Like all things SWIFT the UPDATE interview has evolved into what it is today.

A simple formula. Five questions that reap rich reflections to showcase our work as Teaching School Hubs, and that of our ​Partners and Associates. 

​Looking back, the first iteration of the UPDATE interview appeared in Issue 4 in April 2022 with Martin Lewis - who was then the Appropriate Body Induction Tutor at Kingsbridge Community College (and Martin continues to be a SWIFT stalwart).  After a few evolutions, by Issue 7 the interview had become the defined interview we know today with Esther Best, NPQs Facilitator (the then Headteacher of Oreston Community Academy in Plymstock).
 
With our rooted in partnership mantra, the UPDATE interview has been a way to showcase the dedicated delivery support of valued colleagues across our Golden Thread work – of which there are many to choose from!

Aimee Mills, the then Acting Deputy Headteacher (for Quality of Education) at The Park Community School in Issue 10 (December 2022), Andy Ogden, then Director for CPD and Devon Training School Partnership at Tarka Learning Partnership in Issue 19 (November 2023), Jayne Miners, Primary ECTP Mentor at Halwill Primary School (The Carey Federation) in Issue 38 (October 2025) and Lindsay Cooper Smith, Director of Inclusion for St Christopher’s Academy Trust in Issue 44 (April 2026):
 
“I would wish all children to be educated locally with their peers and to get the support they need at the earliest possible opportunity to make sure there is a genuine holistic approach to inclusion with the family, school and professionals involved.”
 
Still going strong with us harking back to Issue 28 (November 2024) was Tania Cox, Director of Blackdown Education Partnership Training School – one of our valued Partners: “Personally, the thing I enjoy the most of working for a Teaching School Hub is the diverse range of schools and colleagues I get the opportunity to work with and their absolute wealth of expertise and experience shared with me.”  

Already a few worthy examples of note here, finding a fitting quotation has been a definite delight for me to set the tone for the whole interview. More to follow as we press on now. 
​
Always curious, I like learning more about colleagues, as in Issue 32 (March 2025) with Robin Scott, CPD & Marketing Coordinator with Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance: “Overall, I think it is most rewarding being part of the Teaching School Hubs network that is aiming for big improvements in education. I always feel the South West collaborates well and we want to work with and make our schools even better." Also, Faye Steele, SWIFT Senior Administrator for the Appropriate Body Service in Issue 40 (December 2025) clearly enjoys her work with her memorable words: “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.” How brightly their commitment shone.
 
We always strive to stand tall with our Partners and I have been grateful to interview CEOs, Headteachers, Senior Leadership Team and Teacher colleagues. Starting with Stewart Biddles, CEO of Riviera Education Trust in Issue 15 (June 2023): “There is always more to be gained by working in partnership than by forging ahead alone.” Tom Parkin, Headteacher of South Molton Community Primary School in Issue 17 (September 2023): “Our hope for our children this year is to get back into school and in a positive way.” Fiona Harvey, Deputy Head (Scholarship) at Colyton Grammar School (one half of SWIFT’s Colyton Teaching School Hub) in Issue 22 (February 2024) provided another standout quotation: “I believe as school leaders, we must challenge and be positive in promoting teaching as a career that is brilliant, rewarding and a worthwhile choice.”​

It has been a privilege to hear original insights from respected leaders. The Issue 33 (April 2025) interview with Gary Chown was on the eve of officially becoming CEO of The Harbour Schools Partnership Multi Academy Trust (merging Ventrus and Tarka Trusts): “I would like to see improvements in how the system connects. I think some MATs are doing well and working in effective partnerships and I am hopeful that we could deepen this partnership and build a more architecturally responsible legacy.” And the interview with Mr T – A.K.A. Christopher Tribble, Headteacher at Honiton Primary School and Author in Issue 36 this time last year demonstrated the noblest intentions for his pupils.
 
I have relished learning more about colleagues, as in Issue 32 (March 2025) with Robin Scott, CPD & Marketing Coordinator with Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance: “Overall, I think it is most rewarding being part of the Teaching School Hubs network that is aiming for big improvements in education. I always feel the South West collaborates well and we want to work with and make our schools even better." Also, Faye Steele, SWIFT Senior Administrator for the Appropriate Body Service in Issue 40 (December 2025) clearly enjoys her work with her memorable words: “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.” How brightly their commitment shone.

​We take pride in our responsibilities to champion the work of our many Associates – all of whom boost our offer to Schools and Trusts. Issue 12 (February 2023) interview with Emma Sheppard, The MaternityTeacher PaternityTeacher Project (MTPT) Founder and Lead, testified to her passionate staunchness in this important area of the workforce. Supporting the local Department of Education Subject Hubs is integral to our work and Joint CODE Maths Hub Leads, Laura Clitheroe and David Hick were the double act for Issue 23 (March 2024) and it was the turn for lsham English Hub with Hub Lead, Danni Cooke in Issue 29 (December 2024) sharing her infectious love of reading and all things booky.

​Many (most!) of the interviews have spoken to the longevity of our partnerships. Issue 27 (October 2024) with Jon Eaton, Director of Kingsbridge Research School highlighted our ongoing valued partnership, as did Issue 18 (October 2023) with Jenny Sutton, Regional Principal, South and West – National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) speaking volumes then and now of our close working together as NIoT Associates Colleges: “I genuinely love working with our Associate Colleges because [THEY] all want to build a really strong partnership with us, that genuinely ensures the programmes we develop and deliver together are of maximum benefit for teachers and leaders.” Followed by fellow NIoT colleague Katy Micklewright, Head of the Early Careers Programme Faculty in Issue 37 two years later.
 
Many of interviews provide professional insights into the cogs central to our educational landscape. In May 2024 issue 24 we met Emma Vyvyan, Regional Lead for the South West for Whole School SEND: “Children teach us new things every day and walking in their shoes ensures that we get to know them as individuals, which requires our fresh and creative thinking in order to ensure that we have the best inclusive approach possible.” January 2025 Issue 30 with Justin Coombs, Executive Director of Assessment Technology at Exam Board, AQA and Amy Lingfield, the then Director of Partnerships at Teach First in Issue 31 February 2025.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging is at the heart of our work in safeguarding members of our community to feel psychologically safe and their authentic selves so that children in schools are led, taught, supported and governed by people who embody the values and model the behaviours of a modern inclusive society. I was pleased therefore to interview for Issue 25 (June 2024) the then Co-Chairs of our SWIFT DEIB Partnership Group, the then Krisha Gandhi of Cranbrook Education Campus and Tom Pether of East Allington Primary School and earlier for Issue 14 (May 2023) Louise Jaunbocus-Cooper, Co-Founder of MixEd.

The interview can be an opportunity to celebrate new ventures as in Issue 41 (January 2026) with Nick Wakeling, Director of the Colyton Foundation: “I hope the sense of a regional movement to support under-resourced pupils will have gathered further momentum, and that the Colyton Foundation will have become a ‘go-to’ hub for all schools and other organisations looking to support higher attainers & HE progression within the region.” Along with Jess Easton, Director of The Engagement Platform (TEP) in Issue 42 the following month: “If people could really understand engagement, where it comes from and what drives it, I think we would see significant improvements in areas we traditionally measure, such as attendance, persistent absence and outcomes.”
 
CPD is integral to our SWIFT work. With an eye on the relevant and interesting, Caroline Sherwood, Deputy Headteacher at Pilton Community College was the interviewee for issue 11 (January 2023) as Programme Lead for the How to Teach Boys to Succeed in School session. Ed Pawson, our SWIFT Religious Education Professional Community Lead and RE Consultant opened my eyes with humble thinking about this core subject in Issue 43 (March 2026): “When I look at my primary colleagues, my fundamental purpose in being an advisor is to help those who do not have RE as their number one subject and have never really studied it and do not feel confident. I would love to be able to feel that I have supported people to enjoy teaching RE and to gain satisfaction.”

​Enthusiasm is part of my DNA, and I respond to enthusiastic interviewees, which especially oozed in the interview with Sam Eyre, Head of CREATE Creative Arts Academy at Coombeshead Academy in Issue 34 (May 2025): “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."

​Thinking arty, a particularly fond interview was with Olivia, the artist behind our unique quirky SWIFT artwork in Issue 13 (March 2023). At the time Olivia was a student at Colyton Grammar School and if you are still curious about the history of the artwork you might like to read more here
 
I always like to learn and the Issue 45 (May 2026) interview with Anthony Lees, Deputy Head of School for Marpool Primary School & EdTech Lead for the Cornerstone Academy Trust was mind-bending on the thorny topic of AI: “I believe the power of technology is about bringing equity of opportunity to learners - to all pupils and students - by raising universal provision, and not simply through the accessibility tools, which are the obvious quick wins, (i.e. text to speech, speech to text etc), all of which is hugely important and makes a big difference to teaching and learning.”
 
Sometimes I like to think of the interview as a good omen.  As a lovely precursor to her joining the SWIFT Team a year later as Director of Teaching School Hubs, Jen Knowles, the then Director of West Country Training School Alliance (WCTSA) was in the spotlight for Issue 8 in October 2022 (and we have never looked back). With unforeseen symmetry Jen’s predecessor Chris Harris, SWIFT Deputy Director (Colyton Teaching School Hub) was the following interviewee in Issue 9 (November 2022).
 
With more serendipitous timing, for Issue 20 (December 2023) Tina Graham, Principal of Kingsbridge Community College (KCC) did not know that KCC was set to be awarded the South West Secondary School of the Year 2024 Award for The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide - for academic outcomes and character education, extra-curricular opportunities and student experience, as well as year-on-year improvements. It made the interview all the more glorious.  

The interview can be a way to say thank you and to enhance the sense of occasion.
Issue 26 two years ago at this time of year was with Paul Brooks, retiring Chair of Kingsbridge Community College Governing Body and the SWIFT Trust Board who shared his experienced words of wisdom: “When I was Deputy Principal, I used to say that every child in our school needs to enjoy our school and to come out at the end of each day and know that they have enjoyed something in their lessons. I believe now, as I believed then, that it is possible.”
 
Everyone counts for me in a school. Prior to SWIFT, I worked as PA to a Headteacher in Somerset (plus I’m a foodie); so I particularly enjoyed the interview in Issue 35 (June 2025) with Sarah Plowman, School Catering Manager, and Helen Vincent, School Business Manager at Whipton Barton Infant and Nursery School: “What blew me away … was that it is all about the children and ensuring they have a good, nutritious meal, because they know how that helps with learning, and this absolutely shines through.”
 
Demonstrating the positivity within our educational partnership, for Issue 39 (November 2025), I enjoyed interviewing SWIFT Teacher Training graduate, Harriet Sleath, in her first term as Teacher of Modern Foreign Languages at Teign School, part of Education South West (the other half of SWIFT).
 
From time to time I like to open a window into our Central Team and Fiona McNeile, our SWIFT Programme Manager (and now Director of Business Development) was a lovely interviewee in Issue 16 (July 2023): “I am very fortunate to have a role that is fulfilling in many ways.” As was Martin Smith, Executive Director of SWIFT in Issue 21 (January 2024): “I enjoy nurturing partnerships and I am continuously reminded of their importance in every we do.”
 
Bringing us up to date, the most recent interview last month was with Steve Margetts, Principal of Torquay Academy and Author: “I would describe my leadership style as highly focused on clarity, culture, and people. I believe leaders have to create a clear sense of direction, whilst building an environment where staff and students can thrive.” If you heard Steve speak at the Summer Conference you will already have an insight into the impact of his leadership experience that you can benefit from in the “Everyone Succeeds: Practical leadership behaviours that improve schools” practical professional development sessions next year.

Exeter Supply Partnership (ESP) are celebrating a significant birthday this month. 

Created by local schools as a Community Interest Company (CIC), their focus has always been on relationships, reliability, and supporting education — and NOT profit.
 
Why This Matters Now
ESP recognise the pressures school leaders and staff continue to face - particularly around recruitment, retention, and securing high-quality cover at short notice. At the same time, expectations on schools and support staff continue to grow.

Built for Schools, Rooted in the Community
As a CIC, everything ESP do is about strengthening the local education community.

It is very telling that many of the schools they work with have partnered with them for years — but they are always keen to connect with others who may benefit from a more relationship-led approach to supply. 

As a valued SWIFT Sponsor we are proud to work with ESP.​

What ESP Offer
ESP works closely with schools to provide supply staff who are:
​

• Familiar with local settings and expectations
• Able to integrate quickly and maintain continuity for pupils
• Supported by a team that understands the realities of school life

 
The ESP approach goes beyond filling vacancies.
They take time to understand your school’s context so they can match the right people to your setting.​

How to Contact the Team 

Last Thursday 18 June 2026, Executive Director, Martin Smith and Director of Teaching School Hubs, Jen Knowles welcomed delegates to the seventh Summer Conference held this year at Exeter Racecourse (and destined to be a galloping success!).  

Fiona Harvey, Deputy Headteacher for Scholarships at Colyton Grammar School started off the proceedings.
Often ranked as the highest-performing State School in the South West, Colyton Grammar School is the Lead Trust for the Colyton Teaching School Hub – one of the halves of SWIFT, along with Education South West. Colyton is also home to the Colyton Foundation (due to feature later in the conference). 
 
