 This year’s SWIFT Summer Conference was a day well spent together as speakers tuned us into issues of the day to stir and refresh our thinking and practice. Colyton Grammar School Academy Trust Headteacher, Tim Harris set us on course with his uplifting and thoughtful opening talk, reminding us of "the pursuit of excellence" and the role of teachers and leaders preparing and supporting students to thrive and flourish. An endearing image of his own personal journey, the trials of O Levels and off to university like a Welsh Paddington Bear with his suitcase at the train station. First keynote, Professor Rob Coe, Director of Research and Development at Evidence Based Education and a Senior Associate at the Education Endowment Foundation got us thinking about what makes the biggest impact on pupil outcomes based on evidence with tangible strategies.  With a calm confidence Rob curated the evidence about learning and how to optimise cognitive load, develop skills, embed habits and maximise motivation. The role of the school leader is to be the best they can be. Willing. Demonstrably. Effective. Optimise. Learning needs to be embedded and consolidated into the long-term memory. Focus on learning that will make a difference to build understanding. Test and strengthen memory and challenge. "Time is the marker of what you value."
In her talk on Embedding Diversity in the Curriculum, Diverse Educators founder, teacher, leader and author, Bennie Kara showed how DEI is a social moral imperative towards social cohesion, conducive to happiness and ultimately a better society. Bennie showed the value of opening-up knowledge from different places, thinking what is missing and decentre power (not erase it).  With a compelling energy, her analysis of a History curriculum was a revelation of how it had hardly changed to reflect true diversity. Only two named women in a three-year curriculum. "I want to be UNUSUAL" (Sue Sanders, Founder of Schools Out)
Wherever you might be on your AI journey, with engaging gusto Dan Fitzpatrick the AI Educator, dared us to step out of our comfort zone and to be curious. His talk on Leadership in the Future - Educational Strategy in the AI Era showed us how we are living in a different world, the era of synthetic reality. In this pacy bold new world, whereas in the past, we sought to learn the language of computers. Today, computers now speak our language and communicate in our language. What do you see? Are you an AI optimist and you recognise the huge potential? Do you know what your students are accessing? "Stay human and keep humanity at the heart." Thankfully Dan was real, not AI-generated and he will be leading some professional development sessions with us next year on Artificial Intelligence in Education: Developing your school's strategy starting on Wednesday 22 October 2025. Book here  To the morning breakout sessions and an opportunity to look closely at some further key issues and to equip us with some thoughtful and pragmatic takeaways.  CEO of The Charter Schools Educational Trust in South London, Cassie Buchanan OBE looked at how to unlock sustainable school improvement, with three essential Ps: purpose, people and powerful for a clear strategic clarity. Teachers make the biggest difference and remember to use your time well and build structures and systems to ensure you build effective capacity. "We achieve together."
Professor of Education and Social Statistics at UCL and Director of Research at ImpactEd Group, John Jerrim and Director of The Engagement Platform (TEP), Stephanie Hamilton led an engaging talk on Research around Pupil, Parent and Staff Engagement and encouraged us to be curious and brave in looking at challenging data with interest in order to enable greater buy-in.
They will be sharing of Year 7 - 8 drop-off engagement data in the autumn, and we will be curious. You will be able to sign-up to be part of the StepLab professional development programme next school year as part of our CPD offer. "Bring back the joy."
If you have yet to meet our sponsors' Educatering and taste their delightfully delicious food, you can see here what the delegates enjoyed and understand why children and staff enjoy their nutritious meals in schools across the South West. We thank the Educatering Team for a very lovely conference lunch.
Starting off the afternoon session, Deputy Director, SW Regions Group, Jess Trahar provided an update from the Department for Education South West Regions Group and RISE Teams. This was topical timing further to the outcomes of the recent spending review and the context of the tight fiscal situation with the headline £2m budget increase equating in real terms growth of 1.1% per pupil. "Every child achieving and thriving."  Policy is integral to the work in schools, and you are invited to contact Jessica with your feedback on the RISE Teams and if your school would like to host a discovery morning for best practice. Key issues include child poverty, Early Years Foundation, SEND and Inclusion, curriculum and assessment. Watch out for the Schools White Paper due to be published in the autumn - with the review of SEND and Inclusion set to feature.
Can you help?! Discovery Mornings are targeted school visits designed to showcase excellent practice around key national and regional priorities. Each session is a short, sharp opportunity for school leaders to see outstanding work in action, followed by a focused call-to-action discussion. The Department are keen to expand Discovery Mornings further and invite schools interested in hosting future sessions to contact the RISE Team here The afternoon breakout sessions were another opportunity to look closely at some key issues and to equip delegates with more practical takeaways.  Our SWIFT DEI Partnership Group is an established group of dedicated leaders and Krisha Gandhi, Head of Primary and Senior Deputy Head of Campus at Ted Wragg Trust’s Cranbrook Education Campus and Caroline Leigh, Assistant Headteacher at The Maynard School explained why Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging matter here in the South West with tips for Inclusive Recruitment.
