Thinking about inspiring and relevant issues of the day, we have a motivating line-up of speakers.
We encourage you to take a closer look at the flyer below.

Artificial Intelligence | Trust Leadership | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Pupil, Parent and Staff Engagement | Regions Group and more.

• Spend the day networking in-person with like-minded colleagues.
• Refresh your thinking with professional development that counts.
• Take time out of your normal routine.
• Enjoy lunch provided by local catering gurus, Goosemoor Educatering.
• Be part of the conversation.

 Ticket price | SWIFT Members £100 and Other Colleagues £150.
#SWIFTConf25 

We thank our Sponsors/Exhibitors | 1-2-1 Learning, Exeter Supply Partnership, Goosemoor Educatering, ONVU Learning and SchoolPro TLC. ​

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

SWIFT Summer Conference 2025
We are delighted to invite you to the SWIFT Summer Conference 2025 (#SWIFTConf25).
A premier event dedicated to empowering educators, fostering innovation and driving excellence in education.

Taking place on Thursday 19 June 2025 at the Future Skills Centre in Exeter, this year's conference promises to be an inspiring and enriching experience for all attendees.
 
Highlighted Courses/Support:

• SWIFT New Horizons Leadership Event
• Early Years Moderation (Exeter)
• Key Stage 1 Cross-School Writing Moderation
• Talk for Writing Showcase Open Morning
• FREE Support for Pupil Premium Key Stage 2 Pupils
• Professional Communities

• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• Events for your diary ​

With the promise of spring and hope in the air, we are pleased to bring you this March UPDATE.

True to this spirit, Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE considers professional generosity following the LSSW Connect study visit last week to Court Fields and The Castle Schools, part of the Blackdown Education Partnership Multi Academy Trust. Not least in the context of other examples of leadership on the international stage. 

"Both the schools and Trust build their culture on the relationships they build: whether with pupils, staff, parents or communities. Warmth and kindness, with of course, a toughness in the love that goes hand-in-hand with firm and high expectations, is clearly evident in everything the Trust and schools say and do."

Thinking about professional generosity, remember to get your ticket for the Summer Conference 2025
on Thursday 19 June 2025 at the Future Skills Centre. Find out more and book here
 
We report on the National Professional Qualifications Framework Review by the Department for Education and our involvement as part of our Golden Thread delivery. 

In advance of the presentation at the SWIFT Spring Leadership Forum on Thursday 20 March 2025 you can read some of the thinking about the ambitious new SWIFT CPD offer.  

We are pleased to interview Robin Scott, CPD & Marketing Coordinator with Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance and one of our valued delivery partners and champions of SWIFT CPD. It is always interesting to discover insights and to celebrate those working diligently behind the scenes. 

Hannah Cox, Co-Deputy Director of Devon Research School considers using exam wrappers to encourage Year 11 Students to reflect on the effectiveness of their revision and wondered how she can encourage students to be reflective about the revision techniques they use, and how can their reflections feed into the revision homework tasks I set?

Our sponsors, meanwhile, showcase how they can support you, with SchoolPro TLC subscribers able to book a Data Protection audit.  If you are looking for supply with a heart, Exeter Supply Partnership offer a not-for-profit ethos and a service that is much more than supply cover supporting teachers/teaching assistants and Schools and Trusts.

Educatering celebrates with food some exciting events for the 2025 Chinese New Year and today's World Book Day (can you spot the famous children's book translated into food?).  Whilst, ONVU Learning empowers educators with their thoughtful and dynamic video capture technology.  It is another way and worth a look.

We hope you find something that adds value for you. 

“Overall, I think it is most rewarding being part of the Teaching School Hubs network that is aiming for big improvements in education. I always feel the South West collaborates well and we want to work with and make our schools even better."

 If you ever have had any contact with Robin about one of our SWIFT courses or events, you will know him to be both highly effective, kind and calm, and welcoming with it.

Robin has been the CPD and Marketing Coordinator with Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance for the past six years, working with SWIFT for over five of those years and he has a strong connection with the South West.
 
Robin studied Business Studies at the University of Plymouth with a placement year at Teignbridge District Council, which helpfully raised his awareness of the South West and local area and honed his general admin, communication and design skills.
 
Opting for further study, Robin went to Bournemouth University to undertake a Sport Management Master's Degree, drawing on his Business Studies degree. This eventually led to a job at the University of Exeter in the Sports Park promoting gym memberships, with responsibility for marketing graphics and general social media content. Robin’s experience was further crystallised next working for a PR firm - including a special stand-out project on the Dawlish Seawall rebuild with Network Rail.
 
We enjoy working with Robin and commend his dependability. 

1. How has your background in Business Studies and marketing supported your role as CPD and Marketing Coordinator with Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance?
Yes, I think my background has given me a strong foundation as the building bricks for my current role in enhancing my organisation and event management skills.

Whilst I have not done a degree in event management, I believe I understand the processes and I now have a good understanding of what teachers need and want, and what is or is not relevant for them, what does and does not work and how people like to be communicated with. All of which I think plays a big part, especially in today's society as people have very limited time. So, I take extra care in how I construct emails and communications that are straight to the point, but are also appropriately detailed – the success of which I think is reflected in receiving very few queries from my communications.

In terms of my marketing experience, I think it is helpful to communicate opportunities in the right channels.
 