True to her roots as a Teacher of English, Fiona referenced the nature book, “The Tale of Tommy Nobody” (by Ruth Thomson), who became Tommy Somebody. It is a reminder that classrooms are full of Tommies trying to work out who they are, because everybody is a somebody. As educators, we need to foster and encourage positive relationships for everyone in our care because belonging is shaped intentionally. By widening success, every child can enjoy the moment of realising, “This I something I can do… and I am somebody here… and I truly matter.” Educating is not only about raising attainment, but about building positive environments.
 
Being somebody counts for staff AND children and young people.
Identity and belonging were to be key themes during the conference and aptly prefaced the keynote speaker up next.

Education Leader and Director of Teaching School at Chiltern Learning Trust, Sufian Sadiq lured us in with his presentation title, “If You Can Be Anything in Life, Be a Good Egg.” With the potential for lots of memorable egg metaphors.
 
In a societal context where the national mood is changing and narratives that once were fringe voices are becoming increasingly normal and even acceptable, Sufian asked, “If we expected better from everyone what does better look like?” What does it mean?”
 
Schools are challenged to place character, relationships and culture at the centre of educational success. Like an egg Sufian explained how people thrive when they are supported by the right environment and valued for their unique strengths. He explored the characteristics associated with effective teachers, leaders and pupils - highlighting qualities, including passion, resilience, empathy, integrity, ambition, collaboration and a commitment to growth. The strongest schools create “perfect harmony” by developing these attributes across the entire school community, rather than focusing solely on academic outcomes.

Note the distinction between professional expertise and leadership. Excellence in a particular subject or role does not automatically translate into leadership capability, suggesting leadership requires a separate set of interpersonal qualities, including communication, accountability, adaptability and the ability to inspire others. Character develops during a teacher’s career, and personal growth is shaped by experiences, setbacks and the working environments.
 
Sufian cautioned against “deficit ideology” – the tendency to focus on people’s shortcomings rather than their potential. When organisations stop believing in individuals, or fail to provide supportive conditions, motivation and performance suffer. Think of the strength of an egg, showing how people are often more resilient than they appear when placed in the right conditions. Excessive workload is not solely what breaks people; rather, it is poor treatment, lack of recognition and weak relationships. Celebrate differences, noting how diverse communities are strengthened by varied talents and perspectives.​

With themes that were to echo throughout the whole conference, Sufian reminded us how successful schools are built on trust, care and human connection.
 
Create environments where people feel valued, supported and able to flourish – and above all, “be a good egg.”
 
Cracking good advice and a pertinent premise for this year's conference. ​

Educator and author, Lewis Wedlock in his presentation “Masculinities in Schools: Preparing for “Newniversal” Work,” encouraged rethinking a more nuanced and responsive approach to engagement with boys and young men. Amidst an increasingly complex social landscape, Lewis highlighted research suggesting that many boys are uncertain about their identity and place in society:
 
79% of boys are unclear about what masculinity means.
54% believe boys have it harder than girls today.
AND 86% of parents express worries about the challenges facing boys.

Ending on an upbeat note, Lewis urged schools to treat students as experts in their own experiences and advocated “attunement,” rather than immediate agreement, encouraging educators to understand how young people arrive at their beliefs before attempting to influence them. Through listening, reflection and continuous feedback, Lewis believes schools can create more meaningful conversations about masculinity and better support the development of boys and young men. ​

Using vivid images of seedlings and growth, Sally Apps, Deputy CEO of the Cabot Learning Federation presented the earthy presentation, “The Power of Voice: Oracy, Equity and Our Shared Social Soil.” 
 
Most importantly, developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills is essential to improving educational equity and tackling disadvantage.
 
Evidence shows that three-quarters of children experiencing persistent poverty start school without the language skills needed for learning, placing them at a significant disadvantage from the outset.

Drawing on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Sally explained that oracy is not simply an educational tool, but a matter of social justice. All children have the right to express their views, be heard and participate fully in society and schools may represent the final opportunity for some young people to develop the communication skills needed to thrive in employment, relationships and community life. 

​Language, confidence and social capital are closely connected and confidence in speaking can shape access to opportunities, influence educational experiences and affect whether young people feel they belong. Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds can possess the same intellectual ability as their peers, but may lack the confidence, vocabulary or experience needed to express themselves in academic and professional settings.
 
It is important to listen to pupils lived experiences and ensure that disadvantaged students have a meaningful voice within schools. Sally exemplified a Trust-wide strategy focused on developing understanding of disadvantage, gathering regular student voice, investing in staff training and ensuring that support for disadvantaged learners is embedded across all school improvement strategies - rather than treated as a separate initiative.
 
Research and educational theory show that learning is fundamentally social and strong communication skills help young people to develop confidence, resilience and a sense of identity. Sally maintained that schools must create environments where every child feels known, valued and able to contribute.
 
Negative stereotypes associated with disadvantaged communities need to be challenged, and education should enable children to understand their place in the world, to develop a strong sense of self and to gain the confidence to shape their own futures. 

​In conclusion, oracy is a powerful lever for social mobility and inclusion. By giving every child the confidence and opportunity to be heard, schools can strengthen belonging, improve outcomes and help young people overcome barriers created by disadvantage.

​Leadership and wellbeing specialist, Shaheen Myers brought some practical wellness to the conference with her presentation on “Taking Care of Hearts and Minds.” Strong relationships, psychological safety and human connection are fundamental to creating healthy, high-performing school cultures.
 
Shaheen encouraged school leaders to focus not only on systems and outcomes, but also on the emotional and relational conditions that enable people to thrive. Top of the list are meaningful dialogue, reflective questioning and opportunities for staff to connect with one another through structured conversations - rather than relying solely on informal interactions. 

At the heart is connectedness. Too often stress leads to disconnection, which in turn can negatively affect wellbeing, engagement and performance. Relationships are the “hidden infrastructure” of organisations, and schools function most effectively when staff feel connected, valued and supported.
 
Effective leadership is as much about winning hearts as convincing minds, echoing Simon Sinek’s view that people are motivated by connection and purpose rather than instruction alone.
 
Drawing on wellbeing research, leadership theory and cultural traditions, Shaheen explored how belonging influences both individual and collective success. Referencing the work of performance coach, Owen Eastwood, she highlighted the importance of creating environments where people feel a genuine sense of belonging and shared purpose.  Leaders can use questions that promote deeper thinking and self-reflection, asking individuals about their strengths, purpose and identity beyond their professional roles, building trust, understanding and stronger relationships across organisations.
 
