 With the end of term in sight, we thought we would squeeze in a final July UPDATE for you - and it is a newsy one to end this school year.
Musing on our recent Summer Conference (and you can read the A Master Class in being a Good Egg! write-up), Executive Director Martin Smith reflects on the overarching themes of inclusion and belonging: "at the heart of what we are as schools and at the heart of how we train and develop ourselves through professional development." Martin ends by encouraging all teachers, leaders and colleagues to take a moment to reflect on the huge contribution everyone makes to the lives of children and young people. "We know our profession has challenges ahead of us and some will move on and some will persist. But what is an ever constant is the commitment of everyone in education to do the very best job." Looking to the Autumn Term and being super organised, the Whole School SEND (WSS) Conference is on Thursday 19 November 2026 at Sandy Park in Exeter on the theme of “A Sense of Belonging still Matters.” You can help now as the WSS Team are inviting schools across the South West region to share what “Belonging and Mattering” looks and feels like. With the appropriate consent, send the Team examples of pupil voice on how they feel valued and included in your School / Trust community. For example, photos, artwork, displays, projects, short video clips, participation in clubs, enrichment activities, pupil testimonials. Keeping you informed, there are SEND updates and guidance later in the newsletter. A week and a day before the early bird offer closes on Friday 17 July 2026, remember to register your School / Trust / Federation for SWIFT CPD and Membership for 2026 - 2027. If you do the sums, it makes sense. Find out more and register here This month we take a nostalgic view of ALL the UPDATE interviews - starting in April 2022 with Martin Lewis, our launch interviewee and still a SWIFT stalwart. It is worth a look back! Devon Research School (DRS) shares a post by Hannah Claydon, Deputy Director of Devon Research School, Raising Standards Lead for Year 7 and Teacher of Science at Kingsbridge Community College on embedding Maths skills in the Science classroom. HOT OFF THE PRESS - you can read the South-West Social Mobility Commission Annual Report on Place Matters . Published yesterday, rather than the North - South divide, the startling headline shows London outperforming every other region on many key measures for pupils eligible for free school meals, whilst the South West remains one of England's weakest-performing regions. Thinking hot, with soaring temperatures now a constant our sponsor, SchoolPro Safety provides some excellent cooling practical guidance on managing overheating classrooms. Contact the Team here We join our sponsor Exeter Supply Partnership in celebrating their 10th birthday of providing nursery and primary supply needs and wish them another successful decade! Contact the ESP Team here Ending the school year with a celebratory look back in pictures, our school catering sponsor Educatering shares some pictures from Christmas to Easter, Chinese New Year and Eid. You can contact the Team to discuss catering for your School and Trust here That's all folks! When you have a moment to stop, we hope that you will find something of interest in this issue that will add value to your day. A week tomorrow I will be signing-off from my role as Editor of UPDATE and I would like to extend my very best thoughts to you all for the end of term (and the onwards). I know from my own experience of working in a school for many years the meaning of “being busy” in ending one year and preparing for the next. Such is the cycle of education. By Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant
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 The first week of June and the final half term of school year 2025 - 2026 and we hope this latest UPDATE newsletter will bring value to you.
Executive Director Martin Smith reports on a new chapter afoot for SWIFT with neighbouring Teaching School Hub partner, OneCornwall: "The proposal is straightforward. By aligning more closely, we can move beyond operating as parallel Hubs and instead create a single, coherent partnership that is better placed to deliver high-quality professional development at scale. This is about combining capacity, expertise and infrastructure to strengthen what is already working well." We want to hear your views. Find out more about the proposals here and you can watch a short animation here . Please feel able to complete the feedback form here by Wednesday 1 July 2026. Sharing good practice comes naturally in education and we are pleased to showcase the outcomes of a recent peer review with fellow Teaching School Hubs’ of our Appropriate Body Services - one of our Golden Thread responsibilities. You can read how the team thrived in this collaborative and challenging exercise. Tes has recently published its Global Wellbeing Report (a topic close to all our hearts) - and we thought it was worth highlighting for you. Wellbeing will be a keynote at our forthcoming Summer Conference on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse led by Shaheen Myers, founder and CEO of Balance:ed. The final tickets are available here Hot off the press - Colyton Foundation has announced that applications are now open for the 2026 - 2027 cohort of Leading High Attainment. A year-long leadership development programme for secondary school leaders across the South West delivered by the Colyton Foundation in partnership with SWIFT and Devon Research School. You can apply here and register for the information webinar on Thursday 2 July 2026 here This month's interview is with Steve Margetts, Principal of Torquay Academy and recently published author of “Everyone Succeeds,” a leadership framework built around 54 codified leadership behaviours. Steve will be leading some professional development sessions for us next academic year. One to watch! Devon Research School (DRS) shares a post by Adam Wray, Associate Leader at ACE Tiverton School on predictive processing. Living in a neurodiverse household, with family members who experience autism, ADHD and dyslexia, Adam became deeply curious about what happens beneath the surface of thought and perception. It is worth a read to consider your own processing and in the classroom. It is that time of year – poised between the end of one school year and starting to think about the next on the not-so-distant horizon and our