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. 

For our Autumn Forum, Ofsted Assistant Regional Director, Sarah McGinnis was the first speaker with an update on feedback to the Big Listen to help build a better Ofsted.

“We will be a learning organisation that operates transparently, listens to challenge and takes action to change.” 
​ 
Education can feel like a cyclical routine with certain known quantities playing their role as moving parts; notably, leaders, teachers, staff and children and young people. But we also know that things change. New leadership can lead to a new ethos, curriculum reviews impact on timetables, new thinking in response to a variety of events and circumstances - artfully articulated in school improvement plans.
 
So, when change is afoot, it feels right to sit up straight and listen, which is exactly what Ofsted have been doing in response to their Big Listen. Instigated by the Chief Inspector (HMCI), Sir Martyn Oliver wanted to hear from the sector and children about their experiences during his first year of office, and Ofsted has engaged extensively.  

Change with goodwill and good intentions and the mantra to build a better Ofsted based on the feedback results is focusing on the following three R’s to: 
1. Reset
2. Refine
3. Rebuild
 
During Sarah’s presentation, there was there was a palpable can-do-ness, a willingness to listen, to foster a positive and professional dialogue, Open honest conversations, combined with transparency and consistency and support for school leadership - and the Ofsted teams as well. 

The various Big Listen feedback results was an important exercise to underpin the changes and were thoughtfully condensed into seven core messages – the Seven C’s:
 

1. Children and learners first
2. Care and well-being of those we inspect
3. Consistency of inspections
4. Content of frameworks
5. Complaints
6. Consequences of judgements
7. Constructive feedback and reporting 

Sarah also explained in more detail about ungraded inspections further to extensive piloting and listening with an emerging greater flexibility, no shifting the goal posts and opportunity for dialogue between school leaders and the inspection team to work together to plan the inspection and to demonstrate impact.
​
Another C = collaboration.
 
Looking to the future, the Big Listen certainly feels like a significant opportunity for positive and hopeful change. The consultation continues in January.

We were also listening attentively to our second speaker, Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Dean of Place and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University. Tanya has been instrumental in shaping thinking around what educational isolation looks like and how it plays out in the South West from her extensive research around the South West, and also the UK and into the United States, Norway, Australia and other areas.

Tanya’s own geography started in Kent where she grew up in rural, coastal socio-economically deprived, Romney Marsh before moving to Cornwall where she has lived for the past 30 years that has both benefits and economic deprivation, geographical remoteness and cultural isolation.

Educational isolation is when a school is in a place that experiences high levels of socio-economic deprivation, cultural isolation, and geographical remoteness.
 
Most educationally isolated schools in the UK are in rural, coastal or ex-industrial areas away from the large urban conurbations. The concept evolved from schools identifying these three factors as the key challenges they faced as a consequence of place.
 
One fifth of the South West is rural/coastal.
In 2020, in England, 19% of all primary schools and 16% of secondary schools were in a rural area (DfE).
The South West is impacted more significantly because of the type of schools and places they are serving compared to other places in the country.
 
Educational isolation is not a deficit model of schools.
It seeks to identify and conceptualise the place-based challenges for schools and once these are understood, strategies can be put in place to mitigate them.

The effects of educational isolation can limit a school's access to resources needed for school improvement; including and very significantly, recruiting and retaining a high-quality workforce and notably Early Career Teachers, a lack of churn with middle career teachers and more unqualified teachers in schools; limited access to professional development and learning; limited access to school-to-school support and externally funded interventions. All of which can ultimately limit outcomes for pupils. Although in her paper, “Getting a Fair Deal,” Tanya showed how school leaders in coastal schools did everything they could to ensure their children and young people had opportunities of cultural diversity, and trips and visits as they wanted their children and young people to have a full and balanced curriculum.
 
This is why educational isolation offers an important model that Government can use to identify the ways in which it needs to target resources.
 
In some cases, however, educational isolation can add other benefits and richness that can be utilised by the schools in different ways, including outdoor learning for a rural school.

Of significant concern, research shows that persistently disadvantaged pupils in educationally isolated schools do less well and have poorer outcomes than similarly disadvantaged pupils in urban schools.

The definition however needed clarity. For example, in defining geographical remoteness. In the busy summer season, even a short distance in Cornwall can be doubled when the tourists arrive. Hence, Tanya uses the complex software, Track Data, to look at the exact time taken at different points in the day, and different points in the year to get from one place to another.

School-to-school support has changed since the pandemic with opportunity to access high-quality professional learning online. Although it can still be more difficult for educationally isolated schools to get to places where high quality professional development and learning because of travel time and costs and time out of school.

Compared to the urban situation, Tanya’s work with colleagues in London local authorities shows that disadvantaged children are doing very well. Partly perhaps from the investment of the London Challenge. But advantageous collaborative working practices with London schools were already established, working closely in terms of resource-sharing and opportunities for school improvement and enhancement. Significantly, London schools benefited from close proximity geographically and could share staff, ideas and professional learning - all of which supports school improvement and school enhancement. 

​Urban and rural areas clearly present different infrastructural challenges. It is less disruptive in London and other densely populated urban areas for school leaders who wish to progress and move on in their career. There are more likely to be close-by schools to move to and therefore less need to move house, plus the other practical implications of children moving schools and spouses finding work.

Rural and coastal areas present other infrastructural challenges for young staff. Housing is costly. There is also the prospect of winter. Teachers might be attracted by the memory of a happy summer holiday, but then have to work through a winter here; which is very different. Rental properties available in the winter are not always available in the summer because they are used for Airbnb, pushing up the rental prices. Buying a house in the South West depends on the location. But a more affordable area might not be supported with the same resources.
 
