News, training and professional development from Devon Education Services
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News from the education teams:
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Conferences and professional development:
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News from the education teams
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26 September 2025
Exeter Racecourse |
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Out of school play and childcare conferenceCelebrating school aged children’s play in Devon, a must for all staff and managers working within the sector.
This event will be funded for all Devon schools and settings who provide wraparound childcare, HAF and access to EABC. |
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PSHE CPD ProgrammeJoin expert tutor Becky Peckham for a 6-session course designed to boost your confidence and skills in PSHE and RSHE delivery.
Topics include curriculum planning, safeguarding, mental health, and assessment. Includes a reflective practice lesson with feedback. |
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Bursar briefingsOffering School Business Managers and Bursars expert-led updates on key financial and operational topics, along with opportunities to network and share best practices. These sessions are designed to support strategic decision-making and enhance school business excellence. |
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Moving and handling
- initial and refresher coursesSupport students with physical difficulties safely and confidently. Learn legal requirements, risk assessments, handling plans & more.
Initial - 7 & 15 October 2025
Refresher - 23 September 2025 |
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Safeguarding Schools - our Data Protection Offer is a smart move!In today’s digital age, data protection is more than a legal requirement - it’s a cornerstone of trust and safety in education.
Discover how Devon Education Services’ subscription gives schools access to essential templates, guidance, and specialist advice—all in one place. |
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StoryFest 2025Libraries Unlimited is partnering with Aardman to host StoryFest, a week-long reading festival, in Devon & Torbay during October half-term. |
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There will be live events featuring the Vegetable Orchestra, Shaun Dares Ewe, and special appearances by Shaun the Sheep. Following this, Aardman’s expert model makers will lead three days of clay modelling and animation workshops at Barnstaple, Paignton, and Exeter Libraries.
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| Find out more and register here
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Music Education Statutory Reporting to DfE and MEG funding: Apply Now
Maintained schools and academies in Devon and Torbay are invited to apply for £300 Music Education Grant (MEG) funding to support delivery of the National Plan for Music Education, especially Whole Class Ensemble Tuition (WCET).
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Briefings and network meetings |
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- Bursar briefings (in person and online) - 21, 22, 23 Oct 2025
DPO networking forum (online) - 1 Oct, 3 Dec 2025 Early Years provider network meeting - autumn term dates coming soon Early Years SENDCo Forums (online) - 21, 22, 23 Oct 2025 Educational visits co-ordinator (EVC) termly briefing - (in person and online) 3, 17, 24 Nov, 1 Dec 2025 EYFS briefings for schools (online) - 11, 12, 13 Nov 2025 Federation Networking Event (in person) - 1 Dec 2025 Primary English subject leader meetings - 23, 24 Oct, 4, 5 ,7 Nov 2025 Primary Maths subject leader meetings - 5, 11, 13, 19 Nov 2025 Safeguarding and welfare forum - 12, 13 Nov 2025 - Safeguarding forums (in person and online) - 19, 20, 25 Nov 2025, 10, 11, 18 Mar, 8, 9, 10 Jun 2026
- School Library Service network meetings - 2 Oct, 12, 13 Nov 2025
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A fantastic opportunity for both subscribing and non-subscribing schools to meet and share ideas whilst receiving the latest updates on changes to data protection legislation and how this could affect you.
The new Data Use and Access Act now receives Royal Assent, come along and find out what changes are required as a result of this new legislation becoming law.
1 October 2025 - Data Use and Access Act
The new Data Use and Access Act now receives Royal Assent, come along and find out what changes are required as a result of this new legislation becoming law.