John Jerrim and Director of Studies at Colyton Grammar School and Director of the Colyton Foundation, Nick Wakeling provided insights into how to improve outcomes for high achieving children from disadvantaged backgrounds, to create transformational change and remove barriers. 
Life can change in a heartbeat. As we were to find out, spellbound by the heartfelt talk by Lauren Rowles OBE on Mental Resilience and Overcoming Adversity, reminding us in the most life-changing way. A sports obsessed child, as a self-confessed disrupter in the classroom, Lauren found her real place in sport and loved running faster than the boys and beating them at football on the pitch.
But Lauren had to learn how to reconnect with sport when she awoke on 2 February 2012 to discover she was suddenly paralysed aged 13-years-old. Nine months in hospital in Birmingham and Bristol, with her Mum by her side. Life changed as a disabled young person, and she had to learn how to adapt and reconnect with sport and regain her independence. Introduced to rowing as something new and different, Lauren embraced the freedom from her wheelchair and channelled her dark thoughts. Her gruelling programme was an example to us all and a reminder of the value of hard work and resilience and the joy in hearing how she wanted to live again. Lauren’s story of Igniting Potential will stay with us forever and we celebrate the igniters in her life who propelled her ever onwards to become the first man or woman to win three back-to-back Gold medals in the Paralympics. Remember Lauren's call to action. Take her story and help another child as Lauren lives her life as a beacon of light to other disabled children who want to achieve their dreams. "There's got to be a reality to your chances." Time now to thank our sponsors for being with us during the day. A friendly face to speak to from behind an email or phone and they were here to share more about their services and products. So much more than school dinners (as some of us will remember). Educatering is a food philosophy of the most nutritious, healthy and cheerful food you could ever wish for in your school. But above all, children are at the heart of all that they do.
Have you heard of a smoothie bike? Smoothies stuffed full of nutritious goodies are part of the Educatering curriculum inspiring a love of food in children that the team cannot wait to share. We thank the Team from this committed and caring longstanding Devon family business for being with us and for bringing such foodie joy. Business Development Director, Stella James was happy to be on her home turf showcasing the video capture tech of forward-thinking ONVU Learning that is making a difference in the classroom and empowering teachers. Even the light box demonstrated their state-of-the-art presentation skills in their quest to support school improvement with energy and clarity.
We thank Director of SchoolPro TLC, Ben Craig and Grahame Smart for representing a dedicated team of professionals, many of whom have backgrounds in teaching and school governance. With an insightful expertise they provide support in ONE ORGANISATION for attendance, data, Data Protection Health and Safety, timetable, curriculum, safeguarding and SEND.
If you know Exeter Supply Partnership Office Manager, Sacha Curtis you will understand how suited she is to deal with the pressures of teacher supply needs. 100+ (and counting) schools and MATs across Exeter, North Devon and Torbay already trust them to provide dependable primary teachers, Teaching Assistants, and nursery practitioners. What makes them all the lovelier is their not-for-profit ethos. Usually at the end of the phone and email, we thank Sacha for being with us and being the personal and professional face of ESP. We know that she also enjoyed being there to say hello to Headteachers and colleagues with whom she works.
We are very pleased to collaborate with Whole School SEND and were glad to welcome National Coordinator, Alison Betts and Jeanette Savage, South West Deputy Regional SEND Lead to the conference. We thank them for all their support to schools and MATs within our Teaching School Hub region in delivering the Department for Education Universal SEND Services programme. You can find out about our Adaptive Teaching Primary Staff Meeting Series with nasen Sam McFarlane here
Thank you to CEO & Founder, Sarah Morrison, Judith Cullen, Donna Carthy and from the Elmtree Learning Partnership for being with us. Your go-to if you are looking for part-time Alternative Learning Provision for your young people, across the South West and when you speak with them you will understand they truly believe in and care about what they do for young people with a focus on every child, every opportunity and the right opportunity.
Finally, we thank our compères, SWIFT Director of Teaching School Hubs, Jen Knowles and SWIFT Executive Director, Martin Smith for ably orchestrating such an action-packed day.  In a conference where every second counted, ESW CEO, Matthew Shanks with his characteristic perceptive eye, summed up the day on a whistlestop tour, and left us buzzing with the energising spirit of final speaker Lauren Rowles
"Life can be short. If you are presented with an opportunity - do it." "Use it, take it, and go with it." And above all, "If you are told you cannot do it, damn well do it!" We certainly will! We look forward to seeing you at next year’s event: Save the date now, Thursday 18 June 2026 at Exeter Racecourse. Report by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant
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