Other push and pull factors of moving to and staying in rural schools include limited public transport and travel time, few non-seasonal employment opportunities for spouses, fewer leisure or cultural opportunities, variable WIFI – all of which can impact on a sustainable and stable high-quality teaching workforce. 

For those staff who have been in the same school for a long time, internal promotion opportunities can be low. Although this is changing with the progression of Multi Academy Trusts who are using promotional opportunities within the Trust as a way of maintaining and sustaining their retention of teachers.

When speaking at an educational conference in Blackpool earlier this year Tanya reported that none of the 200+ leaders in attendance recognised any positive impact from the Opportunity Area Funding. Blackpool suffers from extreme child poverty that cascades through into school and places additional demands onto teachers in terms of additional support for child welfare and well-being; which is similarly experienced in the South West.
 
It is worth noting that data can be skewed because of multiple indices. The South West has affluence and poverty juxtaposed which nullifies the data. Hence, the educational isolation concept is helpful because it can target down to the granular level of the school where support is needed and identify place-based challenges that school faces.

As a positive example, Tanya cited a South West Multi Academy Trust she worked with who wanted to create a structure to support their educationally isolated schools and to give them access to resources. For example, small schools who do not have a minibus, to get their children to the swimming pool for swimming lessons.
 
In her “Locality Matters Report,” Tanya showed how the MAT successfully circumvented some of the place-based challenges, transport and even housing issues for teachers coming into schools by creating a Hub model. Their 20 schools were geographically co-located into groups of four, two fives and six with a Hub Lead who was an existing Headteacher for one of those schools and supported their Hub schools by creating a network for the school leaders to work and collaborate together.
 
One of the unexpected findings of the research were the relationships that developed between the school leaders who became very caring of each other and the opportunities to develop their schools within the Hubs. This led to collaboration and sharing resources, including minibuses, Ofsted materials, as well as teachers and administration staff. The Hub became their own community of practice; and fed out to parents and carers in the wider community, running events outside school as a Hub and created an ethos and presence in their locality.
 
It was supported by the MAT’s communication strategy to support the Hubs through concentric circles of communication. The Executive Leadership Team were aware of the Hub issues through the Hub Leads and then through the schools to the teachers via the Headteachers.
 
Named the “Locality Matters Report,” Tanya showed how the MAT successfully circumvented some of the place-based challenges, transport and even housing issues for teachers coming into schools within their Hubs.

We thank Tanya for sharing her research and wisdom on this important topic that resonates for many schools here in the South West.
 
You can also read more about the recent research of the National Institute of Teaching into how to support educationally isolated schools and particularly those in coastal and rural areas and how to support their Early Career Teachers here

More Leadership Forums
Watch out more details about the Spring Leadership Forum details and save the date for the 2025 Summer Conference on Thursday 19 June 2025 at the Future Skills Centre in Exeter.

Reports by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

We are pleased to bring you this next EVENTS newsletter with details of professional development opportunities. 

Supporting your Professional Development  
This issue includes the following programmes, courses and events from our partners for your professional development intended to support and enhance the work of your school: 

• '12 Dialogues for Boys & Young Men' Being Safe & Safe to be Around
• FREE Support for Pupil Premium Key Stage 2 Pupils
• Outstanding Curriculum Design for Primary Languages Programme
• Understanding and Monitoring Early Years - for Subject Leaders
• An Introduction to Trauma Awareness for teachers and leaders
• Lego Therapy Workshop
• Leading Effective Disadvantage Provision for Primary School Pupils
• Professional Communities
• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project
• Events for your diary

SWIFT Autumn Term 2024 Leadership Forum | A WEEK TODAY | Thursday 21 November 2024
Committed to bringing together leaders from all educational settings within the area, our online Leadership Forums link to the best of local, regional and national.

For our 2024 Autumn Term event, we have two speakers:
Sarah McGinnis, Ofsted Assistant Regional Director and Professor (Dr) Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Dean of Place and Social Purpose and Professor of Education, Plymouth Marjon University.

Find more information here 

This final EVENTS issue for the academic year 2024 - 2024 includes a featured article, as well as highlighted programmes, courses and events from our partners to support your professional development and enhance the work of your school. 

Featured in this issue we have:


SWIFT Membership 2024 - 2025 | Registration now open
We are delighted to open registration to Schools, Federations, Trusts and other bodies to join SWIFT Membership for 2024 - 2025.  Find out more in our Membership Brochure HERE and the link for registration is HERE.
 
Highlighted Programmes:

• National Professional Qualifications 
• Primary Staff Meeting Series
• SWIFT Early Career Framework and Appropriate Body Serve Registration 
• Advanced Coaching Programme for School Leaders
• When the Adults Change - Behaviours Change Two-Year Whole School Programme
• Professional Communities
• Primary Subject Leader Briefings
• '12 Dialogues for Boys & Young Men' Being Safe & Safe to be Around
• Events for your diary

We are pleased to bring you this final UPDATE of the academic year 2023 - 2024. 

Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE begins by considering the secret behind the atmosphere of purpose and calm on a recent LSSW Connect Study Tour Visit to Dixons Academy Trust in Leeds and Bradford:

"I was struck by how clearly the leaders articulate what they are doing, why they are doing it and how they are doing it. They speak with a confidence and clarity that is inspiring. They have developed systems that work for every aspect of their operation. They check those systems are working. They invest in staff training and growth. And everything is rooted in the transparent vision and values of the Trust and the individual schools."

And ends with a rallying cry to end the year - inspiring all school leaders and staff to return energised after a good break this summer.

We look back on the 2024 Summer Conference with collaboration at its heart, knowing that some events are worth reliving.  We thank, once again, all our speakers, sponsors  and of course, the delegates for being with us.  
“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” (Henry Ford)

Primary and Secondary Teachers of Art recently enjoyed their very own dedicated Devon Art Teachers' Conference with an enriching and engaging agenda, plus inspiration from the Bovey Tracey’s annual Craft Festival.

As a thank you to all Governors, but celebrating this one as he prepares to retire, we interview Paul Brooks, Chair of Kingsbridge Community College Governing Body and SWIFT Trust Board who shares his thoughtful insights into education over the past 40 years.
 
With the ever-important issues of attendance, Kingsbridge Research School explains the Education Endowment Foundation’s new guidance on supporting schools with attendance structured around six evidence-informed themes.

Another readable feature is from our sponsor SchoolPro TLC who shares their GDPR and Data Protection expertise in understanding the Birmingham Children’s Services Data Breach and the implications and guidance for school and MAT leaders. 

Our sponsors have been busy too. 
The foodie pictures say it all as Educatering whets our appetites in showcasing their menu of delightfully nutritious and exciting food in its school year wrap up. Lucky schools.
 
Exeter Supply Partnership understands the importance of professional development for teachers, but appreciates access whilst working as a supply teacher or Teaching Assistant is not always easy.
This is why they provide access to FREE courses and webinars to support their Supply Team to keep up-to-date whilst working and to help them to prepare for the next step in their career.

ONVU Learning reflects on excellent teachers creating excellent memories and the characteristics of great teachers. If this sounds like something for you, you can meet and find out more about ONVU Learning in a FREE webinar on Thursday 11 July 2024 from 0830 – 0900. Register here

Wherever you are, we hope that these final few weeks will be enjoyable and fulfilling for you all.   
We are not there yet, but the summer break awaits and we wish you the loveliest holiday and thank you for working with us this year.  

Why did you become a teacher? Which teachers do you remember?

​Our sponsor, ONVU Learning thinks deeply about the dynamics of teaching and learning and reflects here on excellent teachers to inspire the next generation of teachers.

We all remember that one teacher who was more than an educator.
A Mentor, a guide, and a catalyst for personal and intellectual growth.
Their passion for their subject matter was infectious, igniting a similar enthusiasm in you.
They possessed an uncanny ability to recognise and nurture your individual strengths, encouraging you to pursue your dreams with confidence.
 
Their lessons may have extended beyond textbooks, imparting valuable life skills and wisdom that resonated long after the school bell rang. Through their unwavering support and belief, they instilled a sense of purpose and self-worth, with memories of their kindness, patience and innovative teaching methods remaining a source of inspiration.

​​Perhaps it was that inspiration that led you to teaching.

Creating Lasting Impressions
Excellent teachers have the unique ability to create lasting, positive memories for their students, shaping their lives in profound ways. As educators, they transcend the traditional role of a subject teacher. 

Through dedication and enthusiasm, their classrooms are transformed into spaces of inspiration and discovery. They foster a love for learning, ignite passions, and build confidence, leaving an indelible mark on their students.
 
For some, the absence of such teachers in their own education becomes a powerful motivator to be the teacher they never had. These reflections underline a critical truth: inspirational teachers are not only transmitters of knowledge but are pivotal in nurturing well-rounded, motivated individuals who carry their influence long into adulthood.
 
Empowering Teachers for Excellence: Strategies to Create a Supportive, Judgment-Free Environment
Empowering teachers to excel requires a clear vision and a nurturing environment that supports their growth without judgment. Schools must foster a culture where teachers feel valued, heard, and encouraged to innovate; which means creating collaborative spaces for sharing best practice, challenges, and successes.
 
By involving teachers in decision-making processes and policy development, schools can cultivate a sense of ownership and commitment. Recognising and celebrating teachers' achievements can significantly boost morale and motivation.
 
Ensuring teachers have access to necessary resources and a supportive administration creates a foundation where they can focus on what they do best: teaching and inspiring students.
 
Tailored Teacher Professional Development: Introducing Practical, Customizable Tools
Effective teacher development must be bespoke, in recognising the varying stages of a teacher's career and their unique classroom dynamics. Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and the Early Career Framework (ECF) establish foundational practices and habits. However, further professional development needs to be adaptive, helping experienced teachers maintain good practices whilst responding to new challenges, such as changing student demographics.

Practical examples include coaching approaches to fine-tune teaching practices, growing teacher agency to encourage confident, well-chosen risks, and making it standard practice to discuss teaching methods alongside insights from authentic lesson observation feedback. This approach ensures that professional development is not a formality, but a meaningful, growth-oriented process that aligns with the evolving educational landscape.

How is ONVU Learning Supporting Teachers and Schools to Create Lasting Impressions
ONVU Learning’s complete 360-degree lesson capture solution helps educators to reflect, collaborate and analyse the entire teaching and learning process. By using 360-degree cameras, your teachers can capture the entire classroom allowing them to review and share clips of best practice from our web-based platform, to improve teaching techniques and empowering teacher autonomy.
 
Schools across the country have been implementing ONVU Learning to enhance their Early Career Framework programmes, to enhance and scale effective Teacher Continuous Professional Development programmes, and ultimately, to improve teaching standards and learning outcomes.
 
Learning is a complex process in which teachers are pivotal.

If teachers are to be effective contributors to children’s change in behaviours, attitudes, knowledge and skills then they need a tool that helps them see teaching and learning inside their
classroom with clarity and without judgement.