In addition, I have always had a thing about and enjoy understanding and learning new technologies and figuring out new things; which I think is important as if you wish to have a role in marketing and to be successful, you have to stay on top of the latest trends.
 
2. What do you find to be most rewarding as a SWIFT delivery partner?
I like the fact that I have a direct impact on schools and teachers.
Although thinking about it, I do not directly see this impact, even if know that it has an impact, because as delivery partners, we obviously promote and run the courses. Hence it is rewarding when we receive such good feedback from courses. A slightly strange, but interesting concept!  

I think the other thing is because I am not from a teaching background, unlike many other delivery partners, then it is good to work with the rest of the team who are former teachers and senior leaders and it provides a good mix with my marketing and business experience. I can learn from them what is going on in schools at the moment, and the key areas to be considering. But I ought to mention perhaps that my wife has been a primary school teacher for the past eight to nine years, so that is very helpful in providing insights for me.
 
Overall, I think it is most rewarding being part of the Teaching School Hubs network that is aiming for big improvements in education. I always feel the South West collaborates well and we want to work with and make our schools even better and our shared objective goes beyond any potential competition between us as delivery partners.
 
3. How does your involvement in the SWIFT Membership Services Team enrich your role?
As I have already mentioned above, it provides an insight into what schools want and their CPD needs and the direction of travel for education. It enriches my role because most of the other Team Members have teaching experience, which I do not have. Equally, when it comes to communication and marketing, they can look to me and seek my thinking and advice.

As a Team, we are excited that SWIFT Executive Director, Martin Smith is going to be presenting at the Spring Leadership Forum on Thursday 20 March 2025 our bold new offer for the next academic year, which we have been busy working towards this year.
 
4. Knowing your special interest, how are you currently using AI in your work?
Yes, AI is exciting. But above all, what I have learned is that you cannot rely on AI, but it is definitely great to enhance on the side.

I have used it a lot for graphic design and social media, and I also use it in Canva a lot that is great for content creation, and I use it for refining messages.

For example, if we receive lots of text for a trainer for a course and aware that I know that teachers have limited time, and reams and reams of information on an Eventbrite page could be off-putting, we can refine the information to elicit the key points.

So, it is It's useful for creative work, but still requires my professional judgement.

5. What is your greatest wish for teacher professional development at this moment in time?
I would say that it would be great if all teachers had a similar level and/or wish to embrace new and latest technologies whilst maintaining their strong teaching principles, so that we can help and support.

But I also think that teacher professional development needs to be flexible and to fit into teachers’ and leaders’ schedules – whether this becomes more bite-sized, but is still a high-quality.
 
We thank Robin for sharing his insights as our valued delivery partner and we value his marketing and communications expertise.

Interview by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

As the pinnacle of what the Department for Education (DfE) terms the Golden Thread, National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) – to continue the sewing metaphor – have become a reputable part of the patchwork quilt of professional development for teachers and leaders (that should be noted and commended is entirely voluntary).

We currently work with Lead Providers: the National Institute of Teaching and Teach First who provide the teaching materials, which are delivered by our expert and experienced Facilitators, drawn from local schools and Multi Academy Trusts – all of which is co-ordinated by our hard-working SWIFT Central Team to ensure Programme Members keep on track.
 
As a suite of leadership qualifications, NPQs are based on the best available evidence and best practice of teaching and leadership in education. During the post-Covid recovery years, NPQs were effectively established as essential support for teachers and leaders, underwritten by scholarships for funded places.
 
This has helped to see a significant uplift in colleagues embarking on their NPQ journey. We celebrate NPQs for supporting career progression, improving quality and consistency of leadership, retention of teachers and leaders and quality of teaching (including impact on pupil outcomes).
 
You will understand from your own professional classroom practice, and your school and Multi Academy Trust improvement strategy that life does not stand still in education. Too much is at stake in our rapidly and ever-changing world with the need to equip our children and young people with optimal learning opportunities in line with evolving evidence to improve, enhance and progress.
 
With this educational evolution in mind, the DfE is undertaking a formal Review of the existing ten NPQs.
 
The scope of the Review includes, but is not limited to, consideration of the following key areas: 

• SEND.
• Leadership progression.
• Workload reduction.
• Operational leadership. 

 
Working in partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), the DfE are seeking to update the evidence-base underpinning the NPQs and an Expert Steering Group has been convened with representation from Headteachers, Trust CEOs, Lead Providers, and the Chartered College of Teaching, which will be complemented by other stakeholder engagement. 

As a thorough process, the Review is expected to take approximately 18 months; during which time, the existing suite of NPQs will remain in place until completed with time for implementation. 
 
Our Strategic Lead, Roger Pope and member of the now voluntary Teaching School Hubs Council is leading a National NPQs Advisory Group with regional representation from other Teaching School Hubs. The recent launch meeting provided a useful opportunity to discuss various considerations that have been presented to the DfE as part of their information gathering. A compelling reflection (amongst many) from the discussion and, something we can all relate to in curriculum delivery, is of time as the Mother of Depth with the importance of NPQ Programme Members having enough time to cover the programme content and avoiding any dilution of time should the content be expanded.
 
We are pleased to be part of the Review engagement with the DfE and we look forward to contributing ultimately, as part of our commitment to provide professional qualifications that count for our teachers and leaders.

​Report by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant