Marking the culmination of their training year, our newly qualified SWIFT Teacher Training teachers and staff attended the Class of 2025 – 2026 Conference and Graduation event yesterday, Thursday 16 July 2026 at the University of Plymouth's Rolle Building.

The Future of Education Conference​
The day began with The Future of Education Conference, which challenged and inspired trainees to consider what education might look like by 2030. Trainees took part in a series of interactive workshops focused on four key themes shaping the sector: Artificial Intelligence and EdTech, Convening Community, Sustainability in Education, and SEND in Education. The workshops encouraged collaboration, innovation and reflection on some of the most significant opportunities and challenges facing schools today - with a focus on the role of teachers in raising awareness for the next generation. 

The Graduation Ceremony
Following a celebratory cream tea, celebrating their crowning moment, SWIFT Executive Director Martin Smith led the Graduation Ceremony. Graduates were awarded a certificate for their QTS across a wide range of primary and secondary subject specialisms, including English, Mathematics, Sciences, Computing, Languages, Humanities, Arts and Physical Education.  

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​The Keynote Speaker
The keynote address was by Professor Jonathan Sharples, Professor of Evidence-Informed Leadership at Manchester Metropolitan University. His presentation emphasised the importance of using research and evidence to drive educational improvement and highlighted how effective implementation and collaboration can help schools achieve meaningful and sustainable change. It added a gravitas and meaning to the event and Professor Sharples encouraged the Early Career Teachers to get involved in the school improvement journey.

Welcome, ECTs – Your Journey’s Just Begun Poem
​Deputy Director for Secondary, Kelly Armstrong read a wonderful poem with so many memorable lines to inspire the graduates in the highs and lows – but ultimately rewarding teaching career:
 
“The highs will be higher, the lows may be tough,
You’ll wonder some days if you’re really enough.
But spoiler alert: you absolutely are--
You're the constant, the cheerleader, the classroom star.”
 
“You’ll be their safe space, their hero, their guide,
With a sticker, a smile, and arms open wide.
They may not remember the fractions you taught,
But they’ll never forget how deeply you thought
They mattered.”
 
“You’ll master the art of “the Look” and “the Pause,”
You’ll referee fights and hopefully settle the cause.
You’ll teach Romeo, Bunsen, or long division,
While managing phones with ninja precision.”
 
“So here’s to the calling—both beautiful, wild,
To the power you hold in the heart of a child.
To the light that you spark with a lesson or word,
To the silent “I see you” that’s felt though unheard.”

​Other Presenters
​​Deputy Director for Primary, Emma Sivyer spoke from the heart to the newly qualified teachers and encouraged them to be the best they can be. The University of Nottingham PGCE Team sent their congratulations and commended the Graduates for their dedication and commitment. Whilst, with all the presence of a teacher at the front of his own class, Adam Holt spoke with great gusto on behalf of the Trainee Representative Group with notable mentions to fellow graduates.
 
Executive Director, Martin Smith concluded this momentous event on an uplifting note inspiring the SWIFT Teacher Training graduates to be the secret ingredient in education as a collective commitment as “the agency for change.” 

As part of their graduation celebrations on Thursday 16 July 2026, our trainees will be future-gazing at "The Future of Education Conference," considering what education will look like in 2030. 
Considering 2030 is not that far away...where will the Class of 2026 be in their careers...?   

Workshop 1. AI and EdTech
Session Leads | Michael Kimber and Anthony Lees
Organisation | The Cornerstone Academy Trust
 
About the Session:
Technology is changing, faster than most of us ever expected.
Some see this rapid evolution of digital tools and Artificial Intelligence as an opportunity to be grasped, but for others, there is caution or alarm in the face of the unknown.
 
As we navigate these new tools within education, this session will look at how we can maintain cognitively engaging and challenging curricula alongside maintaining an ethical and strategic oversight of how innovations are deployed. 

About the Session Lead: 
​Mohamed Abdallah is the South West Regional Director at the Reach Foundation, where he leads place-based, cradle-to-career work and leadership development aimed at improving outcomes for children and young people who experience disadvantage. Mohamed also writes, speaks, and collaborates with School and Trust Leaders on embedding a framework centred on mattering, belonging, and becoming, supporting schools to build cultures where students, staff, and families feel seen, valued, and actively engaged in shaping their communities. 

​Mohamed led pioneering inclusive school improvement at an ‘Outstanding’ all-through mainstream school and later supported the development of staff across the country to strengthen their approach to inclusion, working with leaders to improve systems, culture, and practice that drive engagement, attendance, and wellbeing.

About the Session Lead: 
Tom's first career in education has included a Primary Teacher for 29 years - of which 15 years were as Headteacher and as History Curriculum Lead with ten years of teacher training experience. Nature-based learning and development has been a passion throughout his career originally focused on outdoor learning.

​This role has widened to lead on Sustainability and Climate education projects for Education South West Academy Trust and supporting teachers through the charity, The Ministry of Eco Education. Tom shares his passion through talks, workshops, training, community events. 

Workshop 4. SEND in Education
Session Lead | Alison Betts, National Coordinator​
Organisation | Whole School SEND
 
About the Session:
With increasing complexity of need, this session will explore what SEND provision might look like by 2030.
​In the context of ongoing SEND reforms, the role of relationships, adaptive teaching, and whole-school approaches will be considered in creating inclusive environments where all pupils can succeed.

About the Session Lead: 
Alison is Whole School SEND National Coordinator at nasen, contributing to the strategic leadership, delivery and coordination of the Department for Education’s Universal SEND Services programme. An experienced system leader, Alison's specialisms include SEND and inclusion, Early Years and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH).

Throughout her teaching, education leadership and workforce development career, Alison has held roles including class teacher, nurture teacher, SENCO, Deputy Headteacher, Head of Chestnut Nursery School and Head of Inclusion for Exeter Children’s Federation. She has led strategic inclusion and safeguarding work across multiple schools and has extensive experience supporting schools and organisations to develop evidence-informed, inclusive practice for children and young people with additional needs.

Alison has a particular interest in the impact of deprivation, trauma and adversity on children’s development and life chances, drawing on Attachment Theory, nurture principles and evidence-informed approaches to translate research into meaningful practice. She has led professional communities for SEND through her role as a Specialist Leader in Education and as a Regional SEND Lead for Whole School SEND and has collaborated nationally with education leaders, charities, researchers and policy forums to strengthen inclusive practice.

A long-standing trustee of nurtureuk, Alison has contributed to organisational strategy, programme development and impact evaluation and is committed to ensuring that research, policy and practice are connected in meaningful ways to improve outcomes for children, families and communities.