sponsor, SchoolPro TLC considers the merits of one week or two week timetables in Secondary schools. Contact the Team here Educatering our school catering sponsor have been showcasing the importance of local sourcing. Parents have enjoyed a taste at recent parents' evenings and at Pupil Premium Night with more info about support for low-income families. The food pics say it all. If you want to find out how Educatering can support your School/Trust Catering Team contact the Team here You will know that Exeter Supply Partnership are committed to supporting you for your nursery and primary supply needs. But they go a step beyond. As well as a full-service approach supporting not only staffing and recruitment needs at no additional cost, they foster a highly skilled, confident and well-supported pool of educators through a dedication to ongoing professional development. Contact the ESP Team here A few extras this issue. If you are starting to plan your summer reading, you might like to add Mr T's life thinky collection of books to your list. A wide offering of thoughts, ideas and insights to help you, to help yourself! By Day, Mr T is Christopher Tribble, Headteacher of Honiton Primary School and you can find out more here Introducing ERA, the Educational Recording Agency: a licensing organisation enabling schools, colleges and universities to access and use FREE high-quality broadcast video and audio for teaching and learning (from UK broadcasters like BBC, C4, C5, ITV etc), whilst also supporting the creators of the content. Finally - if you are interested in the pithy topic of climate change and find yourself in the Totnes area on Monday 15 June 2026 - you might like to attend a free film night of "Future Council" plus panel discussion with various experts, including George Monbiot. Doors open at KEIVCC (King Edward VI Community College, Ashburton Road, Totnes TQ9 5JX) from 1800 for a 1900 start. Book your place here We hope you find something to interest you in this issue and we wish you a happy, fulfilling, productive and (sunny!) Summer Half Term. 13/5/2026 0 Comments SWIFT EVENTS | Issue 8 | May 2026 We are pleased to bring you the next EVENTS issue with a featured article, highlighted programmes, courses and events from our delivery partners to support your professional development and enhance the work of your school.
SWIFT 2026 Summer Conference A reminder if you have yet to register your place at the SWIFT 2026 Summer Conference on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse. Find the full line-up of speakers and book here Highlighted Courses/Support:
 May Day has passed and we hope that you enjoyed the Bank Holiday, but today is UPDATE May Day and we are pleased to bring you the latest news.
As Executive Director Martin Smith reflects in his introduction: "This May issue brilliantly exemplifies what a mature school-led system looks like...The many high-quality articles bring together expertise from individual schools, Multi Academy Trusts, education partners and the National Institute of Teaching." With partnership at the heart of our SWIFT work, Martin will soon be engaging with stakeholders on the partnership with our Teaching School Hub colleagues, OneCornwall to develop and widen the scope across the region. Read up on the recent National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) Teacher Educator Development Day led by Kyle Bailey, NPQ Lead for the South and West at NIoT and Birmingham South Teaching School Hub. The aims of the day were to strengthen the professional skills and expertise of teacher educators, engage critically with research and apply it to inform and enhance practice and build, sustain and deepen relationships between local colleagues. You can also catch up on some important Golden Thread programme updates to keep you informed. If you are contemplating a smartphone-free environment in your School or Trust, Kingsbridge Community College's Principal, Tina Graham shares their journey and tips that developed as part of their wider commitment to student wellbeing, focus, and positive development. This month's interview is with Anthony Lees, Deputy Head of School for Marpool Primary School & EdTech Lead for the Cornerstone Academy Trust. A self-confessed tech nerd, Ant is well-placed to provide an insight into this rapidly growing area within our professional and personal lives. You read it here in UPDATE! Devon Research School (DRS) shares a post on being one step ahead when it comes to Adaptive Teaching from fellow Cornwall Research School. As you would expect this is insightful, intentional and evidence-based and will add meaning to your practice. On that note, the Region's RISE Team invites you to attend the Boolean and London South West Maths Hubs’ Mainstream Inclusion Conference on Primary Maths coming up on Thursday 4 June 2026. Book here From September, schools across England will be expected to take a more structured approach to allergy management and our sponsor SchoolPro TLC provides guidance on how to prepare. As former school leaders, teachers and incumbent Governors, they are caring and knowledgeable. Contact the Team here Nursery and Primary school cover service Exeter Supply Partnership are celebrating their tenth anniversary - and we commend their first decade dedicated to providing "reliable, experienced supply staff, and above all, offering an ethical, not‑for‑profit alternative that puts schools, educators and pupils first." Contact here As we have come to expect , Educatering our school catering sponsor are showcasing yet more of their delicious and nutritious food. See more pictures to feast on! If you are not yet part of the Educatering Schools Revolution contact the Team here Remember to book your place at the 2026 Summer Conference on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse. Five school weeks today! Designed to be relevant and memorable with presentations on: AI and Assessment, Equity, Wellbeing and Leadership, Care and Culture, Disadvantaged High Attainers, Masculinities in Schools and more. Network with like-minded colleagues and enjoy some lovely food from Goosemoor Educatering. In the spirit of true and lasting partnership, we hope you relish a dip in this issue. With all best wishes from the SWIFT Central Team - and a happy and rewarding onwards.  We are pleased to bring you the next EVENTS issue with a featured article, highlighted programmes, courses and events from our delivery partners to support your professional development and enhance the work of your school.
