Led by the Colyton Foundation, Your Future Story is a ground-breaking programme aiming to improve levels of high attainment and higher education progression for under resourced young people from the South West. Beginning in September 2025 with a pathfinder cohort of Year 7 pupils from schools across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. It directly addresses the unique challenge of educational isolation faced by rural and coastal Communities, offering a model that is as innovative as it is ambitious.
 
The programme’s goal is to work with 1,000 academically able pupils over a decade, starting from Year 7 and supporting them through to their first year of university. Developed in response to stark evidence—including the work of Jerrim and Carvajal (2024) showing sharp declines in attainment and aspiration between ages 11–14 for bright pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds--Your Future Story starts early and stays the course.

At its heart is a school-centred, cohort-based model. Pupils are supported through sustained personal development and mentoring by specially trained Teacher Champions within their schools.
 
Simultaneously, school leaders engage in Leading High Attainment, a rigorous year-long development programme that equips them to drive systemic improvement in provision for high attainers in their schools.
 
The programme is supported by a formidable partnership: the universities of Exeter, Bristol, Bath and Cambridge; the Sutton Trust; SWIFT; Leading Schools South West; and partner trusts including Ted Wragg, Blackdown Education Partnership and Education South West. Together, they are creating an infrastructure to support ambition and opportunity unlike anything currently available in the region.
 
This is a coalition grounded in action. From residential university visits to employer partnerships and community engagement, to Teacher Champion mentoring every aspect of Your Future Story is designed to build knowledge, confidence and belonging for pupils who are too often left behind. 

As Colyton Foundation Director Nick Wakeling notes, “This isn’t about parachuting in one-off interventions. It’s about working together with schools, pupils and their families for the long haul—maintaining aspirations and expectations and ensuring continued academic success.”
 
In partnership with SWIFT and Leading Schools South West, the Colyton Foundation is making the Leading High Attainment programme available to all secondary school leaders in the region. 

This exciting extended course offers leaders the opportunity to visit schools with some of the country’s best outcomes for high attainment and disadvantaged pupils, to hear from national experts including Alex Crossman (London Academy of Excellence, Stratford). Jon Hutchinson (Reach Foundation) Marc Rowland (EEF Pupil Premium Lead) and to lead an implementation project to improve outcomes for disadvantaged high attainers in their schools, supported by Jon Eaton (author of the EEF Implementation guide).

Places are limited: applications by Friday 11 July 2025.

The programme is being offered at a discounted fee for SWIFT Members:
£500 (SWIFT Members) | £800 (non-Members).
Fees include study visit, travel and accommodation.

Find out more at the information webinar on Friday 11 July 2025 at 1600. 

We are pleased to bring you this next EVENTS newsletter with details of professional learning opportunities to support you. 
 
SWIFT Summer Conference 2025 | #SWIFTConf25
The SWIFT Summer Conference is 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:

• South West Art Teacher's Conference
• Advanced Coaching Programme for School Leaders
• New SWIFT NIoT Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP) | Starts September 2025
• The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project
• Addressing Educational Disadvantage through Social and Academic Inclusion
• Professional Communities 
• Primary Subject Leader Briefings

​

It is a shorter week after the Bank Holiday, so every second counts this week.

Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE introduces this May UPDATE issue with an invitation to consider what else is within your control to raise standards in the light of the recent report: “A system that empowers - the future of professional development” from the Institute for Public Policy Research and Ambition Institute.

"It seems to me impossible to do anything other than agree with these recommendations. Of course, they make sense. But Government can be slow to act, and has many calls on its funding."

Apropos, we will soon be launching our professional development offer for 2025 – 2026 with what we like to believe will be the best ever programme of excellent value courses and events, plus a greater range of exceptional national authors, experts and organisations.  

On that note of looking to the future, Partner Director, Blackdown Education Partnership, Tania Cox reports on the New Horizons Leadership Event last term. The South West RISE Team, Ofsted, AQA...delegates commended this was a fit for purpose session.

