes, with high-quality flexible training and then drip feeds strategies each half term. In other words, there is a place for both the hare and tortoise.  SWIFT works with select sponsors who provide a range of educational services to help boost our high-quality professional development offer to schools. As the first of the two conference sponsors, Vice President, Matt Tiplin introduced ONVU Learning: deep thinkers of teaching and learning translated into classroom technology. Teachers are empowered to review their own practice to provide a better methodology by outcome and with his own story as a past teacher, Matt invited the audience to remember a good teacher from their own life. Find out more about ONVU Learning at the FREE Excellent Teachers Create Excellent Memories webinar on Thursday 11 July 2024 from 0830 – 0900.  Delegates could then choose one of two morning breakout sessions. Associate Professor at the University of Warwick, Institute for Employment Research (IER) and Founding Director of CareerChat (UK) Ltd, Deirdre Hughes OBE led the session on “Leading with Vision: transforming education for tomorrow’s workforce.” Leadership, is an opportunity to make a difference as transformational leadership. Even if there is no single way to transform the educational system, it is a line of sight to work. Otherwise, divisions can widen. Deirdre encouraged leaders to find the value in understanding the relevance of education in our fast-changing world of work with spiralling issues, such as multiculturalism and wellbeing. Find personal development for decisions and pathways and changing attitudes to the workforce for life-long learning and ways to inspire amidst the uncertainty and change. Learn collaboratively with a commitment to projects and how to develop skills for the future.
Consider changes to relaxing the curriculum to foster flexibility and see the relevance of learning. With her background expertise in career guidance, Deirdre noted the value of rooting career development into the curriculum and bringing employers into the classroom. Education is no longer only about didactic teaching; but rather about learning through collaborative, experimental, and community-based projects that address issues about which students care deeply. There is a need for places and spaces where parents see the relevance and want to help the children in their care and to personalise the learning experience with digital tech. But what can AI do for us to help us to do together?  “The need for education is to prioritise what it means to be human.” Find out about CareerChat (uk) at the FREE Intelligence Revolution and How We Can Help Young People Prepare for a Transformed World of Work webinar on Thursday 4 July 2024 from 1400 – 1530.  Former Chair of Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, and author of “The Mentally Healthy Schools Workbook,” Dr Pooky Knightsmith led the other breakout session on “A Whole School Approach to Mental Health.” Pooky outlined the following six areas of focus in schools with lots of helpful tips and invited the audience to consider where they fit on a scale of 1-10: 1. Staff are Happy and Healthy If schools do not get it right for staff, it is challenging to get it right for children and community. Leaders are role models and look after themselves first as children learn from what they see adults seeing and doing and sustainable change must have staff at its heart. Happy staff feel heard: their opinions matter, whatever their background and diversity. Happy staff are mentally and physically healthy. Think about small changes to ensure staff get fresh air, access to healthy food, have time to eat. Think how you acknowledge teachers' workload. Mastery is every member of staff turning up to do their job and do it well, which in turns supports their wellbeing. Passion will make the difference in our job and help to connect with colleagues. Look beyond Ofsted and ticking boxes. 2. Our Setting Feels Safe and Welcoming The biggest difference to support a child is a calm adult. Meet children with a smile. Walk through your school in the shoes of a stranger and be honest about all the things you see/feel/hear/smell. Children need to know their school is safe place. Make your school a calm environment that meets the needs of neuro-divergent children. Be predictable. Meet the needs of all children and look out for the quiet students too. Be brave to share when things do not go quite right. Be an authentic and brave leader.