By putting the teacher in the driving seat, ONVU Learning allows you to customise your professional development by choosing which lessons to record, choosing what to share and what to keep private, tag and comment on key moments during your lesson and collaborate with colleagues without taking up valuable resource time.

To Find Out More
Join ONVU Learning at a FREE webinar on Excellent Teachers Create Excellent Memories on Thursday 11 July 2024 from 0830 – 0900.
 
Hosted by ONVU Learning’s Matt Tiplin and Stella James, you will explore transformative strategies that empower teachers to excel in order to enhance student achievements.
                       
You will also look at personalised development plans that combine the best practices of memorable teaching with innovative growth opportunities tailored for teachers.

1. What has been most personally rewarding from your involvement with the Kingsbridge Community College Governing Body?
It has been most personally rewarding to continue to be involved in what I think is a really top-class organisation that has a very important role in our educational landscape.
 
I have been involved in Teaching Schools from their very beginning and I immediately believed it was the very best way of developing teaching and learning within our schools.
 
I think teaching at the moment is as hard as it has ever been, and maybe even harder and I am passionate that teachers from the start of the career and all the way through, have the opportunity to experience the very best training; because when we come into teaching, I think we all have an idea of what makes a good teacher, which essentially comes from our own background and provides a great starting point for our classroom practice.
 
But developing and improving that practice can be challenging and I think the only way you can do it is if you have from the very start of your career the opportunity to experience high-quality professional development and support in your school. For me, this can come about by schools working together and learning from research and striving to ensure that their teachers benefit from such opportunities. This way, I believe that teachers can get the very best outcomes for their students.
 
My involvement over the last few years as Chair of the SWIFT Trust Board has given me the opportunity to see and be impressed by the way in which SWIFT has developed from what was an idea of schools collaborating together by sharing data and seeking improvements in a much more structured way.
 
Teaching School Hubs, like SWIFT, are providing opportunities that enable the very best development in our teachers and school leaders. That is why I am so excited that SWIFT is moving into initial teacher training, because I think that keeps the Golden Thread (as the Department for Education terms it) going from the start of a teacher's career with the Appropriate Body Service and Early Career Framework to National Professional Qualifications. For me, that is the very best model and I consider this to be a golden opportunity in delivering that best model.
 
Being a Governor on the SWIFT Trust Board and working with the other Governors is a way to give back in helping to see and contribute to the work that is being done, monitoring and checking this work and supporting it to be the very, very best.
 
2. And what has been the most challenging?
Truthfully, I have been pleasantly heartened in how well the SWIFT programmes have been progressing. The Appropriate Body Service and Early Career Framework roles are being led so effectively that targets have been exceeded in terms of the volume of participants and their feedback is very positive. I think that the SWIFT Team is doing a magnificent job in continually implementing, developing and monitoring this work.
 
For me the main challenge going forward will be the successful implementation of initial teacher training, because that requires a much broader range of stakeholders and very thorough monitoring. The provision will be subject to Ofsted inspections and hence, the biggest challenge will be ensuring this provision is as effective and robust as possible.

Indeed, I am a tad sad that I am leaving when the course is about to start at the end of August, because I think that it has the potential to be very exciting for SWIFT.

The current biggest challenge for all Governing Bodies is to support their schools in what are very difficult financial circumstances. Schools are having to make decisions now much more on the basis of what they can afford, than on the basis of what is best for their students, than at any other time over the past 25 years that I have been involved in school leadership. Governors have a demanding role in supporting schools to make the very best decisions in these constrained circumstances.

“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” (Henry Ford)

This time last week, it was lift-off for the SWIFT 2024 Summer Conference at the new venue of the Future Skills Centre in Exeter. Hosted by Executive Director, Martin Director and Jen Knowles, Director of Teaching School Hubs, delegates fastened their seatbelts for what was to be a supersonic day.

Education South West (ESW) CEO, Matthew Shanks’ welcome set the tone for the conference in considering the current challenges and key themes for schools and leaders - with a call to action for collaboration across schools in the South West.
 
“Our job is to help every single child.”
 
Matthew reflected how alas, the system is not currently built for collaboration due to disincentivizing
league tables and a lack of support and funding for children’s services.
 
However, with ESW the lead Trust for the Kingsbridge Teaching School Hub, Matthew echoed the SWIFT ethos of selfless collaboration that helps to make a better society and fulfils our vision of creating high-quality opportunities for staff to learn, develop and connect. So that all children, especially the disadvantaged, achieve the best educational outcomes.
 
After the fantastic first three years as Teaching School Hubs, the statistics are splendid to behold.
3,295 teachers and leaders have engaged in over 80,000 hours of training with SWIFT that importantly, practicably, and hearteningly has a direct impact on the quality of education and lives of young people in South West schools. And the good news is that SWIFT is committed to building on this successful support.

On that stirring note, the first keynote speaker took to the stage.
​
Presenting on “Why nice isn’t working: why relational currency supports positive behaviour,” teacher, behaviour specialist, author, education reformer and advisor, Paul Dix began by sharing his own experience as a 24-year-old teacher.

​Re-living the case of the humbling home visit to his pupil, Robert; Paul recounted the discovery of his positive notes that Robert had previously crumpled up (and Paul assumed to have been thrown away) and yet were pinned-up on Robert’s bedroom wall, in an otherwise nearly empty home. Heart-rendering.
 