Director of Teaching School Hubs, Jen Knowles shares the positive decision for the new SWIFT Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP) from September 2025 when we will be working with National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) as our Lead Provider. Change can bring exciting times!

If you are looking to be uplifted, you will enjoy the Interview with Sam Eyre, Head of CREATE Creative Arts Academy at Coombeshead Academy who reminds us of the very real value of creativity in the curriculum. If you are inspired, you can book your place on the South West Art Teacher's Conference on Friday 4 July 2025 here

There is some interesting thinking shared by Devon Research School - on angle problems - by Amarbeer Singh Gill, Assistant Director of Greenshaw Research School and teacher educator at Ambition Institute. For Teachers of Maths and thinkers, Amarbeer consider Why Sometimes the Best Goal is No Goal… Using Cognitive Load Theory to Support Maths Teaching. 

Our sponsor, SchoolPro TLC provides a checklist and further guidance on AI in schools that is worth a read and if you sign-up with them, you can benefit from dedicated support in this brave new world. 

Whilst our other sponsors share updates of their services to support you. The Educatering Team have been hosting cooking classes and themed days across all their schools to excite and expand pupils’ culinary knowledge and palettes. You can read about the conversation between Commercial VP of ONVU Learning, Matt Tiplin and CEO of Discovery Schools Academies Trust, Paul Stone who shares his insights into his Trust’s implementation of ONVU Learning's video capture technology in the classroom. 
 
And if you have yet to discover South West Education Jobs for your FREE advertising, it is time you did!
You can have a look here 
​
Plus a reminder if you have yet to register for this year's SWIFT 2025 Summer Conference #SWIFTConf25 
We will be there. How about you? Join us and be part of the conversation and return to school revitalised.

It is all here for you and we wish you an edifying read.

Further to the previous article on the Use of Generative AI in MATs and Schools from our sponsor SchoolPro TLC, we encourage you to this review this further guidance to ensure you are AI safe in your School and Multi Academy Trust starting with this checklist.
 
General AI Best Practices

• Verify all AI-generated content for accuracy before use.
• Use AI tools to enhance learning and reduce workload, not to replace professional judgment.
• Stick to school-approved AI tools that comply with data protection policies.
• Maintain human oversight—never rely solely on AI for assessments or decisions.
• Be transparent—let students and staff know when AI has been used in content creation.
• Train staff and pupils on AI’s risks, limitations, and ethical considerations.
  
  

Data Protection and Security

• Never input personal, sensitive, or pupil data into AI tools unless explicitly approved.
• Always check whether an AI tool is open or closed before using it.
• If using AI for decision-making (e.g., profiling students), conduct a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)
• Update policies, privacy notices, and acceptable use agreements (AUA) as needed.
• Consult the SchoolPro TLC Data Protection Officer (DPO) if in doubt.
  
  

Teaching and Pupil Engagement

• Encourage students to use AI as a learning tool (e.g., research, brainstorming) rather than for completing assignments.
• Educate pupils on responsible AI use, plagiarism risks, and fact-checking information.
• Monitor AI’s impact in classrooms — ensure it aligns with safeguarding and educational goals. 

Quick Staff Guide
What is AI and How Can It Be Used in Schools?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can support teaching, reduce workload, and improve efficiency. When used responsibly, it can:

• Assist with lesson planning, assessment design, and report writing.
• Automate routine admin tasks (e.g., scheduling, summarising data).
• Provide personalised learning support for students, including SEND adaptations.

However, AI must be used with caution to avoid data breaches, bias, misinformation, and over-reliance.

Key Safety Tips

• Check before you trust: AI makes mistakes—fact-check all outputs.
• Protect student data: Never enter personal or sensitive information into AI tools unless specifically approved.
• Understand AI bias: AI models can reinforce biases—review content carefully.
• Use approved tools: Stick to school-approved, closed AI systems whenever possible.
• Update policies: Ensure AI use is reflected in privacy notices, AUAs, and safeguarding policies.