3. Every Learner Feels Heard Think how you hear the quiet voices and the angry voices. Think about inclusion and diversity and any groups who are missed out. Think how you listen and how to help those children who are reluctant to put their hands up. 4. We Recognise and Support Our Most Vulnerable Learners Work with the child, not for them. Hear their ideas and think how you can support them. Quality first teaching. Think how you get your classroom to be engaging, exciting and accessible for all learners and what universal approaches can be in place. All staff ‘keep a child in mind’ on rotation and ensure each child has at least one trusted adult. Let them choose and be led by them. 5. Families Positively Engage Parenting is hard. Have high expectations of parents and if they do not live up to them, question what we are doing that is letting them down. Make sure you use their time well. Be approachable: see parents as people and humans. Use their names, ask connecting questions, share good news with homes not used to hearing it. Think what you can do tomorrow to make a difference. 6. Help is Sought When Needed Show children there are no barriers. Celebrate and role model help -seeking and problem solving.   Educational journalist, former teacher, and co-founder of Teacher Tapp, Laura McInerney presented the next keynote on “Education Trends.” It was Laura’s form tutor and Teacher of French, Miss Watson who inspired her to become a teacher; noting that the best teacher gets you an A*, even when you do not necessarily like the subject. It was Miss Watson who brought a newspaper article into school on Laura’s favourite author, Terry Pratchett and her positive noticing made Laura want to be a Miss Watson - and she has followed her example ever since in always wearing a jacket. Ten years ago, Laura’s yellow jacket (plus yellow six-inch heels) had a special outing when she was taken to court by Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings for being "vexatious" about a Freedom of Information Act request on the hot topic of free schools. (A longer and highly entertaining court case story cut short, it ended well for Laura). Teacher Tapp came about from Laura’s editorials in Schools Week based on discussions on a minority of teachers and schools. In 2017, Laura combined forces with Professor Becky Allen who wanted to survey teachers to gather data and the dynamic duo created the highly popular and successful Teacher Tapp. Signed-up teachers are sent daily questions that gather data and help to stop misinformation and spot trends. One of the most controversial questions, would you believe, is whether the school provides free tea, coffee and milk.  Turning to another popular conversation topic for us all, the weather, Laura related her own experiences of living in Michigan, part of Tornado Alley. Unlike the UK, where the weather stops play, and people get angry, in the USA, everyone stays at home and does not get angry. The same could be said of reactions to education policy. When the weather turns stormy, we need to change the response, and seek shelter until it has passed. There is no point shouting! With her evident instincts for spotting trends, Laura considered some of the big challenges in education with simple causes.  Consider recruitment and retention as a familiar educational trend. Teaching is not any less good, but there are basic challenges. Fewer 22-year-olds are joining the profession, and are not offsetting those exiting the workforce. Hence lots of squeezing on teacher numbers. Consider the high number of 12 – 13-year-olds coming through to secondary, and increasing pressures on schools with increasing behaviour issues and levels of complexity. Whereas at primary, pupil numbers are falling over the next 10 years. The recruitment of Teaching Assistants, Receptionists and other administrative staff needs a re-think due to societal progress. To date, these low-paying roles have been taken by women who needed term-time work. But as the employment market is changing, this trend is also changing as there is more career choice. Vexatious complaints about schools are rising because there are more children, medical advances, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) have been de-stigmatised and Local Authorities have been given responsibility for 19 – 25-year-olds. There has been the shift in parental expectations from this educated parent group with a louder outcry. Schools cannot change this, but need to have the response and robust communications and complaints processes in place.  Looking to the future, Laura looked to the past and reflected on former Education Secretary, George Tomlinson in post after World War II from 1948 and 1951. Facing bombed schools, a high baby boom in 1946 and no university graduates in his inbox, he made the decision to raise the school leaving age. It was considered outrageous. Not least from an Education Secretary who had not attended secondary school. However, it was a timely reminder to us all with the shared purpose to provide an education for all children and young people. The metaphorical tornadoes are coming, and it is for schools to try and work out the response.
After that insightful weather warning, SWIFT Delivery Partner at Tarka Trust, Andy Ogden introduced the benefits of SWIFT Membership and highlighted the value of professional development as an investment in staff and the school. Further to the questionnaire to schools at the end of last year, in the next school year, new programmes on offer will be directly related to feedback from colleagues. New Professional Communities will be an opportunity for teachers to access a network in their phase/subject to support their development. Paul Dix and Tara Ellie will also be leading a session on “When the Adults Change – Behaviours Change.”  Looking to support teacher recruitment within the South West, this year, SWIFT has been working with Exeter Consortium/South West Teacher Training, Plymouth Marjon University, SWIFT Teacher Training and the University of Exeter on an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Area Strategy. The initiative requires all Teaching School Hubs (TSHs) to deliver new strategic roles to support local ITT delivery across their area as an important regional role working with schools and accredited ITT providers to understand the local market, context and challenges. TSHs can also offer information and support to schools who wish to engage in ITT for the first time or to increase their engagement in ITT. Led by the ITT Strategy Team, Andy Ogden, Fiona Bosley and Matthew Wharf who are working together to develop a collaborative ITT Strategy to support the next generation of teachers.