In a talk that was entertaining and energising with visual props, Paul highlighted the importance of relationships being predictable, systematic, consistent and habitual. Think of the primary children who slipped happily into the habit of shaking the hand of their teacher every morning on arrival into class and who were disappointed when she suddenly stopped this hands-on habit. Such was this happy habit, even parents came into school to shake the teacher’s hand as well.

Relational practice begins with the easy actions. The positive noticing, in a pure and nuanced way and it is this emotional currency that leads to trusting relationships.

“There’s no teacher in the world who doesn’t know the power of positive noticing.”

SWIFT works with select sponsors who provide a range of educational services to help boost our high-quality professional development offer to schools.

As the first of the two conference sponsors, Vice President, Matt Tiplin introduced ONVU Learning: deep thinkers of teaching and learning translated into classroom technology.

Teachers are empowered to review their own practice to provide a better methodology by outcome and with his own story as a past teacher, Matt invited the audience to remember a good teacher from their own life.
 
​Find out more about ONVU Learning at the FREE Excellent Teachers Create Excellent Memories webinar on Thursday 11 July 2024 from 0830 – 0900.

Delegates could then choose one of two morning breakout sessions.

Associate Professor at the University of Warwick, Institute for Employment Research (IER) and Founding Director of CareerChat (UK) Ltd, Deirdre Hughes OBE led the session on “Leading with Vision: transforming education for tomorrow’s workforce.”
 
Leadership, is an opportunity to make a difference as transformational leadership.
Even if there is no single way to transform the educational system, it is a line of sight to work. Otherwise, divisions can widen.
 
Deirdre encouraged leaders to find the value in understanding the relevance of education in our fast-changing world of work with spiralling issues, such as multiculturalism and wellbeing.
Find personal development for decisions and pathways and changing attitudes to the workforce for life-long learning and ways to inspire amidst the uncertainty and change. Learn collaboratively with a commitment to projects and how to develop skills for the future.  

​Former Chair of Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, and author of “The Mentally Healthy Schools Workbook,” Dr Pooky Knightsmith led the other breakout session on “A Whole School Approach to Mental Health.”

Pooky outlined the following six areas of focus in schools with lots of helpful tips and invited the audience to consider where they fit on a scale of 1-10:
 
1. Staff are Happy and Healthy
If schools do not get it right for staff, it is challenging to get it right for children and community. 
Leaders are role models and look after themselves first as children learn from what they see adults seeing and doing and sustainable change must have staff at its heart.
Happy staff feel heard: their opinions matter, whatever their background and diversity. 
Happy staff are mentally and physically healthy.  Think about small changes to ensure staff get fresh air, access to healthy food, have time to eat.

Think how you acknowledge teachers' workload.
Mastery is every member of staff turning up to do their job and do it well, which in turns supports their wellbeing. Passion will make the difference in our job and help to connect with colleagues.
Look beyond Ofsted and ticking boxes. 
 
2. Our Setting Feels Safe and Welcoming
The biggest difference to support a child is a calm adult. 
Meet children with a smile.  Walk through your school in the shoes of a stranger and be honest about all the things you see/feel/hear/smell. 
Children need to know their school is safe place. 
​
Make your school a calm environment that meets the needs of neuro-divergent children.
Be predictable.  Meet the needs of all children and look out for the quiet students too.
Be brave to share when things do not go quite right.  Be an authentic and brave leader. 

Educational journalist, former teacher, and co-founder of Teacher Tapp, Laura McInerney presented the next keynote on “Education Trends.”
 
It was Laura’s form tutor and Teacher of French, Miss Watson who inspired her to become a teacher; noting that the best teacher gets you an A*, even when you do not necessarily like the subject. 

It was Miss Watson who brought a newspaper article into school on Laura’s favourite author, Terry Pratchett and her positive noticing made Laura want to be a Miss Watson - and she has followed her example ever since in always wearing a jacket.

Ten years ago, Laura’s yellow jacket (plus yellow six-inch heels) had a special outing when she was taken to court by Michael Gove and Dominic Cummings for being "vexatious" about a Freedom of Information Act request on the hot topic of free schools. (A longer and highly entertaining court case story cut short, it ended well for Laura).
 
Teacher Tapp came about from Laura’s editorials in Schools Week based on discussions on a minority of teachers and schools. In 2017, Laura combined forces with Professor Becky Allen who wanted to survey teachers to gather data and the dynamic duo created the highly popular and successful Teacher Tapp. Signed-up teachers are sent daily questions that gather data and help to stop misinformation and spot trends. One of the most controversial questions, would you believe, is whether the school provides free tea, coffee and milk. 

Turning to another popular conversation topic for us all, the weather, Laura related her own experiences of living in Michigan, part of Tornado Alley. Unlike the UK, where the weather stops play, and people get angry, in the USA, everyone stays at home and does not get angry.  The same could be said of reactions to education policy.  When the weather turns stormy, we need to change the response, and seek shelter until it has passed. There is no point shouting!
 
With her evident instincts for spotting trends, Laura considered some of the big challenges in education with simple causes.

Looking to the future, Laura looked to the past and reflected on former Education Secretary, George Tomlinson in post after World War II from 1948 and 1951. Facing bombed schools, a high baby boom in 1946 and no university graduates in his inbox, he made the decision to raise the school leaving age. 
It was considered outrageous. Not least from an Education Secretary who had not attended secondary school. 

However, it was a timely reminder to us all with the shared purpose to provide an education for all children and young people.

The metaphorical tornadoes are coming, and it is for schools to try and work out the response.

After that insightful weather warning, SWIFT Delivery Partner at Tarka Trust, Andy Ogden introduced the benefits of SWIFT Membership and highlighted the value of professional development as an investment in staff and the school.
 
