Interview 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."

 If you ever have had any contact with Robin about one of our SWIFT courses or events, you will know him to be both highly effective, kind and calm, and welcoming with it.

Robin has been the CPD and Marketing Coordinator with Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance for the past six years, working with SWIFT for over five of those years and he has a strong connection with the South West.
 
Robin studied Business Studies at the University of Plymouth with a placement year at Teignbridge District Council, which helpfully raised his awareness of the South West and local area and honed his general admin, communication and design skills.
 
Opting for further study, Robin went to Bournemouth University to undertake a Sport Management Master's Degree, drawing on his Business Studies degree. This eventually led to a job at the University of Exeter in the Sports Park promoting gym memberships, with responsibility for marketing graphics and general social media content. Robin’s experience was further crystallised next working for a PR firm - including a special stand-out project on the Dawlish Seawall rebuild with Network Rail.
 
We enjoy working with Robin and commend his dependability. 

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1. How has your background in Business Studies and marketing supported your role as CPD and Marketing Coordinator with Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance?
Yes, I think my background has given me a strong foundation as the building bricks for my current role in enhancing my organisation and event management skills.

Whilst I have not done a degree in event management, I believe I understand the processes and I now have a good understanding of what teachers need and want, and what is or is not relevant for them, what does and does not work and how people like to be communicated with. All of which I think plays a big part, especially in today's society as people have very limited time. So, I take extra care in how I construct emails and communications that are straight to the point, but are also appropriately detailed – the success of which I think is reflected in receiving very few queries from my communications.

In terms of my marketing experience, I think it is helpful to communicate opportunities in the right channels.
 
In addition, I have always had a thing about and enjoy understanding and learning new technologies and figuring out new things; which I think is important as if you wish to have a role in marketing and to be successful, you have to stay on top of the latest trends.
 
2. What do you find to be most rewarding as a SWIFT delivery partner?
I like the fact that I have a direct impact on schools and teachers.
Although thinking about it, I do not directly see this impact, even if know that it has an impact, because as delivery partners, we obviously promote and run the courses. Hence it is rewarding when we receive such good feedback from courses. A slightly strange, but interesting concept!  

I think the other thing is because I am not from a teaching background, unlike many other delivery partners, then it is good to work with the rest of the team who are former teachers and senior leaders and it provides a good mix with my marketing and business experience. I can learn from them what is going on in schools at the moment, and the key areas to be considering. But I ought to mention perhaps that my wife has been a primary school teacher for the past eight to nine years, so that is very helpful in providing insights for me.
 
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 and our shared objective goes beyond any potential competition between us as delivery partners.
 
3. How does your involvement in the SWIFT Membership Services Team enrich your role?
As I have already mentioned above, it provides an insight into what schools want and their CPD needs and the direction of travel for education. It enriches my role because most of the other Team Members have teaching experience, which I do not have. Equally, when it comes to communication and marketing, they can look to me and seek my thinking and advice.

As a Team, we are excited that SWIFT Executive Director, Martin Smith is going to be presenting at the Spring Leadership Forum on Thursday 20 March 2025 our bold new offer for the next academic year, which we have been busy working towards this year.
 
4. Knowing your special interest, how are you currently using AI in your work?
Yes, AI is exciting. But above all, what I have learned is that you cannot rely on AI, but it is definitely great to enhance on the side.

I have used it a lot for graphic design and social media, and I also use it in Canva a lot that is great for content creation, and I use it for refining messages.

For example, if we receive lots of text for a trainer for a course and aware that I know that teachers have limited time, and reams and reams of information on an Eventbrite page could be off-putting, we can refine the information to elicit the key points.

So, it is It's useful for creative work, but still requires my professional judgement.

5. What is your greatest wish for teacher professional development at this moment in time?
I would say that it would be great if all teachers had a similar level and/or wish to embrace new and latest technologies whilst maintaining their strong teaching principles, so that we can help and support.

But I also think that teacher professional development needs to be flexible and to fit into teachers’ and leaders’ schedules – whether this becomes more bite-sized, but is still a high-quality.
 
We thank Robin for sharing his insights as our valued delivery partner and we value his marketing and communications expertise.

Interview by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

find out more about Exeter Consortium Schools’ Alliance here