SWIFT Summer Conference 2026 We are delighted to invite you to the SWIFT Summer Conference 2026, taking place on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse. View the full line-up of speakers and book here Highlighted Courses/Support:
 March marches on and we are pleased to bring you the latest UPDATE.
Following the publication of the White Paper last week Executive Director Martin Smith reflects on: "the renewed commitment to strengthening the education workforce, particularly the investment in recruiting 6,500 new teachers and the significant expansion of high‑quality professional development opportunities." We are here to play our part as Teaching School Hubs to support you in our delivery of the Early Career Framework, National Professional Qualifications, and evidence‑informed CPD across our region. Meanwhile, founder and Lead Coach of The Thinking Academy, Leonie Hurrell shares her thinking behind the "Leadership Skills" course designed to help leaders boost their self-awareness, build connections, and communicate clearly, including the importance of soft skills. Feedback from this week's course is heartening: "It was valuable to be reflective and a great opportunity to plan next steps for my leadership' (said one delegate). With engagement referenced in the White Paper The Engagement Platform (TEP) engage us with their February 2026 findings, drawn from 165,000 pupils across 263 schools and articulate what engagement means. You can take advantage for your School/Trust with a special subsidy for Colyton Foundation partner schools, as well as all other schools. This month's interview is a thoughtful piece on Religious Education in schools with Ed Pawson, our SWIFT RE Professional Community Lead and Consultant. A natural enthusiast for the subject, Ed reminds us of the value in networking and building a community through the Professional Community. Always in tune with the latest teaching and learning research, Devon Research School (DRS) signposts us to some practical ways to help pupils build independence through explicit teaching and careful scaffolding in the recent Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) blog. Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC continues the theme of wellbeing and supervision for school leaders and how stress is not just stress anymore - it is a safeguarding issue. The Safeguarding Team are there to provide support and you contact here Educatering our school catering sponsor share some of their foodie in-school delights - including pizza and cookie making and an imaginative Taste, Touch, Smell – I am a Teacher, Get Me Out of Here session (the proof is in the pics). Contact the Team here to find out how they can support your Catering Teams. If you have planned absence on the horizon, our sponsor Exeter Supply Partnership are ready to help you get organised and with their not-for-profit ethos you can feel doubly positive. Contact them here for support. This should keep us all focused and as spring edges ever nearer, we wish you a rewarding continuation of this Spring Term.  We are pleased to bring you the next EVENTS issue with a featured article, highlighted programmes, courses and events from our delivery partners to support your professional development and enhance the work of your school.
SWIFT Summer Conference 2026 We are delighted to invite you to the SWIFT Summer Conference 2026, taking place on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse. You can view the full line-up of speakers and book here Highlighted Courses/Support:
 Landed! February UPDATE and lots to engage you.