Further to the questionnaire to schools at the end of last year, in the next school year, new programmes on offer will be directly related to feedback from colleagues. New Professional Communities will be an opportunity for teachers to access a network in their phase/subject to support their development. Paul Dix and Tara Ellie will also be leading a session on “When the Adults Change – Behaviours Change.”

Looking to support teacher recruitment within the South West, this year, SWIFT has been working with Exeter Consortium/South West Teacher Training, Plymouth Marjon University, SWIFT Teacher Training and the University of Exeter on an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Area Strategy.


The initiative requires all Teaching School Hubs (TSHs) to deliver new strategic roles to support local ITT delivery across their area as an important regional role working with schools and accredited ITT providers to understand the local market, context and challenges. TSHs can also offer information and support to schools who wish to engage in ITT for the first time or to increase their engagement in ITT.
 
Led by the ITT Strategy Team, Andy Ogden, Fiona Bosley and Matthew Wharf who are working together to develop a collaborative ITT Strategy to support the next generation of teachers. 

This year SWIFT has been evolving our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) endeavours so that it is intentional and integral to all that we do. Further to an advert to schools and partners earlier in the year appealing for volunteers from all backgrounds who wished to connect their experience and enthusiasm for DEI, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Partnership Group was born. Krisha Gandhi, Caroline Leigh and Tom Pether attended from the Group and shared how their work is shaping up.

Our very own Roger Dimbleby (Pope) led Question Time with questions including what priorities would panellists propose for the new Education Secretary on Friday 5 July 2024; what would creativity in the curriculum look like, and whether there is a future for written exams (expanded to writing in schools).

The final question: What gives you optimism for the future of education, certainly maintained the momentum of the conference with panellists celebrating schools and Trusts coming together to work through challenges, schools as relational places, overcommunicating the positives messages, sharing joy, talking to families and believing in staff who care.  

Continuing the caring theme, second conference sponsor, Goosemoor Educatering, Head of Educatering, Rob Stevens whet our appetites for the lunch feast that was the follow with an introduction to their bespoke food service for schools. Rob told how he was leading an onboarding session at a school and a child asked her mother if the food tasting was free. Speaking from the heart, Rob shared his pride in how good food makes a difference to all families and knowing children are going home “with full bellies.” Not dissimilarly, conference delegates were to go home having eaten a delicious lunch and we are grateful to Goosemoor Educatering for a feast.

The first of the afternoon breakout sessions was led by Chief Executive, Paul James and Director of Inclusion, Katherine Walsh at the River Learning Trust on “Leading Inclusion: What works?”

The River Learning Trust spans big secondary schools to small primary schools in a high pupil premium area with complex learning and disability needs. The Trust have aligned autonomy, but are not “a cookie cutter Trust” as that would not be a good fit for the diversity of their schools.

An increasing number of children have special needs. 52% who have EHCPs are in mainstream education, and year-on-year there is a 1% increase of children with SEND in mainstream schools. This brings inevitable challenges.

It is important firstly, to boost staff confidence and to support teachers to develop this confidence and secondly, to distribute leadership as the SENDCO cannot be the font of all knowledge. Rather than the SENCO leading all parent meetings, the Form Tutors can also lead and who has a holistic overview of the child and consider how Teaching Assistants are deployed.
 
The Trust have an Inclusion Strategy that is built on knowing schools well and understanding the school context.

The Education Endowment Foundation makes the following five key recommendations to meet the needs of children with SEND:
 
1. Create a positive and supportive environment for all pupils without exception.
2. Build an ongoing, holistic understanding of your pupils and their needs.
3. Ensure all pupils have access to high quality teaching.
4. Complement high quality teaching with carefully selected small-group and one-to-one interventions.
5. Work effectively with Teaching Assistants. 

There is no magic SENDCO tree. We have to make it a motivating, engaging and wonderful job as a role that can make a huge difference.  SENDCOS can move into Headship as SEND runs through all we do.

• Be proactive in planning and be aware that almost three quarters of learners with SEND are likely to have difficulties with elements of:
• Working memory
• Language development
• Executive functioning, e.g. planning, personal organisation, prioritising, self-checking, flexible thinking, impulse control and emotional regulation.

 
Be prepared to do things differently. 
Walk into lessons and think ‘which child is this lesson not working for.’

The second afternoon breakout session was led by CEO of The Woodland Academy Trust, Nav Sanghara on “The Art of Compassionate Leadership.”
 
“It is important to be a kind leader. But it is also important to focus on execution and do hard things. This is about how to do hard things in a human way.” (Raasmus Houggard)
 
In a talk that was infused with wise and wonderful mantras, Nav considered what compassionate leadership looks like. Leaders need to be kind to themselves in the first instance so that they bring energy into their leadership.
There is value in knowing and overcommunicating your purpose and redefining and re-evaluating this purpose.

With a calm tried and tested wisdom, Nav encouraged leaders to have a core principle and to live by your values that drives actions and decision-making and connects with your organisation. Model these values to children and staff. “Who we are is who we lead.”  Psychologically safe teams have real and open conversations. Build one culture and trust together with equity and collaboration and understand the shared vision as a promise to staff and children. 

The final keynote speaker was to end the conference on a moving high.
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For nine years Chris Lubbe was Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard after a chance meeting and a five-minute interview, followed by a gruelling six months training with the SAS.

Speaking on “My Journey from Apartheid to Truth and Reconciliation,” the audience listened intently as Chris shared his first-hand story of working closely with the revered Nelson Mandela. It was a way for us to feel close to the brave leader who devoted his life to bring apartheid to an end in 1994.