This year SWIFT has been evolving our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) endeavours so that it is intentional and integral to all that we do. Further to an advert to schools and partners earlier in the year appealing for volunteers from all backgrounds who wished to connect their experience and enthusiasm for DEI, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Partnership Group was born. Krisha Gandhi, Caroline Leigh and Tom Pether attended from the Group and shared how their work is shaping up.  The trio shared their own stories as a person of colour, a working mother and a white middle class male and encouraged the audience to think about their own school cultures and any unconscious bias. Through their Theory of Change the Group intend to share best practice and research, provide relevant and inclusive training and proactively listen to diverse viewpoints across our region to foster a sense of belonging that will be felt by our communities and there will be supportive connections, sustainable choices and opportunities for all.  If you would like to find out more and/or get involved, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Partnership Group would like to hear from you. Our very own Roger Dimbleby (Pope) led Question Time with questions including what priorities would panellists propose for the new Education Secretary on Friday 5 July 2024; what would creativity in the curriculum look like, and whether there is a future for written exams (expanded to writing in schools). The final question: What gives you optimism for the future of education, certainly maintained the momentum of the conference with panellists celebrating schools and Trusts coming together to work through challenges, schools as relational places, overcommunicating the positives messages, sharing joy, talking to families and believing in staff who care.  Continuing the caring theme, second conference sponsor, Goosemoor Educatering, Head of Educatering, Rob Stevens whet our appetites for the lunch feast that was the follow with an introduction to their bespoke food service for schools. Rob told how he was leading an onboarding session at a school and a child asked her mother if the food tasting was free. Speaking from the heart, Rob shared his pride in how good food makes a difference to all families and knowing children are going home “with full bellies.” Not dissimilarly, conference delegates were to go home having eaten a delicious lunch and we are grateful to Goosemoor Educatering for a feast.  The first of the afternoon breakout sessions was led by Chief Executive, Paul James and Director of Inclusion, Katherine Walsh at the River Learning Trust on “Leading Inclusion: What works?” The River Learning Trust spans big secondary schools to small primary schools in a high pupil premium area with complex learning and disability needs. The Trust have aligned autonomy, but are not “a cookie cutter Trust” as that would not be a good fit for the diversity of their schools.  Paul's first top tip would be the immediate appointment of a Director of Inclusion as the impact for their Trust over three years has been immense, and working on six key areas.   An increasing number of children have special needs. 52% who have EHCPs are in mainstream education, and year-on-year there is a 1% increase of children with SEND in mainstream schools. This brings inevitable challenges. It is important firstly, to boost staff confidence and to support teachers to develop this confidence and secondly, to distribute leadership as the SENDCO cannot be the font of all knowledge. Rather than the SENCO leading all parent meetings, the Form Tutors can also lead and who has a holistic overview of the child and consider how Teaching Assistants are deployed. The Trust have an Inclusion Strategy that is built on knowing schools well and understanding the school context. The Education Endowment Foundation makes the following five key recommendations to meet the needs of children with SEND: 1. Create a positive and supportive environment for all pupils without exception. 2. Build an ongoing, holistic understanding of your pupils and their needs. 3. Ensure all pupils have access to high quality teaching. 4. Complement high quality teaching with carefully selected small-group and one-to-one interventions. 5. Work effectively with Teaching Assistants.
There is no magic SENDCO tree. We have to make it a motivating, engaging and wonderful job as a role that can make a huge difference. SENDCOS can move into Headship as SEND runs through all we do.