Executive Director Martin Smith announces the date and line-up of the Summer Conference 2026 on Thursday 18 June 2026 with relevant and purposeful topics – including, equity and inclusion, wellbeing and leadership, AI, oracy and disadvantaged high attainers. Book your place here "SWIFT takes pride in our vision of professional development to create outstanding opportunities for leaders to learn, develop and connect and is passionate about enabling schools across the South West to access the best of regional and national, as well as the latest research." The Engagement Platform (TEP) engage us with their latest research on why pupils’ belief in their own agency for reading really matters and there are some thoughtful practicals for you to do in school. Find out more about TEP in an engaging interview with Jess Easton, Director of The Engagement Platform (TEP). Plus there are more handy teaching and learning top tips from Harry Fletcher-Wood's presentation at the Spring Leadership Forum on improving teaching for which we thank Harry. We also thank Laura Clitheroe for showcasing all the opportunities of the CODE Maths Hub Thinking about reading, Devon Research School (DRS) considers reading goals and how to develop a shared approach to purposeful reading: "The ability to read and understand complex text plays a critical role in our students’ success, not only in terms of their academic outcomes but also in relation to their wider life chances on leaving school." The February feature from our sponsor SchoolPro TLC is on supervision for school leaders on a sensitive note of how school leadership can feel heavy: "Recent wellbeing surveys show that over three quarters of school staff feel stressed, with senior leaders reporting the highest levels of exhaustion and emotional overwhelm." The SchoolPro TLC Safeguarding Team are there to provide support and you can contact them here In preparation for the forthcoming Year 6 SATs the RISE Team are hosting a Raising Attainment Conference on Thursday 5 March 2026. Book your place here and we hope it helps you prep your pupils. Educatering our school catering sponsor are leading the way across our region with their complete service to provide nutritious and exciting lunches with local food sources, and bespoke support to your Catering Teams. Contact the Team here We are still in the winter months (despite our hopes for an early spring) and we understand that supply teaching is a sometimes necessity for schools. Our sponsor Exeter Supply Partnership values their teachers and provides professional development to ensure skills are refreshed to boost and provide the best service to your School and Trust. If you need any support you can contact them here AND we are here to support you, and we wish you a fulfilling and happy onwards with the term - and in a few weeks' time, a restful Spring Half Term Break! 10/12/2025 0 Comments SWIFT EVENTS | Issue 4 | December 2025 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:
 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! 13/11/2025 0 Comments SWIFT EVENTS | Issue 3 | November 2025 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.
Passive Intervention and Prevention Strategies (PIPS) Training PIPS training is aimed at all staff working in Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Special Schools and Alternative Provisions. It aims to support staff in developing a consistent, effective and acceptable team approach to managing behaviour, while, crucially, maintaining positive relationships and minimising risk for all. Find out more and book here Highlighted Courses/Support:
15/10/2025 0 Comments SWIFT EVENTS | Issue 2 | October 2025 The next EVENTS issue has landed 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.
Coaching for Leaders The Coaching for Leaders workshop is designed to equip leaders and coaches with the confidence and skills to make a real impact. Participants will gain practical coaching tools, receive feedback on their style, and learn how to engage teams, align goals, and navigate challenging conversations with ease. Find out more and book here. Highlighted Courses/Support:
2/10/2025 0 Comments Interview with Jayne Miners, Primary ECTP Mentor at Halwill Primary School (The Carey Federation) “It is great that units of learning can be adapted to align with the school’s own development, which means that the ECT’s areas for development are rooted in the context of a “real life” school. The impact of the ECT’s development will be tangible, observable and practicable.” Our Teaching School Hubs Team have been busy leading the Early Career Teacher Programme induction conferences this week and we seized the opportunity to interview Jayne Miners, a Primary Mentor at Halwill Primary School. Jayne qualified as a Teacher of the Deaf over 20 years ago and has taught most year groups across the primary phase. She also has a Master’s in Educational Audiology and an NPQ in Leading Teacher Development. Jayne returned to mainstream teaching at Halwill Primary School, part of The Carey Federation led by Executive Headteacher Ruh Alford and in 2014 became the Head of Teaching and Learning. Jayne recalls her excitement teaching her first class of children armed with a PGCE qualification and endless enthusiasm. Luckily, she took to teaching and loved it then and she still loves it all these years later and is grateful to have worked with a fabulous team of teachers where personal and professional support was unwavering. However, thinking back to her NQT year (as it was called back then) her experience was very different to that of an Early Career Teacher (ECT) today. Her development as a teacher was measured through formal lesson observations, and this felt very much like a judgement rather than an opportunity for professional development. There was little space in the system, at that time, to sit and reflect on best practice and ways to develop skills needed to ensure each child was getting the best possible teaching. This is why Jayne believes the Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP) framework offers the ECT a very different and much needed experience that scaffolds and sequences learning across a well-planned two-year cycle. 1. How does your role as a Primary Mentor for the ECTP benefit you personally? First and foremost, being a Mentor is something that I greatly enjoy. To be able to support an Early Career Teacher (ECT) to begin their journey into education is a privilege. Building relationships and providing a safe place for the ECT to share their experiences, is at the heart of it all. I enjoy dedicated time to read relevant research material, and, in all honesty, this could be lost were I not a Mentor. My thinking is focused on how pedagogy and teaching materials can be best utilised. Better informed, I can help the ECT to find those active ingredients needed to facilitate effective teaching with vison and clarity. 