Chris spoke with a heart-stopping serenity bringing to life the Nelson who did not believe in black and white; who showed no anger for his imprisonment and maltreatment; but with an enduring charisma and belief in forgiveness as the key to freedom, he reached out to bring everyone together.

As his boss and mentor, Chris recounted how Nelson once told him to write down all the angry things in his heart and then told him to put the pieces of paper onto the fire to burn. 

Describing his own upbringing in a shanty town, finding thrown-away books to read in the local dump, the two-tier education system and segregated beaches with demeaning signage to match. The stories flowed with a serenity that comes from an inner peace perhaps, and the courageous re-telling. Yet the horrors of the police still sent shivers down our spines. Eight-year-old Chris witnessed the shocking treatment of his diabetic mother taken ill on the bus and pushed off a WHITES ONLY bench by the police that led to three months in hospital in a coma and a long recovery.
 
As a child, Chris bought a map of the world and once a month he wrote to world leaders to ask for their help – including our very own late Queen. Chris was angry, but wanted to do something to inspire peaceful change. As a young man, alongside anti-apartheid and human rights activist, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chris stood tall as a peaceful protester, even when it led to arrests and imprisonment and torture. Terrible times. 
 
Fast forward to working for Nelson, there were however, moments of glamour.
Chris met many celebrities during his time with Nelson – including the Spice Girls who were most miffed when Chris pretended not to know who they were (on the advice of his boss!).

But it was at a dinner with the Queen that reminded me of many of the values shared at the conference of hope, compassion and collaboration. A silver platter was presented to Chris. Inside, the envelope was another envelope and inside that envelope was Chris's letter to the Queen that he had written as a boy.

A faithful letter writer, the Queen had replied to him, as well as writing regularly to other world leaders for their support. The South African authorities had obviously intercepted her reply to Chris that he never received until that grateful moment all those years later. 

To echo the warmth that enthused our SWIFT 2024 Summer Conference, we thank all our speakers for their thoughtful presentations and for bringing a meaningful momentum.

We also thank our delegates for making time and for sharing in the event with us.

A grateful thank you to our sponsors and exhibitors: BCR Associates, CiCI Empowering Careers, Goosemoor Educatering, InVentry, Nasen, ONVU Learning and PHP Law for attending the day and spending time speaking to our delegates about their products and services that add value to schools and thank you to Conferences Southwest for their organisation. 

Finally, we thank Mark Drew and Robin Scott from our partner, Exeter Consortium Schools' Alliance, for their excellent conference administration and making it all work so well.

It is the penultimate UPDATE newsletter for this academic year 2023 - 2024 and we hope that there will be something of interest for you in this June issue.

Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE gets into TikTok and the #WorkTok trend that leads to thoughts on today's workforce with reference to Professor Thomas Roulet at the Cambridge Judge Business School:

"He argues that what has changed is not a willingness to work hard, but rather what we now ask from work. Our work has become a more significant part of our lives. The demands on younger generations are greater than those on older generations. They are asked to give more - and so they ask for more in return."

As we will soon have completed our first three years as Teaching School Hubs, we tot up the numbers of colleagues who have engaged in over 80,000 hours of training with SWIFT and muse on the direct impact on the quality of education and lives of young people in South West schools. We also share some of the benefits from our recent wellbeing in the workplace training with ACAS.

Our interviewees this time are Krisha Gandhi of Cranbrook Education Campus and Tom Pether of East Allington Primary School and also valued co-Chairs of the SWIFT Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Partnership Group. 

Kingsbridge Research School enlighten us with The Education Endowment Foundation’s new and updated Guide to Effective Implementation and highlight the changes.

Understanding that Health and Safety is a fact of a life and practical awareness is essential for schools, our sponsor SchoolPro TLC has recently added SchoolPro Safety to its arsenal of services to schools and you can find out more about their services.

Other sponsor news. ONVU Learning considers whether cameras in the classroom means Big Brother is watching you (spoiler alert - no! It is much more exciting in the 21st Century). Remember, you can meet ONVU Learning in a FREE Excellent Teachers Create Excellent Memories Webinar on Thursday 11 July 2024 from 0830 – 0900 and also at our Summer Conference on Thursday 13 June 2024. 

Educatering have been busy showcasing their food and bespoke menu service at conferences across the South West and bring more enticing foodie delights that are enjoyed by many children, young people and staff in school across the South West - and beyond. You will also meet them at the Summer Conference and feast on their food.

Exeter Supply Partnership provides some super-helpful-positive guidance on how to be a Supply Friendly School. It makes sense. See how many your school can tick off.

As always, we wish you a rewarding final half term and thank you for working with us.   

In 1949, George Orwell’s dystopian novel introduced the world to the grim spectre of being under constant surveillance by the authorities. The story has since inspired various interpretations of ‘Big Brother,’ which in schooling can be most apparent when considering teacher observations. 

Lesson observations and their current equivalents share the same difficulties of synchronicity, validity, and disruption and increasingly schools seek alternatives to gaining insight into what it is like learning in that classroom. As schools increasingly turn to technology to enhance insights into classroom experiences, one method stands out: introducing cameras for the classroom.  
 
But does the introduction of cameras into classrooms really mean that Big Brother is going to be watching teachers? 

What Breeds the Fear Factor?
In schools, it is likely that the ‘Big Brother’ concern stems from: 

• an unrealistic sense of being the centre of attention i.e. someone wants to watch you;  
• an irrational belief that the school’s leaders have the time or inclination to secretly watch the footage;
• a lack of trust in leaders not to do the above and a perceived lack of trust from leaders in them as teaching professionals; 

• concerns about the misuse of platform that is not designed to safeguard privacy and respect the well-being of its users. 