How to Talk to Pupils About AI

• AI is a tool, not a replacement: Students should use AI to support learning, not to do their work for them.
• Plagiarism risks: AI-generated text needs proper citation—copying AI work is academic misconduct.
• Misinformation awareness: AI can make up facts—students must verify sources before using AI-generated content.
• Think critically: Encourage students to question AI responses and improve their digital literacy.

Who to Contact for AI Support
For any AI-related concerns, training needs, or Data Protection questions, contact your School’s IT or Data Protection Lead, Your SchoolPro TLC Data Protection Officer (DPO).

“I credit teaching with making me a more creative person because I work in a creative environment every single day with young people that I think makes me a better artist.”

A passionate practitioner and Arts educator, Sam Eyre is Head of Creative Arts Academy at Coombeshead Academy and SWIFT Professional Community and Secondary ITT Lead for SWIFT Teacher Training.
 
Dedicated to developing high-quality Art and Design curriculum content accessible and engaging for all young people and teachers, Sam is driven by a professional ethos to provide the best possible Arts education. Throughout his career, Sam has undertaken various roles working with numerous Art Departments, teachers, and young people across the region at the forefront of Arts education in Devon and across the South West, including positions as AST for Devon, SLE (SWTSA), PGCE Secondary Course Lead (University of Plymouth), and Regional Subject Advisor for NSEAD. 

Sam's commitment to Arts education is evident in developing and implementing effective and engaging curriculums that achieves outstanding results and make him an invaluable asset and he has a dynamic lead of the CREATE Creative Academy at Coombeshead Academy now in its second year.
 
Sam is also a fully trained Mental Health First Aider, supporting staff with professional and personal challenges with a dedication to resilience and balanced approaches to ensure success for teachers and students. 

1. How has your journey to teaching and leading Art featured in your professional life?
Essentially, the majority of my professional life has been here at Coombeshead Academy for the past 23 years, which is a long time. Coombeshead and then evolving into Education South West, have always been hugely supportive of the Arts and I feel very, very lucky to be teaching here for so long.
 
I have always been a practising artist in my professional life outside school and that has evolved in lots of different ways and I believe teaching and my own practice have fed into each other. I credit teaching with making me a more creative person, because I work in a creative environment every single day with young people that I think makes me a better artist. It also gives me credibility in that I am able to show work to my students and I can say, “I'm not simply reading this out of a book or talking about it, I actually do this as well” and I can apply this working experience to my own practice.
 
Back in the day when Coombeshead supported me to become an Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) for Devon, when that role existed, around 2008/2009, Coombeshead, has always been supportive of the Arts, which has grown and grown, and whereas other Art Departments might not be as valued or are shrinking, we have always developed. This has made it a very exciting place to be and, on my journey, to be here, even 23 years in, I am now ready to start!
 
In the last two years we have moved the entire Art Department from one side of school to the other, and have officially become the Creative Arts Academy. That has almost been like getting a new job within the same institution in that we are beginning. But we have got the experience and new members of staff from other schools that are very experienced and the Team are now in a very special place and the journey has evolved and developed.
 
With that experience, we are able to create the best Art Department we possibly can. Whilst this has been part of a long journey, it has fed into the ethos here. To reference an article last week in the TES in which I quoted Bruce Lee who said that you have to be like water to navigate all the challenges and that can be tricky in providing the best level of creativity and experience you can for your young people and teachers. I think my AST work got me out to other schools and see other Art Departments and I became very passionate about supporting other Teachers of Art. It is because I feel very fortunate in my position that I want to spread that support, help and experience.
 