2. How has the role and training supported your work in school? As Head of Teaching and Learning, planning for and leading professional development is key. The reading and the training I receive as a Mentor helps me to reflect on the ways I can support staff to build knowledge, develop teaching techniques, motivate and embed practice. The material presented by the National Institute of Teaching’s platform, PRISM allows us to develop that evidence-based approach and aligns with the explore, plan, deliver sustain cycle of development. 3. What do you consider to be the advantages of the new Early Career Teacher Programme? There is a clear structure and expectation that enables Mentors and ECTs to focus on improving skills to improve outcomes for pupils – and that is what it is all about! It is great that units of learning can be adapted to align with the school’s own development, which means that the ECT‘s areas for development are rooted in the context of a “real life” school. The impact of the ECT’s development will be tangible, observable and practicable. 4. How do you tailor your mentoring to support Early Career Teachers in your school/Trust to apply the ECTP framework within the primary classroom? Once we had both attended our induction seminars, we met to discuss the logistics of meeting space and times and the use of use of PRISM and when would be best to carry out weekly observations. Also, we had an honest conversation about the way information should be relayed. Every Mentor is different. Some like to muse over observation notes, whilst some can happily digest there and then and the way they like to share ideas, even as small a point as the way we sit – opposite each other, or side by side. This is all with the aim of allowing the ECT to feel most comfortable. This transparency has always been so effective and allows the ECT to take ownership of the pace and delivery of the meeting. Then we looked carefully at the Self Study units and how electives would be selected following diagnostic tools. Following this, the ECT and I discussed our observations. I stress the “our” because once notes are taken, it becomes a collaborative process where granular elements for practice can be discussed. We talked about the need for each precise practice to be small enough so that it can be easily implemented and have the highest leverage very quickly. This is a truly great way to approach development and very different from way back in 1993! 5. What are your hopes for this academic year? To continue to sustain high expectations in my own practice and behaviours to show how much I care about the education of the children in the Carey Federation School and to continue to develop as a Mentor to ensure that I am best placed to support all staff including those very first steps of the ECT at the beginning of their exciting journey.   The penultimate week of term and we are pleased to bring you the final UPDATE for 2025 - 2026.
It is also the final introduction for Roger Pope who steps down at the end of this term from his SWIFT Strategic Lead role. We hope you have enjoyed Roger's reflective intros as much as we have and we thank him for being such a stalwart and dedicated deep thinker that has steered us on our SWIFT journey over the past five years. Aptly, Roger's final feature begins at his beginning when he was on teaching practice in 1979 and brings us right up to date with the brave bold world of AI, ending on a buoyant note about the role of teachers: "I cannot think of a time when the job of teachers is becoming more crucial. Teaching people how to think. Guiding young people in making career and life choices in a rapidly changing and complex world." We report on the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Strategy Group for Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay case studies exploring best practices in supporting primary ITT placements in rural schools and secondary schools offering placements to multiple ITT providers. If you were with us a few weeks ago at our 2025 Summer Conference, we hope the positive energy is lingering for you. If you need a re-boost, you can read the report and relive some of the highlights in this issue. On the theme of professional development that counts, it is the final week of the early bird offer to sign-up for SWIFT CPD and Membership for 2025 - 2026. Benefit from discounted and free CPD to enhance the work in your school bringing the best of local and national - featuring energising names such as Dan Fitzpatrick, Mr P ICT, Craig Barton and The Engagement Platform. To name but a few. Find more information and register here Whether you know him from his books full of wisdom and good karma, or from the teaching world, you will know that Christopher Tribble has spent his professional career largely engaged in school improvement. Read and relish his wisdom in our July interview. The Colyton Foundation are on a mission here in the South West to help disadvantaged pupils overcome some of the steepest barriers to educational success due to the unique combination of geographical and socio-economic challenges. Find out how the Foundation can support your students in Director Nick Wakeling's article on The South West Landscape: Isolation, Overlooked Talent, and a Region in Need. Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC have been busy compiling some useful FAQs for schools about the new Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 that gained Royal Assent last month. It is worth a read as there will be some implications from a DPO perspective for schools over the next 12 months. Meanwhile our other sponsors are all here to support you. Be ready for your September staffing with Exeter Supply Partnership working with local schools across the county providing a friendly and efficient service. Educatering celebrate their fourth birthday and are going from strength-to-strength providing children in schools with delicious, nutritious, restaurant-quality meals and helping school Catering Teams to feel confident and in control of their kitchens again. Whilst ONVU Learning continue the third conversation with Discovery Schools Academies Trust CEO, Paul Stone and consider how bold educational change is not only envisioned but implemented. It is all here for you and may it count. For this final issue of 2024 - 2025, on behalf of the SWIFT Team, we wish you all a happy and rewarding end of term and a lovely sunny summer holiday.  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 final few places are available for the SWIFT Summer Conference 2025 on Thursday 19 June 2025 at the Future Skills Centre in Exeter. As our premier leadership event dedicated to empowering educators, fostering innovation, and driving excellence in education, this year's conference promises to be an inspiring and enriching experience. Highlighted Courses:
 We are back! The start of a new half term with an added impetus as the final chapter of this school year 2024 - 2025 - but with an eye on the next year around the corner.
