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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We hope you find something that adds value for you. 

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.