2. From your experience as a teacher and school leader, what do you believe to be the top benefits of Art in education?
Firstly, and thinking big at our very core - I would say creative thinking and self-expression for humanity. When I say to my Year 7 students think about the stereotypical caveperson using handprints on a wall, we have this basic need in us to express ourselves in some way. Whether it is Music, Drama, or Art, there is a need to perform, entertain and express creative thinking, and that is part of human nature
 
To be able to foster and develop this creativity is a big benefit. So many people walk into this Department and one of the first things they say - and often it is a member of the Senior Leadership Team, who say, “I can't draw…I couldn't do that at school.” There is sometimes a fear about creativity.
 
Whereas primary school children and younger children love art and then something happens when you get older where you suddenly think that you cannot do it and cannot draw. The challenge for us as Teachers of Art is to open up creativity and share that it is not only about drawing. It is about photography, textiles and making sculpture and it is important to find that individual talent and self-expression.
 
Another benefit is that the Art Department becomes a sanctuary for what might be slightly stereotypical, but true as well for some of the students who tend not to conform or feel like they do not always fit in and they can find their voice in a different way. Unlike some subjects that are necessarily more conformist in that everyone learns the same. However, I want to see 30 different outcomes in the class from 30 individuals. Because we all have different fashion sense, we all like different music and different tastes and personalities. I want to enable young people to have their own voice or identity.

As well as our own identity, I think confidence is another benefit and the self-esteem to be yourself and this feeds into good mental health [I am the Mental Health First Aider for staff here at Coombeshead.] I believe it is fundamental to give people their self-esteem and confidence in being good at something. When a student might say to me, “I can’t do it,” I always adopt a positive approach: “Let's find out what you can do…what is your story…? What is your message?”
 
We have designed our curriculum in such a way that we are the only GCSE where the students design their course.

I do not act like the expert. But I show the young people the tools and how to use them and guide them in what they want to say. “What's your voice?” And that's it in a nutshell. It's the young people's voices.

3. Do you consider there to be any barriers to Art in the curriculum and if so, how are you working to overcome these barriers?
Yes, there are barriers for Art in the curriculum and there are always going to be.
I think there is always going to be a perception that the Arts are on the outside and on the edge and this feeds back to my last answer in students sometimes thinking, “I'm not good at this...I can't do it…There's no career for me in Art.”

Whereas, in reality the creative industries are one of the biggest employers in the country.

People think about artists and galleries and it is almost like becoming a famous footballer, it only happens to the few. Whereas, if you want to work in the creative industries, there are film studios, makeup artists, fashion designers, photojournalists, people who work in magazines. So, the career pathways in Art are huge.
 
Not only do we need to overcome the perception of young people, but of parents and the community about what the Arts are about; because they might not have had a good experience in their own Art education. It is my ultimate aim to give every young person, whether or not they consider they are good at drawing or painting, the confidence to walk into a gallery as a young adult and to be able to look and understand a piece of art; and to go to the cinema or the theatre and not feel out of place.
 
Of course, there are the logistical barriers of funding and time on the curriculum and all those aspects that we constantly face; which we have always faced and has always been the challenge. We need to find the positive solutions and these barriers are not only here at Coombeshead, but are nationwide. We are fighting against curriculum design and time being cut from the Art curriculum to feed into English and Maths, because they are seen as the more important and employable subjects to raise our profile in removing barriers; which I have been doing for the past 23 years.

I think my job, along with other Teachers of Art is to give teachers the confidence to do all this and to give them the skills and the passion. I feel very passionate and responsible for this region and we are very fortunate in Devon and the South West to have an amazing network of Teachers of Art who are passionate and committed and work hard to work overcome those barriers.

4. How are your roles with SWIFT /Teacher Training enhancing your current role at CREATE Creative Arts Academy?
Working on the SWIFT Teacher Training course is a privilege working as a part of a team to develop a new curriculum for a new ITT course. Because 23 years ago my PGCE course leaders were incredible and a real inspiration and have impacted not only on my career, but on my life. To be part of teaching training today and build on that experience 23 years later, is wonderful. The fact that we are hosting the Art subject curriculum days for trainees here at Coombeshead is a significant addition to the Department. We have a group of training teachers seeing real teaching life here, every Friday, which hopefully feeds enthusiasm and passion into their placement schools.
 