Psychologically safe workplaces are essential with leadership approaches that prioritise wellbeing, care and openness, enabling staff to contribute ideas, discuss challenges and seek support without fear of judgement. Care-centred school cultures built around leadership support, relational practice, sustainable performance, staff development, recruitment and retention. 

Shaheen concluded that connection should be viewed as a strategic priority in education. When people feel connected, they think more clearly, make better decisions and contribute more positively to their communities leading to personal and organisational success. 

Director of the Colyton Foundation, Nick Wakeling and Agnes Fitzpatrick, Regional Director of The Engagement Platform (TEP) were well-appointed to present on “Engagement, Belonging, and High Attainment - from Hidden Need to Building Opportunity in the South West.”
 
Pupil engagement should be treated as a leading indicator of educational success, particularly for disadvantaged pupils in the South West. Understanding pupils’ experiences can help schools to identify barriers to achievement before they appear in attainment data. 

​Drawing on research from TEP, engagement is closely linked to attendance, attainment and reading progress.

Pupils who feel a greater sense of agency and control over their learning make stronger academic progress and are more likely to achieve expected standards. Measuring engagement provides schools with valuable early warning signs that can inform targeted interventions.
 
National concerns around pupil engagement include a significant decline during the transition from primary to secondary education, described as the “Year 7 engagement cliff.” Whilst engagement levels vary between different groups of pupils, schools need to understand these differences, rather than relying solely on broad demographic labels.
 
It is important to move from “assumption to assessment” when addressing disadvantage. Disadvantaged pupils are not a homogeneous group, and the traditional indicators such as free school meal eligibility or deprivation measures often fail to capture the complexity of pupils’ needs. This is particularly true in the South West, where “pretty poverty,” dispersed deprivation and educational isolation can mask significant disadvantage. 

​In conclusion engagement and attainment should not be seen as competing priorities. But schools should use engagement data to identify hidden needs, understand barriers, design supportive conditions, build strong support networks and create sustainable pathways that enable disadvantaged pupils to succeed. 

​"EVERYONE is a leader at every level" - leader guru Steve Margetts told us in his presentation, “If Leadership Is So Important, Why Don’t We Deliberately Improve It?”  Unbelievably, knowing the depths of a school leader’s in-tray, Steve found the time over the past six years whilst doing his day job as Principal of Torquay Academy to muse and then write and publish a book with the empowering title, “Everyone Succeeds,” divulging his leadership wisdom. 

It was time for lunch! As glorious as a summer's day.

A big thank you to our sponsor, Educatering for providing us with the delicious lunch showcasing their nutritious and exciting food.

​​In her presentation, “Outsourced to Outstanding,” Assistant Head of Educatering, Lucy Painter highlighted the benefits of bringing school catering services in-house. Schools can gain greater budget control, eliminate third-party mark-ups, retain profits, and create bespoke menus tailored to pupils’ needs.

To the afternoon speakers.
It appears to have crept up on us surreptitiously. At one not too distant point Artificial Intelligence seemed like a half reality, but it is clearly here to stay and is rapidly part of (and driving) our lives.
 
In the next presentation Daisy Christodoulou called for a major rethink of AI and Assessment, ably positioned as Director of Education at No More Marking in her presentation, “AI and Assessment: What Needs to Change.” 

Daisy referenced three key points:
 

1. Students should not use AI in assessments.
2. Teachers should use AI as an assessment tool to support marking and evaluation.
3. Schools should develop systems that combine human and AI expertise.

 
Daisy cautioned that AI-generated work is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from genuine student work. Drawing on both No More Marking's research and wider academic studies, she reported that teachers cannot reliably identify AI-generated writing and frequently misclassify authentic student work as AI-produced.  Revealingly, in a 2024 university study in which fully AI-written submissions were secretly entered into undergraduate assessments, researchers found that 94% of AI submissions went undetected; whilst the AI essays achieved grades averaging half a grade boundary higher than those earned by real students.
 
All of which challenges the purpose of assessment itself; which is valuable, not because of the final mark awarded, but because of the inferences educators can make about a student's knowledge and capabilities. If AI completes the work, those inferences become unreliable.
 
In the context of increasing teacher workloads, speed matters. AI can process large volumes of student work quickly, potentially reducing teacher workload and enabling more frequent assessment cycles. BUT there is a big caveat. Human oversight remains essential to validate AI decisions and prevent gaming of assessment systems. Daisy cautioned about fully automated assessment systems with insights into the history of automated essay scoring, including the Project Essay Grade (PEG) system developed in 1968, which often matched or exceeded human marker reliability, yet was easily manipulated.

No More Marking has already trialled a combined approach using AI and human comparative judgement, with approximately 400,000 pieces of student writing assessed. AI agreed with human judgment 80 – 85% of the time, a level close to typical agreement rates between different human markers.
 
Looking ahead, Daisy proposed various models for integrating AI into assessment across different age groups: including AI-assisted redrafting in primary schools, AI undertaking most judging at Key Stage 3 with teacher oversight, and increased moderation and practice assessments at GCSE level plus new forms of feedback powered by AI.
 
By integrating the strengths of both AI and teachers, the foreseeable future with AI should be harnessed to improve the efficiency, consistency and quality of professional assessment. 

Our final speaker was Kamila Sidiqi, with quite the CV: Afghan educator, entrepreneur, and lead character in the novel, "The Dressmaker of Khair Khana" that tells the story of her women-led tailoring business, as well as founder of the Kamila Sidiqi Foundation. In her presentation, “Every Girl Deserves a Classroom” Kamila shared her personal journey and highlighted the transformative power of education for women and girls. 

From her own heartfelt experiences as a teacher, business leader and former Deputy Minister of Commerce, Kamila believes that education, supremely creates opportunities, builds confidence and drives economic and social progress. There is a personal pertinence as Kamila was in Afghanistan in September 2021 when girls above Grade 6 were barred from attending school by the Taliban (later extended to universities). Afghanistan is now the only country in the world where girls and women are formally prohibited from accessing secondary and higher education. More than 2.2 million girls have been excluded from secondary education, resulting in billions of lost learning hours.
 
“For many Afghan girls, the ban did not only close a school gate — it paused their childhood, their friendships, their confidence, and their future plans.”

Girls lose much more than their own education. Educated women are more likely to earn incomes, improve family health outcomes, invest in their children’s education and contribute to wider economic growth.

​Director of Education at Education South West, Suzannah Wharf summed up the conference and commended bringing together the collective wisdom to inspire and deepen thinking in our educational worlds.

She encouraged delegates to follow up on:

✅ One idea to act on intentionality.
✅ One conversation with a colleague.
✅ One reminder to look after yourself and your teams for sustainable improvement.