Be prepared to do things differently. Walk into lessons and think ‘which child is this lesson not working for.’  The second afternoon breakout session was led by CEO of The Woodland Academy Trust, Nav Sanghara on “The Art of Compassionate Leadership.” “It is important to be a kind leader. But it is also important to focus on execution and do hard things. This is about how to do hard things in a human way.” (Raasmus Houggard) In a talk that was infused with wise and wonderful mantras, Nav considered what compassionate leadership looks like. Leaders need to be kind to themselves in the first instance so that they bring energy into their leadership. There is value in knowing and overcommunicating your purpose and redefining and re-evaluating this purpose. With a calm tried and tested wisdom, Nav encouraged leaders to have a core principle and to live by your values that drives actions and decision-making and connects with your organisation. Model these values to children and staff. “Who we are is who we lead.” Psychologically safe teams have real and open conversations. Build one culture and trust together with equity and collaboration and understand the shared vision as a promise to staff and children.  It is not always possible to be excited and energised, but good habits can help to live life better. Challenge is to be celebrated and accepted and establish good structures and systems to provide time to pause and respond. As a clarion call for the conference, Nav highlighted how true belonging is where space is created to come as you are and celebrating others to do the same and to see the good in others in your community. To demonstrate a living example of compassionate leadership, Nav shared a video from the School Under the Bridge in Delhi founded by Rajesh Kumar for children from poor families who cannot afford to send them to school. Seeing is believing.   The final keynote speaker was to end the conference on a moving high. For nine years Chris Lubbe was Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard after a chance meeting and a five-minute interview, followed by a gruelling six months training with the SAS. Speaking on “My Journey from Apartheid to Truth and Reconciliation,” the audience listened intently as Chris shared his first-hand story of working closely with the revered Nelson Mandela. It was a way for us to feel close to the brave leader who devoted his life to bring apartheid to an end in 1994. Chris spoke with a heart-stopping serenity bringing to life the Nelson who did not believe in black and white; who showed no anger for his imprisonment and maltreatment; but with an enduring charisma and belief in forgiveness as the key to freedom, he reached out to bring everyone together. As his boss and mentor, Chris recounted how Nelson once told him to write down all the angry things in his heart and then told him to put the pieces of paper onto the fire to burn.  Describing his own upbringing in a shanty town, finding thrown-away books to read in the local dump, the two-tier education system and segregated beaches with demeaning signage to match. The stories flowed with a serenity that comes from an inner peace perhaps, and the courageous re-telling. Yet the horrors of the police still sent shivers down our spines. Eight-year-old Chris witnessed the shocking treatment of his diabetic mother taken ill on the bus and pushed off a WHITES ONLY bench by the police that led to three months in hospital in a coma and a long recovery. As a child, Chris bought a map of the world and once a month he wrote to world leaders to ask for their help – including our very own late Queen. Chris was angry, but wanted to do something to inspire peaceful change. As a young man, alongside anti-apartheid and human rights activist, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chris stood tall as a peaceful protester, even when it led to arrests and imprisonment and torture. Terrible times. Fast forward to working for Nelson, there were however, moments of glamour. Chris met many celebrities during his time with Nelson – including the Spice Girls who were most miffed when Chris pretended not to know who they were (on the advice of his boss!). But it was at a dinner with the Queen that reminded me of many of the values shared at the conference of hope, compassion and collaboration. A silver platter was presented to Chris. Inside, the envelope was another envelope and inside that envelope was Chris's letter to the Queen that he had written as a boy. A faithful letter writer, the Queen had replied to him, as well as writing regularly to other world leaders for their support. The South African authorities had obviously intercepted her reply to Chris that he never received until that grateful moment all those years later.
To a standing ovation, Chris ended the 2024 Summer Conference on a note of hope, forgiveness and togetherness. Nelson Mandela used to say that words are important. But with his humour and humility, like toothpaste, he said, you cannot put them back into the tube. So, choose your words carefully. “We must never remain silent.” Yet words fail me to convey how uplifting it was to be present in that moment.  To echo the warmth that enthused our SWIFT 2024 Summer Conference, we thank all our speakers for their thoughtful presentations and for bringing a meaningful momentum. We also thank our delegates for making time and for sharing in the event with us. A grateful thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors: BCR Associates, CiCI Empowering Careers, Goosemoor Educatering, InVentry, Nasen, ONVU Learning and PHP Law for attending the day and spending time speaking to our delegates about their products and services that add value to schools and thank you to Conferences Southwest for their organisation. Finally, we thank Mark Drew and Robin Scott from our partner, Exeter Consortium Schools' Alliance, for their excellent conference administration and making it all work so well. Report by Jude Owens, SWIFT Executive Assistant
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