Matthew Shanks, ESW CEO, on Why Young People Should Be Judged at 25, Not 16  “We value what we measure, but in education we haven’t always measured what we value.”  We are delighted that our CEO Matthew Shanks has appeared on the first Heads & Tales episode of 2026.  Matthew reflects on leading a multi-academy trust across the southwest of England, supporting school leaders, and how his own challenging experiences with inspection shaped him into an inspector himself.  A key theme of the discussion is Matthew’s belief that education shouldn’t be judged linearly. He makes a compelling case for measuring success at 25 rather than 16, arguing that lives, confidence, and contribution matter far more than flash-in-the-pan exam results.  Listen to the full episode here: https://www.oppidaneducation.com/heads-and-tales/xyn0m3teayd9oltndyw8j8mnwpld4d

Strengthening schools through community engagement: supporting families to raise life chances  We believe that schools are more than places of learning. They are community anchors - safe, supportive spaces where families can connect, access support, and build brighter futures together. This belief, grounded in our charitable mission to advance education for all children, is now shaping the way we work across all 14 schools in the trust through the development of a new network of Community Hubs. This initiative builds on a core ESW value: community. We see every school as a vital part of its local neighbourhood, offering education, opportunity, connection, and care. We know that children thrive when their families and communities are supported. That’s why, in October 2024, we deepened our partnership with the Reach Foundation to put this vision into action - moving beyond curriculum and pedagogy into an ambitious programme of ‘community anchoring’. Community anchoring is all about creating strong local networks that support wellbeing and resilience. It means embedding services, support and partnerships within our school communities that respond to local need. Working closely with charities, councils, parents, and civic partners, our Community Hubs are helping to rebuild some of the wraparound services that once supported families through multi-agency work. Our first Community Hub launched at Kingsbridge Primary School in March 2025. When a former children’s centre space at the school became available, we saw an opportunity to do something different. Working with two local charities - MotherBorn, which supports new parents with early parenting and breastfeeding, and The Fidget Project, which offers therapeutic support for children with emerging SEND needs - we began to reimagine what the space could offer. Seed funding from the Reach Foundation allowed these projects to get off the ground. What emerged was a powerful new model: services delivered from the heart of the school, embedded in the daily life of the local community. The After School Club, already a vital support for working families, became part of a wider offer that helps families feel connected and supported from the earliest stages of parenthood. Kingsbridge is also now a base for the newly formed Family Hubs network, further extending the support available. The success of this pilot is now guiding our plans for other schools. Over the past 12 months, the Community Hub model has begun to grow. In Dartmouth, we are repurposing another former children’s centre to support families at Dartmouth Academy, our all-through 3–16 school. In Newton Abbot, ESW has secured funding to host Citizens Advice sessions in our schools to offer help with housing, benefits, and other complex issues affecting vulnerable families. Breakfast clubs have been set up in partnership with local food banks to ensure every child starts the day ready to learn. Across both Teignbridge and the South Hams, our new relationship with Citizens Advice now includes two dedicated caseworkers who work directly with our pastoral teams. These caseworkers deliver weekly outreach sessions, open to all families linked to our schools and the wider community. Funded by grant bids, this work is already making a difference and we’re actively seeking ways to extend and secure it for the future. Our schools are also working with local Rotary Clubs, with particularly close ties developing in Newton Abbot. Rotary members have offered financial support, mentoring, and practical help; from funding enrichment trips and Duke of Edinburgh kit to helping build a herb garden with medicinal plants at Coombeshead Academy. Four of our schools - Teign School, Kingsbridge Primary, Rydon and Christow - took part in this year’s Rotary Young Apprentice programme, raising funds through events like plant sales and fun runs while learning valuable enterprise and leadership skills. “This is about rebuilding the wraparound services children and families need.” Robert Coles, Deputy CEO, Education South West. At South Devon UTC, a new breakfast club launched in October 2024 in partnership with the local food bank and supported by donations from supermarkets. The club has grown steadily and now serves both students and the adjacent community fridge - a small but powerful example of how schools can play a central role in reducing food insecurity. At Wynstream Primary School, a community garden project is being developed with local charity New Roots. Children and parents are working side by side to restore the school’s raised beds, and partnerships with Exeter Housing are helping to widen the project’s reach to local residents. The goal is to create a truly intergenerational space that brings people together and builds pride in the local environment. Looking ahead, we’re excited to be working with the Rotary Club to bring the South West Festival of Youth to Teign School in March 2026, which promises to be a celebration of the ideas, talents and contributions of young people in our region. Our aim is clear: to develop a Community Hub in every ESW school. It’s now a central part of our school improvement planning for 2025–26. While each hub will reflect the unique needs of its community, all will be designed to strengthen local networks and ensure every family has the support they need. This work relies on partnerships with local authorities, charities, businesses, volunteers, and families. It depends on schools being open to new ways of working, and on civic and political leaders championing the vital role that schools play in community life.

Deepening support for Ukrainian schools In last year’s annual report we shared how Education South West (ESW) was beginning to support Ukraine’s upper secondary education reform through an international partnership facilitated by the OECD. A year on, that work has grown in reach, depth, and impact and is built on trust, mutual respect, and a shared belief in the power of education to shape a better future.  Four of our schools - Coombeshead Academy, Teign School, Kingsbridge Community College (KCC), and King Edward VI Community College (KEVICC) - are now actively partnered with Ukrainian ‘Ambassador’ schools. These 30 Ambassador schools, drawn from regions across Ukraine, from Lviv and Kyiv to Odesa, Dnipro and Kharkiv, are preparing to pilot the country’s new upper secondary curriculum from September 2025. The reforms are bold: they aim to move away from a rigid, exam-heavy system to one that offers students more subject choice, improved careers guidance, and learning that develops key competencies.  The OECD are helping to facilitate partnerships between these Ukrainian schools and international schools from across the globe including: Sweden, Poland, Japan, Ireland, Portugal, Singapore, and England. ESW was the first trust in England to take part in the initiative, offering moral support and concrete insights into curriculum design, student options, and digital innovation.  Teign School in Kingsteignton, for example, has forged a close partnership with Zalishchyky State Gimnasia in western Ukraine. Despite the thousands of miles and vastly different day-to-day realities, the two schools have built a shared rhythm of learning.  Students have marked key international dates together, such as World Holocaust Day and European Day of Languages. Teachers have exchanged ideas on digital platforms, curriculum structures, and life beyond school. Lucie Wagner, head of school at Teign Academy says: “It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience working alongside headteacher Oleksandra Voychyshyn and her team. Our students have gained so much insight and perspective from the exchange. We hope to one day host our Ukrainian colleagues here in Devon.”  This year also saw ESW take part in a national forum in Kyiv, titled ‘From the Curriculum to the Classroom’. Our CEO, Matthew Shanks, was invited as an international speaker alongside colleagues from the World Bank, Finnish Ministry of Education, and education ministries across Europe.  His contribution focused on how UK schools have successfully created more flexible subject choices and tailored courses to meet student needs, which are key priorities for the Ukrainian reform model.  Matthew’s visit built on his earlier trip to Lviv, where he addressed a major education conference opened by Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska. His reflections from that visit, delivered while air raid sirens forced sessions into bomb shelters, highlighted the extraordinary resilience of Ukrainian educators. “Despite everything,” he noted, “there is a collective refusal to let education stop. That determination is both humbling and inspiring.”  As a trust, ESW’s involvement in this work reflects our values in action. All our schools hold UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools accreditation, and our commitment to global citizenship is not limited to a curriculum unit or assembly - it’s something we live out in partnerships like this.  The collaboration continues to grow. We are calling on more UK schools to get involved and join this international effort. Supporting Ukraine’s reforms is the right thing to do and it’s a chance for our own students and staff to broaden their horizons, deepen their empathy, and contribute to a global education community rooted in solidarity and shared learning.  We thank all those across our trust who have supported this work and helped keep the spirit of internationalism alive in our classrooms.