Keen to provide a wide delegate experience, we also thank our other attending sponsors:
Exeter Supply Partnership who connect exceptional primary teachers, Teaching Assistants, and nursery practitioners with schools across Exeter, Devon and Torbay and SchoolPro TLC who provide a wide range of education support for Schools and Multi Academy Trusts.
 
Thank you to our other exhibitors for showcasing their products and services:
 
Healthy Bs for all things relating to Bladders, Bowels & Bathrooms!
PHP Law LLP who provide complete support for Trusts and Schools
Rhino Play (SW) Ltd for sustainable playground design for every age.
Tute Education DfE-accredited online education partner for students in Key Stages 1 to 5
YPO leading education supplier of stationery, furniture and equipment. 

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. 

“I feel energised as a Teacher Educator at a time when I was beginning to feel demotivated. I now want to push beyond my current remit to action system level change within my organisation and feel that the work today has helped empower me with tools and starting points for those conversations.”

The National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) Teacher Educator Development Day took place at the end of last month at the Birmingham Campus originally conceptualised around the themes of the NIoT rubric, with an opportunity to network and share, and learn from the dedicated research team at the NIoT.
 
Led by Kyle Bailey, NPQ Lead for the South and West at NIoT since 2024, Kyle’s other day job is Birmingham South Teaching School Hub Lead. In his NIoT role, Kyle benefits from working with great people, including members of our SWIFT TSH Team, Jen Knowles and Fiona McNeile, and OneCornwall partners; as well as other Associate Colleges, with whom Kyle has been working closely to better understand the needs of their regions.

Kyle is privileged to visit Campus Facilitators, many of whom are serving school leaders, which prompted his thinking for the day in recognising the need for colleagues across to country to meet in-person. He also wanted to give back and to amplify the work of Facilitators and to enable them to bring and share concrete resources to their NPQ delivery sessions. ​

​The audience of 80 colleagues spun the spectrum of the Golden Thread, including those currently leading the Early Career Teacher Programme, Teaching School Hub Directors, Heads of Professional Development at Multi Academy Trusts – plus representation from the Local Authority, and colleagues who currently work / do not work with the NIoT. Kyle is keen that colleagues are aware that the NIoT is more than its programmes and offers huge research opportunities.

Keynotes included Dr Chris Baker, who leads professional development at the Cabot Learning Federation (partner with Ambition Institute), on Why Teacher Educators are Essential for Sector Improvement - focusing on the role and challenges as a Mentor, Facilitator, and Head of Professional Development in school. NIoT Executive Director for Programmes, Reuben Moore led on Horizon Scanning and Implications for the Sector and Input on the Curriculum Assessment Review changes. Too often, information can be provided piecemeal and Reuben gave an overview on what is currently in place and what colleagues might need to consider and change. Finally, Margaret Mulholland from ASCL led the keynote on Supporting Other Teachers in an Educational Landscape with Greater Need, building on Reuben’s overarching themes, as well as inclusion – always a relevant focus for Schools and Trusts and a current big priority for the Government following the recent White Paper.
 
Delegates could choose to attend a variety of workshops. All of which shared the purpose of thinking through how to design and conceptualise teacher education. 

Dr Rob Nash, Head of Psychological Research at the NIoT led on Feedback Literacy and How to Make Receiving Feedback Less Awful, which was well received (not surprising perhaps with its engaging title!). Aretha Banton from Mindful Equity led the session on recruiting career changers from more ethnically diverse backgrounds and cultural competence. Leyla Palmer and Hayley Bissell from NIoT Associate College, Windsor Academy Trust, led the session on Adaptive Facilitation in Practice: Balancing Structure, Responsiveness and Instruction Synopsis. Whilst Oasis Community Learning, the founding NIoT MAT here in the South West, and One World Education, led a session together on Leading Learning: Rigour and Joy in Every Classroom. NIoT Tutors, Balli Dalli, Pete Gandon and Faye Murphy invited delegates to a session on Squeezing the Sponge: how can we provoke hard thinking and make effective application more likely in teacher education to get the most out of your practice. Finally, Chris Baker led on Making Change Stick: the Systematic ‘transfer of training.’
 
The Teacher Educator Day was a momentous day: impactful conversations and uplifting feedback on all the sessions. Feedback from attendees about the day was very positive with strong engagement in the sessions and colleagues attending from the North West and London will be hosting Facilitators at their own sessions later in the year.
 
“The best, most thought-provoking day of professional learning I have had in many years. I have made many notes and been inspired to reflect on my practices and our organisation as a whole.”
 
Looking beyond the conference, the intention is for colleagues to reference what they have learned and heard in the sessions and to mention in their NPQ facilitation training and to adjust the way they give feedback.
Equally, it has been an invaluable outreach exercise to some of the colder spots around the country and those Schools and Trusts who have yet to work closely with the NIoT - several of whom have already been in contact to request speaker details to ask them to lead on training sessions for their Trust.
 
Commenting on the day Kyle Bailey said:
“Above all, the Teacher Educator Development Day was pivotal in supporting the work of the NIoT in bringing together, connecting people, and supporting Schools and Multi Academy Trusts.
The NIoT is making a big effort here in the South West to push outwards and for members of our NIOT Team to run sessions to help boost the system overall and we are delighted to be leading on this support work.”
 
The South West region is central to supporting future NPQs and the delivery of the NIoT role by bringing people together and connecting Facilitators with Schools and Trusts. NIoT’s strong focus is on serving school leaders and it is gratifying that this aligns well with our SWIFT ethos of working with Schools and Trusts.

Teaching School Hubs will continue to play a vital, place‑based role, recognising that schools’ needs vary by geography and system context. Local knowledge in linking Schools, MATs, Research Schools and Hubs will strengthen collaboration and working alongside, listening, learning and feeding back is essential, and here at SWIFT as Teaching School Hubs, we will always be proud to exemplify this schools‑led, collaborative approach.

We are proud to partner with the NIoT for the Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP) and National Professional Qualifications (NPQs).

Report by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

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:

• Building an Oracy-Rich Classroom
• Primary Languages Professional Community
• Early Years Moderation
• SWIFT NPQ Update | Autumn 2026 Cohort
• Professional Communities

• Primary and Secondary Subject Briefing
• EYFS & Primary Courses
• Secondary & Sixth Form Courses
• Other events for your diary 

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 were pleased to see the White Paper signal a material shift in the role of pupil engagement as a school improvement lever, with TEP highlighted as a case study:
 
"Schools are taking new approaches to measure pupil, employee and family engagement. One example is The Engagement Platform (TEP). TEP works with schools, local authorities and trusts nationwide to generate data insights on their performance, to target their practice and improve outcomes.
 
