SWIFT UPDATE | ISSUE 41 | January 2026

Happy new year!
We are pleased to start the year with good intentions and bring you the first UPDATE of 2026.

Whether or not you are a New Year's Resolutions afficionado, Executive Director Martin Smith shares his thinking and what he might say to his younger self in his past role as a Headteacher:

"Commit to being kind to yourself…” 
For example, remind yourself that you turn up each day committed to being the best leader you can be. 
Celebrate and cherish the small and everyday things: a pupil turning a corner as a learner, a parental act of kindness, an Early Career Teacher completing their first term..." 

Devon Research School (DRS) considers three things that schools can start to do about oral language ahead of the response from the Department for Education's to the Curriculum and Assessment review. Also look out for the DRS's Improving Oracy in Schools programme. Book here 

Keen to keeping you safe, with the increase in cyber-attacks to email accounts, our sponsor SchoolPro TLC share their top tips to be super vigilant and what to do if you suspect your staff email account is compromised. Contact them for a FREE consultation to explore how they could support you. Contact here

Nick Wakeling, Director of the Colyton Foundation is our January interviewee and may you enjoy finding out more about his work and vision for this important charity established to ensure that, for Young People in the South West, background is no barrier to flourishing at school, attaining highly and progressing to higher education.

We are pleased to work with the The MaternityPaternity Project (MTPT) to support returning parents to teaching after parental leave. You can read about last year's engagement in their recently published report and sign-up for their training and workshops this year (see page 2). 

As part of our ongoing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) work, the SWIFT Central Teams recently boosted their awareness with training from the Belonging Effect on Cultivating a Culture of Belonging for All. You can read some of the highlights in this issue. 
 
With Census Day on the horizon on Thursday 15 January 2026, our sponsor Educatering is standing by to assist schools across the South West gearing up to ensure pupils enjoy their school lunch and help maximise vital funding allocations. This is a statutory data collection that provides the Department for Education and Local Authorities with key information on pupil numbers, free school meal eligibility and school dinner uptake, all of which drive decisions about school funding for the coming year. It is particularly important for primary schools. Contact here

Understanding January can bring fresh planning and a clearer idea of the support your school and nursery might need, you can check in with our sponsor Exeter Supply Partnership if you are exploring supply options for the term ahead. Contact here

Remember to book for the CODE Maths Hub Conference on Thursday 28 February 2026 with keynotes, Lee Elliot Major, Professor of Social Mobility at the University of Exeter and Sue Johnston-Wilder, Associate Professor at the Centre for Education Studies at the University of Warwick. Book here

We hope like us, you are looking forward to the year ahead and we are excited about supporting you with our programme delivery and professional development offer.

Wishing you a productive end to the first week back!  

swift update | january 2026 | read here