South Devon UTC Community Comes Together to Support Local Foodbank  Staff and families at South Devon UTC have once again demonstrated their commitment to supporting the local community through a successful foodbank collection.  Since October, the UTC community has been donating essential items to support Teignbridge Homeless Action Today (THAT). The annual collection has become a well established tradition at the UTC, with students taking pride in giving back and helping those in need.  This year’s initiative introduced an additional challenge for students, who were tasked with purchasing as many foodbank items as possible using a £5 budget. The competition encouraged creativity and teamwork, while also helping students develop valuable money management skills and an understanding of living on a budget, key preparation for life beyond education.  The result was the largest collection the UTC has achieved to date, with an impressive volume of donations delivered to the local foodbank. The school would like to extend a sincere thank you to all staff, students and parents who contributed so generously.  Claire Plumb, Headteacher at South Devon UTC, said:  “I am incredibly proud of our students, staff and families for coming together to support such an important local cause. The foodbank collection is something our community really values, and this year’s response has been outstanding. The £5 challenge also gave students the opportunity to develop real-life budgeting skills while making a positive difference to others.”  Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West, said:  “South Devon UTC continues to demonstrate how education goes beyond the classroom. This initiative not only supports those in need within the local community, but also helps students build essential life skills such as teamwork, empathy and financial awareness. It is wonderful to see such strong community spirit across the school.”

MP Martin Wrigley Visits Teign School  Teign School welcomed MP Martin Wrigley  for a visit designed to showcase school life and give students the opportunity to engage directly with their local representative.  The visit was made even more meaningful by the return of Rebecca Jones, a member of Wrigley’s staff and proud Teign alumna, whose passion for politics was first nurtured during her time at the school.  Mr Wrigley’s itinerary included a guided tour of the school’s nurture rooms, REACH and The Nest, classroom visits including a GCSE Citizenship lesson, and a Q&A session with the Student Council.  Students asked thought-provoking questions on issues such as assisted dying, violence against women and girls, lowering the voting age, and climate change, sparking lively discussion. The visit also included stops in A Level Criminology and Sociology classes, followed by the Careers Centre, where students explored university pathways and career opportunities.  The visit provided an inspiring and memorable experience for students, highlighting the value of combining academic learning with practical engagement in civic life.  Lucie Wagner, Head of School at Teign School, said:  "We are thrilled to have hosted Martin Wrigley and to see our students engaging so confidently with important social and political issues. Visits like this bring learning to life and inspire our young people to think critically about the world around them."  Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West, said:  "It is fantastic to see students connecting classroom learning with real-world politics. Teign School continues to provide opportunities for pupils to explore their interests and develop the skills they need to make a positive impact in their communities."

