SWIFT UPDATE | Issue 46 | June 2026

The first week of June and the final half term of school year 2025 - 2026 and we hope this latest UPDATE newsletter will bring value to you.

Executive Director Martin Smith reports on a new chapter afoot for SWIFT with neighbouring Teaching School Hub partner, OneCornwall: 

"The proposal is straightforward. By aligning more closely, we can move beyond operating as parallel Hubs and instead create a single, coherent partnership that is better placed to deliver high-quality professional development at scale. This is about combining capacity, expertise and infrastructure to strengthen what is already working well." 

We want to hear your views. Find out more about the proposals here and you can watch a short animation here . Please feel able to complete the feedback form here by Wednesday 1 July 2026.

Sharing good practice comes naturally in education and we are pleased to showcase the outcomes of a recent peer review with fellow Teaching School Hubs’ of our Appropriate Body Services - one of our Golden Thread responsibilities. You can read how the team thrived in this collaborative and challenging exercise.  

Tes has recently published its Global Wellbeing Report (a topic close to all our hearts) - and we thought it was worth highlighting for you. Wellbeing will be a keynote at our forthcoming Summer Conference on Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse led by Shaheen Myers, founder and CEO of Balance:ed. The final tickets are available here 

Hot off the press - Colyton Foundation has announced that applications are now open for the 2026 - 2027 cohort of Leading High Attainment. A year-long leadership development programme for secondary school leaders across the South West delivered by the Colyton Foundation in partnership with SWIFT and Devon Research School. You can apply here and register for the information webinar on Thursday 2 July 2026 here  

This month's interview is with Steve Margetts, Principal of Torquay Academy and recently published author of “Everyone Succeeds,” a leadership framework built around 54 codified leadership behaviours. Steve will be leading some professional development sessions for us next academic year. One to watch!

Devon Research School (DRS) shares a post by Adam Wray, Associate Leader at ACE Tiverton School on predictive processing. Living in a neurodiverse household, with family members who experience autism, ADHD and dyslexia, Adam became deeply curious about what happens beneath the surface of thought and perception. It is worth a read to consider your own processing and in the classroom. 

It is that time of year – poised between the end of one school year and starting to think about the next on the not-so-distant horizon and our sponsor, SchoolPro TLC considers the merits of one week or two week timetables in Secondary schools.  Contact the Team here

Educatering our school catering sponsor have been showcasing the importance of local sourcing. Parents have enjoyed a taste at recent parents' evenings and at Pupil Premium Night with more info about support for low-income families. The food pics say it all. If you want to find out how Educatering can support your School/Trust Catering Team contact the Team here 

You will know that Exeter Supply Partnership are committed to supporting you for your nursery and primary supply needs. But they go a step beyond. As well as a full-service approach supporting not only staffing and recruitment needs at no additional cost, they foster a highly skilled, confident and well-supported pool of educators through a dedication to ongoing professional development. Contact the ESP Team here

A few extras this issue.
If you are starting to plan your summer reading, you might like to add Mr T's life thinky collection of books to your list. A wide offering of thoughts, ideas and insights to help you, to help yourself! By Day, Mr T is Christopher Tribble, Headteacher of Honiton Primary School and you can find out more here

Introducing ERA, the Educational Recording Agency: a licensing organisation enabling schools, colleges and universities to access and use FREE high-quality broadcast video and audio for teaching and learning (from UK broadcasters like BBC, C4, C5, ITV etc), whilst also supporting the creators of the content. 
 
Finally - if you are interested in the pithy topic of climate change and find yourself in the Totnes area on Monday 15 June 2026 - you might like to attend a free film night of "Future Council" plus panel discussion with various experts, including George Monbiot. Doors open at KEIVCC (King Edward VI Community College, Ashburton Road, Totnes TQ9 5JX) from 1800 for a 1900 start. Book your place here

We hope you find something to interest you in this issue and we wish you a happy, fulfilling, productive and (sunny!) Summer Half Term. 

swift update | june 2026 | read here