Strategic Lead Roger Pope is in contemplative mood prompted by a 40th wedding anniversary party invitation, looking back on some of the changes in education: "So, have times changed? Yes, schools are much kinder places, with greater mutual respect and much more driven to be for the benefit of all their students whatever their circumstances. Call it inclusion if you like – it is something much more precious than the word implies." We bring you details about the Resilience, Equity and Inclusion in Education Conference in November. This is guided by our collective purpose as educators, understanding that equity and inclusion in education are important to ensure that every learner, regardless of their background, location, or situation has the support and resources they need to thrive. We hope you will take a closer look at the line-up for this event and join us if you can. Ever striving for the best, we are pleased to be working with the Colyton Foundation on Leading High Attainment - a rigorous year-long development programme that equips school leaders to drive systemic improvement in provision for high attainers in their schools. Our interview for this issue is with Sarah Plowman, School Catering Manager and Helen Vincent, School Business Manager at Whipton Barton Infant and Nursery School who share their enthusiasm for school dinners working closely with our sponsor Educatering. You can also read some of Educatering's top tips on reducing food waste in school. Devon Research School explore how to reduce or optimise cognitive load based on the guidance of the Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) Cognitive Science approaches in the classroom: a review of the evidence We like these features intended to support us in refining good practice. Our sponsor, ONVU Learning share the second conversation with Discovery Schools Academies Trust CEO, Paul Stone and reveal how thoughtful planning, transparency, and a focus on teaching and learning can drive meaningful change in schools. Exeter Supply Partnership explain how supply teaching can unlock doors to permanent roles and do take advantage of their free recruitment support service to schools that provides teacher profiles, arranges a trial supply day, meeting or interview, before you make a final decision about temporary cover arrangement in your school. You can meet all our sponsors and discuss with them in-person their services and products at our SWIFT Summer Conference on Thursday 19 June 2025. The final few places are available if you have yet to book. Find out more here We very much hope that you will find something of interest and relevance in this month's issue that adds value to your work in school. We are here to support you.  We are pleased to bring you this next EVENTS newsletter with details of professional learning opportunities to support you.
SWIFT Summer Conference 2025 | #SWIFTConf25 If you have yet to sign-up for our SWIFT Summer Conference 2025 on Thursday 19 June 2025 at the Future Skills Centre in Exeter, we are pleased to invite you now. This is a premier event dedicated to empowering educators, fostering innovation and driving excellence in education, the conference promises to be an inspiring and enriching experience for all attendees. Highlighted Courses/Support:
 Two thirds of the school year complete, we are pleased to bring you this April UPDATE.
At this time of renewal and hope, Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE reflects on inclusion in a move towards greater universal provision when the system is not working: outcomes are poor, children and parents experience the system badly and the funding is unsustainable. "How can we build capacity, confidence, and skills in schools so that meeting the needs of most children through universal provision becomes more of the norm?" On a positive tilt, we are keeping motivated after the Spring Leadership Forum and presentation by Peps Mccrea on The Science of Motivation: “Successful motivation is tied to life, survival and thriving.” Executive Director of SWIFT, Martin Smith encouraged us to keep motivated with a look to the next academic year and the bold new CPD offer and we thank ONVU Learning Vice President Matt Tiplin for sharing how their video capture tech enables teachers to feel empowered to self-reflect on their teaching in a powerful way. We also report on Education South West (ESW) CEO, Matthew Shanks who was a member on the expert panel of the recent Tes Trusts in Education Networking and CPD Event on the "gnarly topic" of behaviour in school. To another Multi Academy Trust (MAT) within our region. This has been an especially auspicious week for Gary Chown and team, as the new CEO of The Harbour Schools Partnership MAT, following the official merger of Tarka and Ventrus MATs on Tuesday 1 April 2025. We wish Harbour every continued success and you can read more in this issue's interview. Thinking about leadership, if you have yet to hear about our annual flagship leadership event, we remind you of the SWIFT 2025 Summer Conference coming up in June. A stunning line-up of speakers - and to think it is on your doorstep. Tickets are limited, so register your place and book in your diary and we will be glad to see you there. We share details of the new edition of the Education Endowment Foundation's (EEF) guidance on the deployment of Teaching Assistants. It is worth a read to value even more these precious colleagues in the classroom. Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC turns to a topic that is gaining cautious momentum. Have you embarked on your Artificial Intelligence journey yet? The SchoolPro team provide some very clear guidance on the use of generative AI in MATs and Schools. Read it and be forearmed! We thank ONVU Learning, once again, who outline in this issue how their tech enabled collaboration lesson capture tool is working in the classroom and supporting teaching and learning. You can keep in contact with Exeter Supply Partnership for updates and instructive articles on supply teaching to support your next steps in teaching. Whilst in the school kitchens and dining halls, Educatering are providing nutritional and exciting food, working with School Catering Teams for a complete school catering service. Thank you for reading and we wish you all a happy springtime Easter break.  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:
 As we edge ever-closer to spring, we are pleased to bring you this February UPDATE.
Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE reflects on the recent LSSW Connect study visit to The Charter Schools Educational Trust in London with a feature later in this issue. The simple and succinct vision for the Charles Dickens Primary School is that greatness begins with academic excellence, creativity and social intelligence as Roger reports how he saw this in practice in the school during the study visit. In a part one feature, our Director of Teaching School Hubs, Jen Knowles recently met with the SWIFT Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Partnership Group to consider how SWIFT can address DEI across our Golden Thread programme delivery. We will report back once the DEI Group have processed the analysis phase of documents and communications, and share how the SWIFT Teaching School Hubs Team can take action on this important dimension of our work. We report back on the joint initiative working with Colyton Foundation and Atom Learning to promote Free Pupil Premium support for Key Stage 2 children across our South West schools. Take-up has been very encouraging and we hope that schools are seeing the benefits. If you are interested in finding out more about Atom Learning, you can watch a short demo video in the feature. Working with national Lead Providers is key to our delivery work as Teaching School Hubs and in this February issue, we interview Amy Lingfield, Director of Partnerships at Teach First who shares how we align as organisations. You might have spied the new name and logo, but Jon Eaton, Director of the newly rebranded Devon Research School explains what this means for you. Our sponsor, SchoolPro TLC shares their expertise and knowledge about data sharing with school immunisation services. You can meet Director, Ben Craig at next week's School Business Management Professional Community on Tuesday 11 February 2025 between 1300 – 1500. Ben will be presenting on Biometrics, Immunisation Data, SAR Guidance and AI. Book your place here This session is FREE to SWIFT Members or £25 for Non-Members. Our other sponsors are also here to help life in your classrooms and schools to be even more effective and enjoyable. ONVU Learning have developed Smart Moments as part of their lesson video capture technology that allows teachers to flag seamlessly key classroom moments in real-time designed to make post-lesson review easier than ever. Find out how in their feature. Meanwhile Exeter Supply Partnership are heading north of our region and are busy recruiting in North Devon for outstanding primary teachers and Teaching Assistants and working with schools as a not-for-profit organisation who invest in their supply team. Endlessly enthusiastic about all things food, Educatering showcase a special "out of this world" themed catering and show how they care about pupils having a hot school meal every day. Not only to benefit the school kitchen, but to boost concentration for pupils’ afternoon learning. Similarly, if you are thinking about a change to your school /Multi Academy Trust's catering, you can meet Educatering's Head of Catering, Rob Stevens at next week's School Business Management Professional Community (as detailed above). It is all here for you. Thank you for taking the time to read and relish our latest.  We are pleased to bring you this next EVENTS newsletter with details of professional learning opportunities.
SWIFT Spring Leadership Forum | Thursday 20 March 2025 Our keynote speaker, Peps Mccrea, will be presenting on ‘The Science of Motivation’. In this session, Peps will provide a framework of five big ideas from the evidence on motivation plus five key practical strategies we can use to boost attention and effort in the classroom and will include video footage of great teaching in action. In addition, SWIFT Executive Director, Martin Smith will set out an ambitious SWIFT offer for the next academic year and provide delegates with the opportunity to put forward their own requests for speakers and courses. Highlighted Courses/Support:
 Starting 2025 with good communication intentions, we are pleased to bring you the January UPDATE.
Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE rings in the news year with good news that scholarship funding is being repeated for Cohort 4b: "For many schools and Trusts, they are a key outcome of annual progress and development discussions with an allowance of funding built into annual budgets. In short, they are becoming an entitlement for staff." You can find more information and how to apply here For our January interviewee, we find out more about working for Exam Board AQA from Justin Coombs, Executive Director of Assessment Technology. If you are currently on parental leave, or you have colleagues in your school/Multi Academy Trust (MAT), we encourage you to read more about The MaternityTeacher PaternityTeacher Project’s (MTPT) FREE return to work workshops - with the next session coming up on Monday 3 February 2025. Our Data Protection expert sponsor, SchoolPro TLC unpicks the recently updated Subject Access Request (SAR) Department for Education guidance. As former school teachers and leaders, they are standing by to help you. Meanwhile with our other sponsors. Goosemoor Educatering share some festive food and 2024 visual highlights and do feel able to get in contact should you like to find out more about catering for your school/MAT and/or foodie nutritional input to your curriculum. Exeter Supply Partnership are ready for the new year to support your primary supply teaching needs with their ethical not-for-profit ethos and ONVU Learning are also ready to support you with their dynamic teaching and learning classroom tool. Intrigued? Click the UPDATE link below to find out more. Welcome back! With our warmest wishes for a happy and hopeful 2025.  We are pleased to bring you this next UPDATE.
Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE reflects on the work ethic of his former pupils (working on his house) in the context of the current Department for Education (DfE) Curriculum Review and the Government's announcement to tackle the problem of the high number of people of working age not in work: "I find myself in the position of, as it were, consuming my own product. Does our school produce people who are not only good at their job, but good at relating to their clients and good at making the most of their lives?" A theme close to our hearts here in the South West, we report on the recent National Institute of Teaching study into the experiences of delivering Early Career Framework (ECF)-based programmes in different school contexts across England, with a particular focus on schools in rural and coastal communities. This resonates with the report on educational isolation at our Autumn Leadership Forum by Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Dean of Place and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University. Ofsted Assistant Regional Director, Sarah McGinnis reports back on the Big Listen commitment to help to build a better Ofsted. We interview Ilsham English Hub Lead and Early Years and Phonics Specialist Leader of Education, Danni Cooke with the Learning Academy Partnership South West whose dedication to reading, English and all things literacy is abundantly clear. This issue features exciting educational opportunities. If you are looking for a professional learning opportunity to visit other schools, you might wish to apply for the LSSW Connect Leadership Study Visit Programme taking place in January. School-centred charity, the Colyton Foundation is offering support for Sixth Forms for competitive Higher Education applications. Worth a read for those schools considering applications for their students to Oxford, Cambridge and universities in the USA; plus those applying for Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry. If you have yet to meet The Laurel Trust, you can find out more about the work of this national charity to support schools with a funding opportunity. The theme this year is Effective Transition | Educational readiness for every school at every phase. On the topic of considered collaboration, Kingsbridge Research School provides a thoughtful feature on why it is important to engage people in planning. Our sponsor, SchoolPro Safety presents some excellent guidance on staff mobile phone safety and safeguarding in school that is a very worthwhile. We need them, but we need to use them safely and sensibly in school. Also, Exeter Supply Partnership are here/ there if you need them and with their caring ethic to support your school and the supply teacher. You can step into the world of ONVU Learning with a video demo of the 360-degree camera technology by VP Matt Tiplin and see how this can support professional development in your school and Trust. If Educatering has yet to reach your school kitchen, the pictures say it all in this issue. Healthy and exciting that bring alive school dinners with an international twist this time and support for Children in Need 2024. We hope you enjoy reading and discovering in this issue of UPDATE and we wish you all a rewarding end to the Autumn Term and a Happy Christmas very soon. 14/11/2024 0 Comments SWIFT EVENTS | Issue 5 | November 2024 We are pleased to bring you this next EVENTS newsletter with details of professional development opportunities.
Supporting your Professional Development This issue includes the following programmes, courses and events from our partners for your professional development intended to support and enhance the work of your school:
SWIFT Autumn Term 2024 Leadership Forum | A WEEK TODAY | Thursday 21 November 2024 Committed to bringing together leaders from all educational settings within the area, our online Leadership Forums link to the best of local, regional and national. For our 2024 Autumn Term event, we have two speakers: Sarah McGinnis, Ofsted Assistant Regional Director and Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Dean of Place and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University. Find more information here  We are pleased to bring you this next UPDATE.
Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE muses on how politics sits within leadership following a post-budget discussion about inheritance tax: "The very best school leaders that I know lead from a position of deeply held beliefs and values. It is this passion which gets them out of bed in the morning and enables them to motivate others. It drives the sense of authenticity that enables others to trust them." Find out more about the the new Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator's (SENCO) National Professional Qualification (NPQ) in which 85 Programme Members are currently engaged. You can also learn about Social Stories following the recent workshop led by South West Autism Support Services and be guided to starting a story with your pupils and young people. If you have yet to do so, remember to sign-up for the Autumn Term Leadership Forum on: Thursday 21 November 2024 from 1530 – 1715 (online). Ofsted Assistant Regional Director, Sarah McGinnis will be sharing updates and opportunity for Q&A, whilst Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Dean of Place and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University will consider place-based disadvantage and the way it reduces coastal and rural school access to resources, especially teachers. FREE for SWIFT Members and £35 for all other colleagues, book your place here Director of Kingsbridge Research School, Jon Eaton provides clarity on schools as complex adaptive systems: "As school leaders will know all too well, there are no end-points to complex problems, where we can confidently down tools and declare things solved. For instance, literacy improvement in schools is not something that can be declared “done.”" Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC provides some excellent timetabling for success advice for those colleagues tasked with this mission and who might be already thinking about next year. Valid point by point tips for clear planning. Meanwhile our other sponsors have been busy. You can see some of Educatering's seasonal and cultural foodie goodies with children hands-on in the kitchen, and find out how Exeter Supply Partnership can support your primary teaching supply needs. You can download ONVU Learning's new White Paper "Unleash your Teachers’ Superpowers" that outlines strategies for fostering high-performance teaching and learning environments. We wish you all an enjoyable and rewarding half term and thank you for taking the time to read this issue. |
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