Teign School Announces New Programme of Parent and Community Workshops  Teign School is pleased to announce a new programme of parent and community workshops designed to promote wellbeing, resilience, and learning for all.  Following the launch of The Nest last term — a support hub created to help students experiencing emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) — Teign School is now extending its focus to the wider community. The success of The Nest has highlighted the importance of open communication and partnership between families, schools, and local services, leading to this new phase of support for all young people and their families.  The new series of workshops responds to parent and carer feedback and is open to everyone in the local community. Sessions are designed to help families strengthen wellbeing, support learning, and build confidence together. Each workshop will run from 5.00 pm to 6.30 pm. Upcoming sessions include:  13th January 2026: Raising student aspiration through school and community supportThis session will explore how schools and local organisations are working together to offer inspiring opportunities that help students aim high and plan for the future. 25th February 2026: Building resilience and managing anxietyFamilies will learn practical approaches to help young people understand and manage anxiety. The session will introduce strategies that support emotional strength and calm thinking. 28th April 2026: Emotional regulation and the teenage brainThis workshop will explain how the teenage brain develops and how families can support young people as they navigate strong emotions and changing behaviour. 19th May 2026: Strategies to support effective home learningParents and carers will receive guidance on creating positive study habits, establishing routines, and making learning at home more effective and less stressful. 23rd June 2026: Supporting friendships and developing social skillsThis session will focus on helping young people build strong friendships, strengthen social confidence, and manage challenges in peer relationships.  Alongside the new workshop series, Teign School continues to offer a range of community support opportunities. Weekly SEND drop-in clinics take place every Thursday from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm, providing advice and guidance for families seeking support with special educational needs. In addition, fortnightly Citizens Advice drop-in clinics will soon be available, offering confidential support and information to parents and carers of Teign students and the wider Kingsteignton community.  Families can book their places at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/teigncommunitysupporthub   For more information please contact: TeignCommunityHub@educationsouthwest.org.uk  Lucie Wagner, Head of School at Teign School, said:  “Following the success of The Nest, we wanted to extend that support to every young person and family in our community. These workshops focus on the skills and understanding that help students to flourish — whether that’s developing confidence, managing emotions, or finding joy in learning. It’s about empowering our whole community to grow together.”  Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West, said:  “Teign School’s work to support wellbeing and engagement shows how local collaboration can change lives. Following the launch of The Nest, this next phase brings families, schools, and services together to ensure every child feels safe, valued, and ready to achieve. We’re proud to see such commitment to community partnership.”

Blackawton Primary’s Youngest Pupils Raise Over £200 for Devon Air Ambulance   Children in Class 1 and  the nursery at Blackawton Primary School have been spreading festive cheer while raising vital funds for Devon Air Ambulance this Christmas.  The Early Years pupils took part in a fun filled sponsored run around the school track, wearing Santa hats and completing a series of Christmas themed challenges along the way. Activities included running through magical bubbles, posting parcels down a chimney, feeding a reindeer with oats and rolling snowballs, creating an exciting and memorable experience for everyone involved.  Year 5 pupils played an important role in the event by supporting the younger children, running activity stations and cheering them on throughout the course. So far, the fundraising effort has raised an impressive £223 for Devon Air Ambulance, the charity responsible for keeping two emergency air ambulances and four critical care cars operating across Devon all year round. The service is independent of government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of local communities and supporters.  The school would like to thank everyone who has donated so far and continues to support the cause. Donations can still be made via the school’s JustGiving page, with every contribution helping Devon Air Ambulance continue its life-saving work across the county.  Liam Fielding, Headteacher at Blackawton Primary School, said:  “This event was a wonderful way for our youngest children to learn that even small actions can make a big difference. They had enormous fun while also supporting a charity that truly saves lives.”  Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West, said:  “I am incredibly proud of our young pupils at Blackawton Primary for showing such generosity and enthusiasm. Their efforts not only raise vital funds for a life-saving service but also teach important lessons about community spirit, kindness, and the impact each of us can make.”

Dartmouth Academy Pupils Delight at Devon Cookery Competition  Pupils from Dartmouth Academy have been praised for their professionalism and teamwork after taking part in the Devon Local Final of the Springboard Cookery Competition this term.  The event, organised by The Springboard Charity, brought together young culinary talent from across the region. Dartmouth Academy competitors impressed organisers with their calm approach, efficiency in the kitchen and high standard of cookery throughout the challenge.  Rebecca Slade, Programme Delivery Manager at Springboard, shared her appreciation following the event. She said the students were a real credit to the school and noted how professionally they conducted themselves during the competition.  Mikey Passmore, who accompanied the students, expressed his pride in their performance and confirmed that the school will be presenting a personalised certificate to participants.  The Springboard Charity works across the UK to support young people into careers in hospitality, leisure and tourism, offering events and opportunities designed to build confidence and employability skills.  Mikey Passmore, Head of Science at Dartmouth Academy, said:  “We are incredibly proud of the pupils for the way they represented Dartmouth Academy. Their hard work, confidence and maturity stood out on the day. We are grateful to Springboard for hosting such an inspiring event and we look forward to entering again next year.”  Matthew Shanks, CEO at Education South West said:  “Seeing our pupils thrive in such a high pressure environment is inspiring. Opportunities like this help them grow in confidence and discover new passions. We are proud of their achievements and delighted to see Dartmouth Academy represented so strongly in this regional competition.”