For myself and my Team, it keeps us on our toes. Similar to learning to drive, you learn to drive, you pass the test and then slowly over a number of years we become slightly worse drivers, don't we?! I think we get into habits and into our own ways and it is good to keep our own learning fresh and new, and on top of our game. All the time, we are constantly reviewing our own practice. I am certainly no expert. Indeed, I will probably retire one Friday in the future and wake up on the Monday and think, I wish I had done that.

It is important to try to get better and better and this is where working with SWIFT has been helpful for me in leading the Art Professional Community; having time to work with other teachers and also leading the annual Art Teachers’ Conference, and other professional development events that brings the network together, and gives teachers confidence. We can share good practice and ideas, because this is not a solitary profession. It is a team effort, enabled by this work with SWIFT.

5. What would be your number one wish for the future of Art in schools and Multi Academy Trusts (MATs)?
Very simply, creativity needs to be at the heart of the curriculum.
I recently saw some lovely practice in a primary school that in a local MAT that blew me away. So many schools are using iPads and technology, but this particular primary have gone in a different direction in journaling in sketch books. Not only for creative practice, but for all their learning. Imagine a sketchbook, something like Darwin would have used, as a diary of learning with drawings and annotations as experiments to show their thinking.
 
This idea of sketchbooks as a place for all learning regardless of the subject is a collective, because students are not separate across their five periods in a day: they are the same person travelling around. So, if all that learning is in one place, I think that is aspirational and I would like to explore further that idea and I am in conversation with the Headteacher of that Trust and looking at how they have introduced this practice with their young people, because it is something I would like to do.
 
I think we have got a lot to learn from primary education in secondary. Whereas, it is sometimes seen as the other way around. But I think we can learn from fostering and harnessing creativity into secondary education.
 
I think my other wish would be more funding, more time in the curriculum, and all those other logistical aspects.
 
But for my number one wish, it is for creativity to be at the heart of the curriculum; because no matter what subject you are doing, there is creativity involved.
 
Interview by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

The Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP) is designed to build on the foundations laid by the ECF and offers a carefully sequenced curriculum of training and professional development for ECTs supported by their Mentors in school. 

The key highlights of the SWIFT NIoT Early Career Teacher Programme include:

• ECTE more tailored to build on ITT.
• Reduced Mentor workload.
• Great focus on supporting SEND pupils.
• Greater contextualisation and subject specificity.
• Updated evidence base.

 
We believe the following six reasons will help to provide the strongest possible footing for the induction of our Early Career Teachers:
 
Reason 1 | Highly Contextualised Materials
The NIoT provides context-specific materials (videos, written resources and audios) for:

• Early Years Foundation Stage.
• Primary.
• Secondary (all subjects).
• Post-16.
• SEND schools.
• Alternative Provision.

 
This exemplification from schools of all types, subjects and phases ensures that ECTs and mentors are able to access a programme that is specific to their needs.
 
Reason 2 | Greater Flexibility

• Align ECTs’ study and personal development to School and/or Trust priorities.
• Smart diagnostic tool suggests best fit elective self-studies.
• Removes repetition.
• Provides appropriate level of challenge.

 
During self-study, the ECT will complete a core element of self-study and then a diagnostic, which provides five options of elective self-study in each Term, three of which can be chosen based on diagnostics as the best fit for current knowledge as discussed with the ECT’s Mentor. We are pleased that this will remove any repetition, which has been a previous issue with the ECF, and will provide the appropriate level of challenge for ECTs and allow them to focus on the highest leverage areas for their development. 

Understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, this will ensure that teachers are valued and their time well spent.
 
Reason 3 | Workload and Wellbeing
A reduction in seminar content in Year 1.