None of those sources of concern are unreasonable per se, but they can create unreasonable barriers to teacher-centric self-improvement.  

Is This Just a School’s Thing? 
For too long been schools have driven by a desire to prove something that is inherently difficult to prove: causality between teaching and learning (particularly on an individual basis). As such, it is not entirely surprising that some teachers and leaders might make the link between their lived experience and an authoritarian with time on their hands to watch footage.  
 
So much of what we talk about when discussing ONVU Learning with school leaders and teachers boils down to how much trust and confidence exists in and around the school(s). Does the headteacher make it their business to encourage or to interfere? Do teachers get provided the tools to be amazing or simply to do more? Is teacher continuous professional development (CPD), which ONVU Learning is designed to underpin, valued across the board as the most sustainable means to improving students’ outcomes and so encouraged, not just viewed as a tick box exercise? 
 
The challenge is how to balance accountability with the professional autonomy of teachers without fostering a culture of perceived or real mistrust. This issue is particularly in the spotlight when discussing cameras in the classroom because it raises questions about the extent and purpose of them.
 
A New Way to Solve Old Problems? 
In Sam Sims’ recent blog: A proposal for saving five million hours per year (one day per teacher) of workload, without harming pupil achievement he suggests that the sector could save a lot of hours by not performing data drops unnecessarily and so makes a compelling case for leaders to better question how they direct their teachers’ time. 

At ONVU Learning, we echo that call and encourage school leaders to invest that saved time into more meaningful teacher personal professional development and enabling teachers to become more able to influence their own destiny. By giving teachers agency over their CPD and control over how they measure the impact of what they choose to practice, teachers will then adopt into their practice the things that really work for them.  

What Can you Gain from Classroom Video Capture? 
Video lesson capture has been around for a while now – mostly involving teachers setting up ad hoc specific video recording devices (like a smartphone or tablet) for the purpose of recording a specific and pre-planned learning activity or lesson.  
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At ONVU Learning, we propose and offer the opportunity for teachers to review classroom video recordings made using our fixed-position 360-degree cameras. The specific cameras we use are discreet but not hidden. We promote this style of video classroom capture because it removes the hassle of setting up equipment, makes the learning activity being recorded more natural, and enables a (re)view of teaching and learning rather than focusing in on what you hoped to see all along or only the teacher at whom the camera is pointed. The nature of the technology captures the entire classroom wherever the teacher or students may be. 

Are They Worth It? 
The question remains: does the benefit of using video capture technology in classrooms justify the concerns about surveillance? Whilst the shadow of Orwell’s 1984 looms large, it is crucial to distinguish between using technology for support versus surveillance. Or through a teacher’s eyes, is this a tool that will help or harm me? 

The difficulty is that when a teacher or school leader asks me about whether using ONVU Learning is ‘a bit Big Brother,’ my first thought goes to who is ‘Big Brother’ in that scenario. Is it me? Is it them, their colleagues or their Headteacher sat in their office watching screen upon screen? Is it someone unnamed and unknown?

No, to all the above.
My immediate second thought is more focused in that whoever ‘they’ maybe, our technology does not enable this kind of Orwellian system.

“Our first thought goes to who ‘Big Brother is. Our second thought is whoever ‘they’ maybe, our technology does not enable this kind of Orwellian system.”  

ONVU Learning puts teachers in the driver's seat by giving them control over the video footage they choose to share. It is mostly used for self-reflection, so when it comes to things like coaching or lesson observations, teachers get to pick which parts of their lessons they want to show. This approach helps in making them feel comfortable in the whole observation process and trusted as professionals.  

In the UK and many places around the world we face a shortage of teachers to work in our schools. This has many causes that we will not explore now but amongst the solutions to poor teacher recruitment (as a sector) and retention (again) must involve genuinely empowering teachers to be the best version of themselves. This means encouraging personal professional growth through curiosity from an established, valid base (i.e. teachers are professionally trained university graduates). It also means providing teachers with reliable and trustworthy tools to enable them to do better on their terms, in their context and given the available support that exists to guide (not direct) them.  

ONVU Learning believes that if teachers were treated more like the professional, vocationally-driven experts that they start out as and provided with tools to help them play, practise, self- and co-reflect, and perform, then we like to think that the teacher workforce would be happier, stay longer and become ever more effective at delivering for students the outcomes that they deserve.    

A New Hope? 
I hope that I will have dispelled any 'Big Brother' fears about how ONVU Learning camera technology is introduced and used in classrooms. Teachers are the backbone of our educational systems, and they deserve access to tools that respect their professionalism and genuinely empower them without compromising their privacy or autonomy. 

We at ONVU Learning believe that Leaders need to understand change from their teachers’ perspective to enable sustainable improvements to take root.  

Engage with ONVU Learning at Upcoming Events
Excellent Teachers Create Excellent Memories Webinar | Thursday 11 July 2024 from 0830 - 0900

As we aim to enhance educational experiences, the principles discussed mirror the themes of the upcoming webinar, "Excellent Teachers Create Excellent Memories."

This FREE webinar will delve into how empowering educators through innovative CPD can create enriching and memorable learning experiences. It is an essential session for educators committed to elevating their teaching and fostering impactful educational journeys.

Join us to explore how embracing teacher autonomy can revolutionise educational practices.
​You can also meet the ONVU Learning Team at the SWIFT Summer Conference on Thursday 13 June 2024.