TEP data, now drawing from 300,000 children, indicates that low engagement is often linked to low attainment outcomes and poor attendance. Secondary school pupils with lower engagement scores are around three times more likely to be persistently absent than pupils with high engagement scores.
 
Equipping schools with data on pupil engagement enables them to target interventions and improve practice. Schools focusing on activities such as improving transition support, actively listening to pupil and employee groups, and using inclusive routines, have been able to achieve engagement scores that are better than the national average."

In response to the publication of the White Paper, Professor John Jerrim, Research Director at The Engagement Platform, has published the background literature and evidence-base underpinning TEP's engagement framework (see "Background and development of TEP measure of pupil engagement").

What the Research Tells Us
Engagement is what researchers call a "meta-construct": not a single trait, but an umbrella concept combining cognitive engagement (what pupils think about school), emotional engagement (what they feel about school and their relationships within it), and behavioural engagement (how they act). TEP's framework captures eleven distinct drivers across these three domains, including agency, peer relationships, safety and inclusion.
 
TEP’s latest February 2026 findings, drawn from 165,000 pupils across 263 schools, provides evidence that this framework maps onto measurable outcomes. Persistent absence rates differ substantially by engagement level: in primary schools, the gap between the lowest and highest engagement thirds is eleven percentage points; in secondary, nineteen. On attainment, schools in the top third for engagement average nearly ten Attainment 8 points higher than those in the bottom third - roughly a full GCSE grade per subject. At primary, schools in the highest quartile for the agency driver see 45% more pupils achieving the higher standard in RWM at KS2.-

​he data also points to staff engagement as an independent predictor of pupil outcomes, distinct from school intake or local deprivation levels. Within the higher-disadvantage half of the sample, schools in the top third for staff engagement had persistent absence rates 9.4 percentage points lower and Attainment 8 scores 6.5 points higher than the bottom third. This shows us that staff engagement is not a parallel concern to pupil engagement. It is a predictor of it, and one that schools can actively influence.  
 
Taken together, the findings suggest that engagement data, when measured rigorously and benchmarked with precision, functions as a lead indicator: pointing to where outcomes are heading before they arrive, and where the conditions for improvement might most usefully be examined.

We are pleased to announce that the Colyton Foundation has secured a 50% subsidy this academic year for all Colyton Foundation partner schools — with a 40% subsidy also available to all other schools.

Report by Agnes Fitzpatrick, Regional Director, The Engagement Platform 

“When I look at my primary colleagues, my fundamental purpose in being an advisor is to help those who do not have RE as their number one subject and have never really studied it and do not feel confident. I would love to be able to feel that I have supported people to enjoy teaching RE and to gain satisfaction.”
​
Ed Pawson spent 23 years as a Secondary Teacher of Religious Education and Subject Leader. He is currently the RE adviser to a number of SACREs in South West England, Programme Director for Learn, Teach, Lead RE teacher networks (SW) and the former Chair of the National Association of Teachers of RE (NATRE). Ed currently sits on the Board of the Religious Education Council and is the SW Lead for RE Hubs. He has published work on Islam, Contemporary Issues in RE and spiritual development.

Ed is passionate about the way RE can offer young people a unique opportunity to develop skills of critical evaluation and dialogue and he believes that an education in religion and worldviews plays an invaluable role in enabling young people to become more inquisitive, reflective and engaged members of society.
 
As our Religious Education Professional Community Lead, we invited Ed to share some of his thoughts about RE teaching today.

1. What personal and professional skills and qualities do you bring to your role as SWIFT Religious Education Professional Community Lead?
I was a Secondary Teacher of RE for 23 years in the classroom and as a teacher, I felt connected to pupils and motivated by my subject, and becoming a Subject Leader.
 
About 11 years ago I stopped teaching and became an RE consultant and advisor. I think I bring to the role, all those skills as a teacher in being committed, having a passion and a deep understanding for the subject and being interested in pupils, and fundamentally liking children and wanting the best for them in a rounded way. I believe this empathy is important (as a skill or a quality) in being interested in my subject matter and the pupils and the way that teachers can connect with them.
 
2. What do you find to be most rewarding in this role?
I am interested in networking and building a community. I think that sometimes in school, we lack a sense of belonging as teachers.

I recall when I started teaching, you felt that schools invested in you and that you could build your career and your interest in the subject within the context of the school. However, I think that we have lost a lot of that now and what I find rewarding about this role is being able to connect teachers in a way that has often been lost in not being able to do as much CPD as we might have been able to do in the past. It is often very hard to get subject specific CPD in Schools and Trusts these days because it is not offered.

I think my role as RE Professional Community Lead is linked to the subject content and subject matter and being a bit of an RE geek myself (!), in being able to give people a community who are also interested in knowing more and in working together – which is very exciting for me.

However, thinking about networking. Not all teachers are interested in networking. Personally, I love networking and I think that is why I like doing stuff outside school and the classroom. But some teachers will want to teach a 9 to 5 and that is fine. But the rewarding thing for me is where you are connecting with other people and with your shared interest.
 
3. How do you seek to motivate members in the Group?
When people come along to CPD in their own free time, and I work with the Hub and Network leaders who are doing this in their own time; you have to be very respectful of their needs and to give them space. It is important not to be demanding or certainly, to keep demands to a minimum. It is vital to understand that the fundamental aim is to help children enjoy the subject of Religious Education in school and if teachers want to help in learning more through CPD time, that is brilliant. It is about the motivation: the carrot, and not the stick.
 
4. What do you consider to be the biggest challenge for teaching Religious Education in schools?
Recent reports have shown how a significant number of primary teachers of RE feel that they lack the confidence and knowledge to teach the subject effectively.
 
Teachers often do not know enough about the subject, and that is not a criticism, but an observation as they lack confidence when they fear that they will get it wrong. Hence it is very important to help teachers know more and to encourage them to be more confident in who they are and to be open to making mistakes and not feel like they will be criticised.

The second thing is the lack of status in schools. Traditionally, RE has a low status in schools and there is a real shortage of Teachers of RE in schools. In secondary, for instance, only half of Teachers of RE have it as their main subject. If we compare that to English, nearly 90% of Teachers of English have it as their main subject, which is significant because it means that RE is always on the back foot and a pupil can only expect 50% of the time the teacher will really know the subject very well. This is an important difference from other subjects.

When I look at my primary colleagues, my fundamental purpose in being an advisor is to help those who do not have RE as their number one subject and have never really studied it and do not feel confident. I would love to be able to feel that I have supported people to enjoy teaching RE and to gain satisfaction.
 