(Please note that schools who subscribe to our DPO service can attend at no charge, as part of their subscription package) |
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Early education (EYFS) and childcare |
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Early Years Foundation Stage |
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Early Years and Childcare - including some fully funded training for Devon EYC providers (excl. Plymouth and Torbay) |
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These courses are fully funded for Devon schools and other schools with Devon children in care |
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KS2 statutory assessment training for year 6 - 8, 10 Dec 2025, 14, 20 Jan 2026 Primary English subject leader meetings - 23, 24 Oct, 4, 5 ,7 Nov 2025 Phonics and early reading review - 3 hr visit face to face Reading Fluency Intervention (MAT's and Federations offer) - A teacher-led, eight-week group intervention, designed to improve comprehension and fluency, with consistently impressive outcomes in any year group from Y2-Y11. Y6 Statutory Assessment Briefing (online) - 13, 23 Jan 2026 Y6 Writing Standardisation and moderation sessions (in-person) - 26, 29 Jan, 2 Feb 2026 |
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Ethnically Diverse Education Achievement Service (EDEAS)
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Finance consultancy subscribers can bring a colleague for just £60 | Back to top |
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Effective governance
Effective clerking
Key responsibilities
Lunchtime bite-size sessions
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Health and safety
(now all bookable via the Devon Education Services shop platform) |
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Devon Health and Safety Service training courses
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Maths Subject Leaders: Support and Professional Development |
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Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision |
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Outdoor education and leadership courses |
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Child Protection Level 3 initial training (2 days) (online) - 20 Oct 2025, 15 Jan, 2 Jun 2026 Child Protection level 3 initial training (2 days) (in person) - 25 Sept, 7, 15 Oct, 5, 17 Nov 2025, 27 Jan, 26 Feb 2026 Child Protection refresher training Group 3 and above (online) - 6, 24 Oct 2025, 9 Jan 2026 - Child Protection refresher training Group 3 and above (in person) - 23 Sept, 22 Oct, 14 Nov, 3 Dec 2025, 4 Feb, 6, 26 Mar, 5 Jun, 7 Jul 2026
- Safeguarding conference 2026 - 1 Jul 2026
- Safeguarding forum (in person and online) - 19, 20, 25 Nov 2025, 10, 11, 18 Mar, 8, 9, 10 Jun 2026
NEW venues for 2025/26 - The Ashbury Golf Hotel and The Barnstaple Hotel | Internet safety parents' workshop (delivered in school)
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Would you like to connect with other school librarians?
Our termly networking meetings are held either at our centre in Willand or online.
They are led by the SLS advisory team and are a source of up-to-date information, the sharing of ideas and good practice, plus a chance to look around another library and talk about the books we love.
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SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health |
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SEND - Communication and interaction (autism and language) |
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Did you know..?
All of our language training can be delivered in your school, and bespoke sessions and packages are available. Contact us to discuss your individual requirements.
Our current training sessions include
- Understanding DLD and language
- Language and behaviour – training and consultation
Developing Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision to support C&I needs focusing on
- Vocabulary
- Visual support
- Colour Semantics
- Supporting struggling readers
- Verbal reasoning and Blank levels
Training on Speech and Language UK interventions |
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SEND - Leadership and strategic support |
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SEND - Sensory and/or physical needs |
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Sustainable schools and waste education |
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Sustainability conference: Empowering schools towards a sustainable future
To support schools and settings with their sustainability commitments, we are launching a sustainability conference on 27 November 2025 which will be held at Sandy Park, Exeter.
Sandy Park, Exeter
27 November 2025 |
| Find out more and book your place here
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Become a WOW school – Running throughout a whole year and aimed at schools that want to empower their pupils to take part in climate action and reducing waste. Our team can help you improve recycling and increase reuse in your school through our intensive Watch Our Waste project. Contact the team for more details.
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The Department for Education has published its strategy ‘Sustainability and Climate Change: A Strategy for the Education and Children’s Services Systems’ which states that by 2025, all schools should have:
- A Sustainability Lead – a individual or team of people who will implement actions to improve the sustainability of the school (by Sept 2025)
- A Climate Action Plan – outlining how the schools plan to work towards Net Zero (by Dec 2025)
Devon County Council can support schools with a wide range of resources and opportunities to help with climate action plans, but there is also a number of excellent free resources being made available. |
| Visit our website to find out more
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| Free trips for schools - Bring a class of upper KS2 or secondary pupils to see inside the Energy from Waste plants in Exeter and Plymouth. Our trips book up fast so contact us now for 2025/26 dates. Grants are available to help cover coach costs.
Free workshops for schools - Interactive, fun workshops and assemblies, about marine litter, materials, compost and recycling are brought to your school to help engage pupils and embed the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) and composting into the curriculum and everyday school life. |
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