RAF Inspires Pupils During Special Assembly at Dartmouth Academy  Pupils from Dartmouth Academy enjoyed an inspiring visit from the Royal Air Force (RAF) this term during a special whole school assembly focused on leadership, teamwork and future career pathways.  Representatives from the RAF delivered an engaging presentation that explored the wide range of roles available within the organisation, from engineering and aviation to logistics, medicine and technical operations. They also shared real life stories from their own careers and spoke about the importance of resilience, problem solving and collaboration.  Staff said the visit offered pupils a valuable opportunity to learn about life in the armed forces and to ask questions directly to serving personnel. Many pupils commented on how much they enjoyed hearing first hand experiences and gaining insight into both the challenges and rewards of RAF careers.  The school plans to continue working with the RAF and other services to provide pupils with a rich range of career and enrichment experiences throughout the year.  Nicola Perrott, Assistant Principal at Dartmouth Academy, said:  “We are extremely grateful to the RAF for taking the time to come in and speak to our pupils. Their presentation was informative, motivating and packed with positive messages about aspiration and personal development. Experiences like this broaden our pupils’ horizons and help them think about the many exciting opportunities open to them after they leave school.”  Matthew Shanks, CEO at Education South West said:  “Visits like this play a vital role in opening young people’s eyes to the world beyond the classroom. The RAF team provided an engaging and informative session that encouraged pupils to think ambitiously about their futures. We are proud of how our pupils responded and grateful to the RAF for offering such a valuable and memorable experience.”  

Christow School Council Hosts Festive ‘Toy Swap’ to Reduce Waste and Spread Christmas Cheer  Pupils at Christow Primary School have taken an innovative approach to tackling toy waste while supporting local families this festive season. The initiative, led by the newly appointed School Council, began in September when a passionate Year 6 representative raised concerns about the environmental impact of the toy industry.  Inspired to make a difference, the pupil suggested workshops to upcycle unwanted soft toys, leading to the creation of the popular ‘Frankinteddy Workshops’. Children delighted in creating new teddies by combining parts of old ones, with many even continuing the activity at home. Building on this momentum, the School Council, led by Mrs Hill, decided to organise a ‘Toy Swap’ ahead of Christmas. The aim was to encourage the reuse of toys, support families during a financially challenging time, and give pupils the joy of giving. Christow families generously donated toys, which were then swapped with Dunsford Primary School, ensuring every child received something new to them while keeping unwanted toys out of landfill.  On Tuesday 2nd December, Christow School hosted its first Toy Swap. More than 200 toys and an equal number of books filled the school hall, creating a buzz of excitement as children explored the selection. Each child received a token to swap for a gift for a friend, sibling, or family member, while parents were welcomed early to shop for their children. The event also included refreshments and a Christmas jumper swap, kindly organised by the PTFA.  Parents and pupils alike praised the initiative. One parent said, “I really hope that this takes away the stigma surrounding gifting secondhand items,” while another added, “It was so lovely hearing the children talk about who they would gift their toys to. I hope it can be repeated next year.”  Leftover toys have been donated to Whipton Barton Junior School in Exeter to be used for their school attendance shop and Christmas fair, maximising the positive impact of the initiative.  Ms Amy Yeo, Headteacher at Christow Primary School said:  "We are incredibly proud of our School Council for leading such a thoughtful and creative initiative. Not only did the Toy Swap help reduce waste, but it also gave our pupils a real sense of the joy of giving and caring for others."  Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West said:  "Christow Primary School has demonstrated how small actions can make a big difference. Their Toy Swap is a brilliant example of community spirit, sustainability, and learning beyond the classroom."