Pupils love RE when it is taught well. They absolutely, love it. But I understand that a lot of teachers that I come across, especially in primary, are teaching about Islam or Sikhism or Hinduism, or Humanism, but have never actually met a Muslim or a Sikh or a Hindu or a Humanist. In creating a context where they can meet or at least learn firsthand about the topics that they are teaching is important. There are big challenges, especially in an area like Devon, where we do not have big numbers of diverse people.
 
Finally, we are hoping that RE will become a National Curriculum subject. It is in the balance at the moment; but by March or April, we should know if RE will be put forward to change legislation. All the other subjects are in the National Curriculum. However, RE is not and it never has been and I truly hope that this happens because I think it will raise the status of the subject.
 
5. What would be your greatest hope for Religious Education teaching in schools?
Picking up on the last point about becoming a National Curriculum subject, I think that we currently see a postcode lottery for the subject.
​
It is taught brilliantly in some schools and yet hardly exists in others and there is very little benchmarking that Ofsted can do to challenge when they can see that RE is not being taught well. We need these national standards that do not currently exist for RE at the moment. But we would if we became a National Curriculum subject.
 
The recent introduction of a religion and worldviews approach to the subject has transformed the way many pupils respond to their lessons. This fundamental change, seeing people as central to RE, has opened up a more inclusive way to study religions and beliefs. The emphasis on looking at people's real-life lived experience, alongside understanding the structures and features of religious and non-religious traditions, makes it much more meaningful.
 
I think in raising the status of RE it would mean that teachers feel more confident about what they are doing in the classroom and the children would love that, because my experience, is that children, talk about RE as being the only subject where they can share their opinions. Pupils say there is no right and wrong answers in RE That is not quite true. There are right and wrong answers, but what they mean is that they feel listened to and a good Teacher of RE listens to people. Young people need to be listened to, and this is my fundamental mantra for schools.
 
We thank Ed for his insights interview and leadership of our Religious Education Professional Community.
Interview by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

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:

• Leadership Skills Training Day
• Working Smarter Not Harder: Embracing AI with Mr P ICT (three sessions)
• Supporting Females on the Autistic Spectrum
• SWIFT NPQ Update | Autumn 2026 Cohort
• Professional Communities

• Primary and Secondary Subject Briefing
• EYFS & Primary Courses
• Secondary & Sixth Form Courses
• Other events for your diary

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!   

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! 

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:

• SWIFT Secondary SEND and Inclusion Briefing/Workshops
• Lego Therapy Workshop
• Online Safety Training for Educators and Professionals
• Healthy Bs - Bladders, Bowels & Bathrooms!
• Professional Communities

• Primary and Secondary Subject Briefing
• EYFS & Primary Courses
• Secondary & Sixth Form Courses
• Other events for your diary​

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:

• SWIFT Secondary Leadership Professional Community
• Adaptive Teaching: primary staff meeting series
• SWIFT Sixth Form Professional Community
• The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project
• Professional Communities

• Primary and Secondary Subject Briefing
• EYFS & Primary Courses
• Secondary & Sixth Form Courses
• Other events for your diary

This year's conference at the Phoenix Arts Centre in Exeter was bigger than ever, opened by visual artist, David Shrigley with panache and purpose. David reminded the audience how teaching Art "is not only about technique or curriculum – it is about nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and courage."

Through workshops, delegates shared ideas, challenges, and successes across their own Schools and Trusts, and counties. Inspiring Art Leads, including Sara Elston (WEST Trust) and Renata Fry (Ted Wragg Trust), shared their stories about how to sustain passion and purpose in their careers, and the transformative impact of working with artists in schools.

One of the most personal and powerful parts of the day for Sam was sharing the CODEX Project: a collaboration between Sidmouth School of Art, Sidmouth College, artist Emma Molony and Sam himself. This marked a moving return to Sam's roots to his old school where Emma’s mother, Liz, was his Art Teacher.

"To go back, not as a student, but as an artist and teacher, and to work with the next generation of young creatives was incredibly moving."

This conference was a new chapter, built on a strong foundation over the past decade by Sam and Tim Wightman as co-lead of the Devon Art Teachers’ Conference, continuing the legacy of Phil Creek and Chris Wightman (Tim’s father).

Inspired by their vision of "a connected, collaborative community of art educators," this year they took that vision a step further and expanded the reach across the South West, bringing together educators from all phases, settings, and provisions - from Early Career Teachers to experienced Subject Leads.

"The day was a celebration of teaching as an art form in itself, and a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to the future of art and design education."

We thank Sam for his engaging enthusiasm for the Arts and for all that he does to support creative journeys in the classroom and the community. 
Report by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

Be part of the Arts Journey
If you live in the South West and want to get involved in this growing network of Art Teachers, or learn more about CODEX and future events, we encourage you to contact Sam Eyre.

Watch out for details of the 2026 Summer Art Conference.

AI Meets Education | Protecting Privacy, Empowering Learning
 
The adoption of AI in schools to support students on their educational journey has accelerated rapidly.
From lesson planning and report writing to helping with homework, supporting CVs, and even creating art and music – there’s an AI tool for nearly every aspect of school life.
 
Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC share their insights here on this phenomenon that is changing all our lives.  
​

AI in education is rapidly evolving, designed to help students prepare for GCSEs, A Levels, understand the world around them, and navigate life beyond school.

But it is not only students using these tools – teachers, administrators, school leaders, and even parents and carers are exploring AI to reduce workloads, save time, boost productivity, and escape repetitive administrative tasks.
 
AI is revolutionary in its ability to lift the burden of everyday chores, transforming hard work into something more engaging – even fun. But at what cost?
 
This surge in AI use raises an important question: Is AI our friend or foe?
Do the benefits truly outweigh the risks, and should we be concerned about the long-term implications? 

FRIEND

1. Great for Learning 
AI can be useful for personalised learning, tailoring educational content to meet the specific requirement of the student. Using AI in this way will help enhance engagement and understanding of subjects being studied.
 
2. Removing the Tedium from Routine Tasks
AI is able to take over time-consuming tasks like grading, lesson planning, scheduling, report writing, and attendance tracking. By automating these routine duties, teachers are freed up to focus on what truly matters: teaching, building relationships with students, and delivering more personalised support in the classroom.
 
3. No Time Restraints
Unlike schools and educational institutions AI is available 24/7. This not only supports teachers, but also provides students with access to learning tools and support anytime, anywhere.
 
4. Providing Teachers with Support
AI offers teachers access to a wide pool of teaching resources, enabling them to enhance their instructional strategies. This support can lead to more engaging lessons, personalised learning experiences, and ultimately, improved student outcomes.
 