• No Year 2 programme for Mentors.
• Unique online wellbeing tools.

 
We understand that time is an issue especially for ECTs and we commend the reduced workload through the streamlined programme delivery and wellbeing monitoring. 
 
The unique NIoT online wellbeing tool is built into the NIoT learning platform and provides the opportunity for ECTs to feedback in regular short pulse surveys on how they are experiencing the programme and will give the NIoT opportunity to offer a helping hand when ECTs need it most.
 
The NIoT has expertly reduced the mentor training programme to one year to manage mentor workload whilst still ensuring impact.
 
Reason 4 | National Expert Webinars
Leading international experts run termly live webinars for ECTs and their mentors so they have opportunities to listen to and interact with leading experts in their fields. These are a very popular element in the existing programme.

• Bradley Busch | Leading expert in understanding and illuminating Cognitive Science in education, and Director of InnerDrive
• Kate Jones | Teacher, leader, bestselling author, blogger and award-winning international speaker, and Senior Associate for Teaching and Learning at Evidence Based Education.
• Alex Quigley | Head of Content and Engagement at the Education Endowment Foundation, experienced school leader, Director of Huntington Research School, in York and EEF in 2018, after working as a. He is the author of multiple books for educators as well as writing a regular column for TES magazine.
• Sonia Thompson | Headteacher at St Matthew's CE Teaching School and also the Director of the Research School.
• Tom Bennett OBE | Founder and Director of researchED, a non-profit organisation that runs teacher conferences about research and education and author.

 
Reason 5 | School-led Research

• The NIoT is unique in having its own, in-house research function.
• Enables NIoT to rapidly respond to research finding to strengthen programme.
• Great example, NIoT worked with SWIFT on research into ECF experience in rural and coastal areas.
• Lessons from this have shaped the new ECTE.

 
Powered not only by research from the Framework, additional research is also provided by the NIoT in-house research team to improve the programme continually and allows the NIoT to be highly responsive to feedback or learning from research, and to adapt the programme quickly to provide the most relevant offer. For example the recent work completed by NIoT and SWIFT on best supporting ECTs in small rural and coastal schools.
 
Reason 6 | Mentor Enhancements

• NIoT programme builds in specialist development to support Mentors.
• Great focus on supporting struggling ECTs.

 
We know that Mentors play an essential role in the induction of ECTs and the NIoT programme builds in specialist development to support them. 

SWIFT also has experience of working with the NIoT in other aspects of the Golden Thread, including as Lead Provider for the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), and Programme Members’ have been very positive about their experience.

In addition, this year, we are piloting the NIoT’s innovative new Post Graduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA) route into teaching.

Looking to the future, we believe there are significant opportunities with the NIoT as part of their innovative school-led research centre and in their status as the first university for the teaching profession.

With over five years of experience in delivering the ECF programme, supporting over 2000 ECTs and Mentors, our dedicated SWIFT Team bring a wealth of expertise and a commitment to excellence with satisfaction ratings consistently above the national average.

The SWIFT Team are committed to ensuring a seamless transition and to providing high-quality support throughout the ECTP and to support all aspects of programme management, leaving school leaders the time to focus on core business.

​Coupled with Appropriate Body expertise for 500 schools, SWIFT is pleased to offer schools a coherent package for teacher induction.

Watch out for further updates this Summer Term, including an Induction Tutor briefing on Monday 12 May 2025 and a Year 1 ECTP Welcome Webinar on Wednesday 2 July 2025.

You can register ECTs due to join your School/Trust in Year 1 and Year 2 from September 2025 on the link below and we will keep you informed of the next steps. 

Year 2 (September 2024) ECTs and Mentors will continue to access the ECF programme through their current Lead Provider. 

Any Mentors who have previously completed the ECF training programme do not need to undertake the ECTP training for Mentors.

By Jen Knowles, Director of SWIFT Teaching School Hubs