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. 

"You do not know what it is like to stand in front of 30 children and teach them something that they do not know they need to know until you do it."

1. What encouraged you to apply to SWIFT Teacher Training?
Living in Plymouth, I looked at all the local training options and found SWIFT Teacher Training. As my first interview, I did it for practice. But I felt so welcomed, finding my kind of people that I accepted the offer the very same day.
 
2. Is the course living up to your expectations?
Yes - in terms of the support, welcome and everything programmed by SWIFT.
But no (and this is not a SWIFT thing), in that certain aspects are harder, and some easier than I anticipated.
 
3. What have been the best aspects to date?
My long placement has been fantastic. SWIFT facilitated me going into the school last summer for a couple of weeks that has really helped. I knew everyone already, having got to know them before the course started.
 
The Subject Knowledge sessions for Science are useful as we practise practicals and get a feel for the experiments we will be running.  I have also enjoyed the sessions on behaviour management and cognitive load, which are very interesting.
 
4. What is most challenging to date?
My short placement had a few challenges. But SWIFT were supportive, and I know that whilst it was testing at times, I got through it.
 
5. How do your placements help you?
You do not know what it is like to stand in front of 30 children and teach them something that they do not know they need to know until you do it.  I cannot describe that feeling. It is unlike any public speaking or presentations I have done before. Plus, the sense of responsibility you get stood at the front of the classroom is massive.