5. Enhancing Future Career Prospects for Students
With AI integrated into education learning, this will help students develop the necessary skills to enter the job market where AI technologies will play a significant role.
​
These are but a few of the benefits of using AI in the educational environment. 

FOE

With every benefit a product or service offers, there often comes a downside, and the use of AI tools is no exception.

1. Data Privacy Risks
When using AI, users may inadvertently enter personal or sensitive data, which is then processed in ways they do not control and this raises important concerns about how this data is stored, used, and protected. The information entered into AI systems may be utilised to train and improve the applications over time, making data privacy and security critical considerations.

2. AI Psychosis 
A startling new trend is emerging in our increasingly digital world: people are forming deep emotional bonds with AI systems like ChatGPT – spending hours interacting, confiding, and even building relationships with these tools. This growing dependence is being dubbed “AI Psychosis” across media and social platforms. Whilst not a clinical diagnosis, the term reflects a concerning shift in human behaviour – where reliance on AI begins to blur the lines between reality and artificial companionship.

3. Reliance on Content 
The content delivered by using an AI tool cannot always be relied upon for accuracy. The end content is dependent on many factors of how the AI tool views the sources of the learned material and information.

4. Sharing of Responses 
You have used AI to help write a report and found it incredibly useful. Naturally, you want to share it with a colleague so that they can benefit and use it as a template for their own report writing. There is nothing wrong with that – or is there?

Recent reports suggest that when you share AI chatbot responses, such as those from ChatGPT, the content could potentially be indexed by search engines like Google, making it publicly searchable. This raises important privacy and confidentiality concerns.
 
Sharing of data this way is not always automatically but could be linked to privacy settings with the chatbot. Therefore, it is recommended to “check you settings” prior to using chatbot tools to ensure unnecessary sharing does not occur. 

​Friend or Foe? Building Safe and Positive AI Experiences
There is no doubt AI will bring about vast benefits for schools. Students will prosper, teachers will have more time to spend on teaching and interaction with students, administrators will be free from doing mundane tasks to take on more meaningful projects and money will be saved. So how do we reap the benefits but at the same time keep students, teachers and even the school safe from privacy risks and breaches? By thinking “HARP”
​
H: Human Intervention
It is important not to rely solely on AI-generated information.

AI is not always accurate, so human oversight is essential before trusting or using any AI response. If in doubt, verify the information with trusted sources you have used previously to ensure its reliability.
A: Age Appropriate
When introducing AI tools in the classroom, ensure they are age-appropriate and aligned with students’ educational needs. Monitor how students use AI chatbots or other applications, as recent leaked documents from Meta’s GenAI Content Risk Standards revealed that some AI systems may engage children in conversations that are romantic or sensual. 
It is vital to remain vigilant and guide students towards safe, relevant, and appropriate use of AI technology.

Talk openly with students about the safety risks associated with using AI tools. Encourage them to limit the amount of time they spend interacting with AI to reduce the risk of developing dependency. Educating students on balanced and mindful AI use helps promote healthier, safer habits.

Harness an environment of digital literacy and critical thinking when using AI tools. Remind teachers and students to evaluate outputs and not take responses at face value – “Don’t Believe The Misinformation”.
 
R: Risk Assessments and Policy
Before implementing AI tools, ensure that your school or Trust has conducted thorough risk assessments that weigh the educational benefits against potential privacy and security concerns. Review and update existing policies and procedures to explicitly address AI use, outlining the safeguards and measures in place to protect data privacy and reduce associated risks.

Exactly like any third-party data processor, AI tools must meet GDPR standards. Before using them, ensure they have strong security measures, clear data handling policies, and comply with privacy laws. Treat AI with the same scrutiny.
 
P: Privacy and Security Settings
Set Your AI Tool to Private: Many AI chatbots allow you to adjust privacy settings. Use the toggle switch to set your chats to private, especially if you plan to share conversations with colleagues. This helps protect your data from being publicly accessible.

Delete Chats and Turn Off Memory: Regularly delete your chat history and disable memory features to limit the amount of data the AI collects about you. AI systems build profiles based on your interactions – such as your interests and question patterns – that could reveal sensitive information like religious, political, or social preferences, even if you do not explicitly provide personal details.

Practice Online Safety: Treat AI tools like any other online platform. Consider what security measures are in place to protect your information. Review the company’s privacy policies to understand how your data is used – especially whether it’s leveraged to train and improve AI models.

Report Concerns: Have clear guidance on how to report any inappropriate AI content or misuse.

By Tanya Clark, SchoolPro TLC

We are pleased to bring you this next EVENTS newsletter with details of professional learning opportunities to support you. 
 
NEW SWIFT CPD and Membership 2025 – 2026
We are delighted to share details of our new, high-quality SWIFT CPD and Membership offer for 2025 - 2026.

Registration is now open for Schools, Federations, Trusts and other organisations to join SWIFT Membership for the next school year (register here) and find out more here
 
Highlighted Courses/Support:

• Artificial Intelligence in Education: Developing your school's strategy
• Resilience, Equity and Inclusion in Education Conference 2025
• English and Media Centre Secondary Termly CPD Package
• New SWIFT NIoT Early Career Teacher Programme (ECTP) | Starts September 2025
• The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project
• Professional Communities

• Primary and Secondary Subject Briefings
• Events for your diary

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

​

“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

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:

• South West Art Teacher's Conference
• Advanced Coaching Programme for School Leaders
• Passive Intervention and Prevention Strategies (PIPS) Training 
• The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project
• FREE Support for Pupil Premium Key Stage 2 Pupils
• Professional Communities

• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• Events for your diary

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:

• Coaching for Leaders
• AQA Writing for GCSE English Language Reaching Grade 7-9
• Good NPQ News 
• FREE Support for Pupil Premium Key Stage 2 Pupils
• Professional Communities

• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• Events for your diary

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. 

The proof of delicious healthy food is certainly in the pictures, as you can see here some of their foodie highlights from 2024.  

Because they care, Educatering Team build on their love of food with positive healthy relationships with School Catering Teams.

As well as using the best produce, Educatering also provide two or three-week rolling menus for School Catering Teams. 

​They believe the best way to maximise the uptake in school meals, other than by providing better produce, is by creating exciting meals which the children will enjoy whilst also being nutritional.
​
Menus can be tailored and pupil voice and staff feedback is always well received.  Menus are updated termly or twice a year based upon preferences to move with the seasons allowing more local and seasonal produce to be used .

More Information 

Opportunity to Meet the Educatering Team

​Head of Catering, Rob Stevens will be presenting at the SWIFT School Business Management Professional Community on Tuesday 11 February 2025 AND the SWIFT Estates Management Professional Community on Tuesday 11 March 2025.