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

​A timetable shapes the structure and rhythm of a thriving school.

With a background as teachers and school leaders, our sponsor SchoolPro TLC have a working understanding of timetables and share here some of their expertise.

Every school has its own moving parts - pressures, priorities, staffing profiles, and students’ needs - which means adaptability is essential and rigid rules rarely work. At SchoolPro Timetabling and Curriculum, we follow a clear annual cycle that keeps the timetabling process strategic, structured, and never a last-minute scramble.

We work alongside Schools and Trusts of all sizes to design timetables that are efficient, robust, and aligned with strategic priorities. Our approach is underpinned by the expertise of Mark Hodges, our Director of Timetabling and Curriculum, who brings 25 years in education - including more than a decade in senior leadership - and over ten years in supporting schools nationally to maximise curriculum efficiency and build timetables that genuinely support teaching, learning, and long-term planning.

September to October | Reviewing and Refining
As the new academic year begins, the focus is on evaluating how the timetable is bedding in and includes reviewing:

• Daily pinch points
• The effectiveness of room utilisation
• The student experience
• Pressure points identified by staff

 
At this stage, we also reflect on exam outcomes and staffing changes to determine whether elements of the curriculum model need adjustment. For example, if a subject has underperformed in exams, seen a decline in student uptake, or is affected by staffing challenges, discussions are held to determine whether its timetable allocation should be adjusted for the coming year. These conversations feed into strategic discussions with leadership teams and help shape decisions.
 
November to December | Designing the Model
This phase centres around consultation with SLT and Heads of Department and together, we review:

• School improvement priorities
• Accountability measures
• Staffing expertise and constraints
• The structure of the school day

 
Changes like moving to a two-week timetable, adding periods, or adjusting lesson lengths are decided early to ensure the year’s timetable runs smoothly. We then draft a curriculum plan in the timetabling software to identify potential recruitment needs or staffing adjustments. Once agreed, this becomes the foundation for the year’s timetable.

January to February | Setting the Foundations
With a clear curriculum model established, we move into preparing the systems that underpin effective scheduling and this includes:

• Updating staff, room and subject data
• Launching the options process (typically Year 9 into Year 10 and post-16)
• Moving the process online where possible, giving students access to all necessary information
• Using MIS and timetabling to streamline choices and imports

Digitising the options process wherever possible saves significant time and reduces errors - allowing schools to focus on informed choices rather than administrative tasks.

March to April | Building Class Structures
Draft class structures are shared with Heads of Department for checking and refinements.

Drawing on our team’s strong understanding of staff performance, strengths and how the timetable supports school improvement priorities, we allocate staff to groups in a considered and strategic way. These allocations are reviewed and confirmed by SLT before being shared with teachers, who can provide feedback or request adjustments.

Staff are then allocated to groups based on strengths, performance insight and strategic priorities.
SLT review and confirm these allocations before staff view their proposed timetable placements.
This stage ensures that curriculum intent and staffing strengths align before formal scheduling begins.

May to June | Constructing the Timetable
This is where the full timetable comes together and the process involves:

• Adding staff requests (where appropriate)
• Building multiple versions of the timetable
• Testing each model against constraints and priorities
• Refining and rebuilding until an effective structure is achieved

Compromises are sometimes necessary, but the goal is always to produce a timetable that balances efficiency, equity and educational value.

July | Finalising and Releasing
Once a stable model is achieved, we move into rooming and sharing the draft timetable with staff.

Feedback is reviewed and reasonable adjustments are made, with the aim of issuing final timetables at least two weeks before the end of term to support transition into the new academic year.

This final stage brings together the reflection, consultation, and modelling throughout the process.
Once confirmed, the timetable is transferred into the MIS, ensuring the school is fully prepared for the new academic cycle.

Supporting Schools All Year Round
Timetabling is far more than a summer task - it is a strategic, iterative process that demands reflection, communication and expertise.

At SchoolPro Curriculum, we support schools with:

• Complete timetable construction
• Curriculum modelling and analysis
• Options processes and pathway design
• Mentoring and training for in-school timetablers

If your school would benefit from support with next year’s timetable, the expert SchoolPro Curriculum Team would be delighted to help you.

“With this essential relationship with our schools in place I believe in a relentless unwavering determination to procure the information we need on time and to meet our deadlines and tracking.”

​Faye's passion for admin systems started with her HND in European Business Administration at her local college in Torquay.  Taking these new skills and deciding to pursue temporary contracts was a key factor in building resilience and learning to embrace change and the ability to hit the ground running.   Faye’s roles were naturally streamlined and focused within HR and Education, and after taking a year out to backpack around the world, she returned to the world of education, joining a commercial training organisation that supported small businesses.  Her skills developed beyond administrative processes, into adult training, NVQ assessing and new business advice and guidance. 
 
Life changed dramatically when her first son was born and she kept her mind busy by helping with the admin tasks for a local HR consultancy. Once her children were of school age, Faye pursued new opportunities and contacts in primary education and joined Riviera Education Trust as CPD Administrator and Clerk to the Board of Directors and is still part of the Trust today.  Her role developed over the years, working within the Strategic Partnership, under the umbrella of SWIFT and the Appropriate Body for Kingsbridge Teaching School Hub. 
 
Fast forward four years and Faye was promoted to the Senior Administrator Lead for the Appropriate Body, enabling her to be involved in the integration of the Colyton and Kingsbridge Teams into one Appropriate Body Service (AB) and to design and coordinate the integral systems for the SWIFT AB Team.  
 
At this moment in time Faye feels super-lucky to be working with a wonderful team committed and passionate about education and supporting teachers to become the best teachers that they can be.  To play a part in that supportive development of teachers and in turn, the future of children's education, gives Faye true meaning in her working life – not least on a December morning!
 
1. What skills and experience do you bring to your role as Senior Administrator of the SWIFT Appropriate Body Service?
I think being organised is a key function of my job. From my working history, I have undertaken a number of admin roles in different settings, and I liked learning something new in every role. I always apply myself and enjoy learning something new and I consider tasks like project management. I look at the end goal and the end of the academic year and think, what do we need to achieve by the end of this year and work backwards to complete task on a termly basis.  Having worked in the role with SWIFT for four years, it works well to breakdown those tasks and achievements each term.
 
I think it helps that I am reflective and constantly looking at our systems in place and thinking how can we make this work better? How can we easier track that information? How can we manipulate the information we have to make sure that all the parties in our AB Team can access the information they need to be able to do their job effectively.
 
Being reflective and constantly reviewing our practices to be as efficient as possible for all participants is something I have refined.  My job is very much about tracking all of the information and based around an integral system, which was essential when we recently joined the two Appropriate Body Services to become SWIFT AB, it was helpful for me to apply that reflective approach to the systems to ensure that we have learned lessons from the two AB Services and looking and deciding what works best from both.

2. What do you find to be more rewarding?
That is tricky! Lots.
 
I feel very lucky because I get to work with ECTs, Induction Tutors and Headteachers, as I am the first port of call for them for the SWIFT Appropriate Body Service.
 
Most ECTs glide through their induction period, but some have a little wobble, and some wobbles can sometimes snowball, so I am glad that I am their contact to advise and help them with the guidance that we use and to signpost and allocate them to either our primary or secondary leads where necessary. Where I am not entirely sure of a query, I can always contact the Early Career Teacher Programme Team.
 
I find it rewarding knowing that I have made the ECTs’ induction a bit easier and proactively supported them when they needed some help, because my job revolves around those integral systems. As a tracking and spreadsheet queen, I can also help my Team by smoothing the work of SWIFT AB Leads: Tania Cox, Chris Barnett, and Jen Knowles.
 
So, I like to think that I get rewards from all ends of the scale. 

3. How do you ensure compliance with Department for Education statutory induction requirements?
Obviously, I need to understand the statutory requirements in the first place and keep up-to-date every time anything changes.
 
The biggest factor for me is building good relationships with our ECTs, Induction Tutors, and Headteachers to start with, which probably begins with good communication and ensuring that their first email communication from me is friendly and straight to the point. We understand that our colleagues in schools are busy people, and it is important to provide the right information at the right time, and obviously always offer support, and that they know that I am here to help them and to build on the relationship. 

With this essential relationship with our schools in place I believe in a relentless unwavering determination to procure the information we need on time and to meet our deadlines and tracking, and that all the tracking information is available so that we know whom we need to contact, by when, and what information is missing.
 
4. How do you develop your relationships with Schools and Mentors?
Yes, so building on the previous question, it starts with effective email comms, and making sure all stakeholders have all the right information they need from me at the right time, as we understand they are busy people. It is also about acting promptly if they ask a question or need something, that it is provided promptly and followed up in a timely manner with a continual offer of support. Always understanding that we know what we are asking of them, especially at busy times. 

5. What have you found to be the most significant update from the new statutory guidance issued earlier this year?
I think the most significant update is that the Early Career Framework has changed to the Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP), which integrates Initial Teacher Training (ITT). Although ITT is not my strand of work, there has been a huge change in vocabulary and terminology, and I had learned to navigate and understand the changes and what they mean, but also understand that our ECTs, ITT Induction Tutors and Mentors are going to reach out to us and ask when they are uncertain too.
 
I understand that there is an obvious learning curve here for us all, but I think what has impacted on my day-to-day work the most is that the Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) and Department for Education (DfE) have changed the core tool that we use to report. Working through these changes was a huge piece of work last summer, and also the way that we report our ECTs induction start dates and pass dates when they leave and move onto a different school. It has been necessary to adjust our admin processes accordingly and ensure that we are recording the correct information at the right time and manipulating it in a format that we can easily upload and report in time for the DfE.​