News, training and professional development from Devon Education Services

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April 2026

FAO: Headteachers, senior leaders, governors, all teaching, early years and support staff

News from the education teams:


Conferences and professional development:

Training and courses:


News from the education teams

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Leadership & recruitment support

Leadership & recruitment support

We have expanded our traded offer. Schools can now access:

  • Headteacher performance management, coaching, mentoring and supervision
  • Headteacher recruitment support

These high‑quality services are locally delivered, aligned with Devon’s inclusion and learning priorities, and designed to support schools with real, current challenges. If you’re considering leadership or recruitment support, this update may be helpful.

👉 Find out more
Navigating PE, school sport and physical activity in a changing landscape

30 June 2026
Sandy Park, Exeter

Navigating PE, school sport and physical activity in a changing landscape

Join Active Devon, PE Scholar and local schools for a one‑day conference exploring the latest insights, case studies and practical ideas to help PE, school sport and physical activity thrive in today’s changing educational landscape.
Ideal for PE leads, teachers, senior leaders and anyone involved in PESSPA, this event will equip colleagues with the knowledge and strategies to ensure all pupils can thrive.

👉 Find out more and book your place now
Data Protection networking forum

Data Protection networking forum 

Join our upcoming Data Protection Networking Forum on 30 April, where this month’s topic is:

Handling of data protection complaints - conflict to resolution.

👉 Book your place now
Inclusion network meetings

Inclusion network meetings

Schools are invited to join the Inclusion network meetings, offering the opportunity to connect with colleagues and professionals from across Devon to discuss current Inclusion and SEND priorities. 

These supportive, locality‑based sessions provide updates on national and local developments, sharing of good practice, and collaborative problem‑solving around common challenges.

👉 Find out more and book here
NEW Devon attendance network (online)

18 May 2026
Microsoft Teams

NEW Devon attendance network (online)

Schools are invited to join the Devon attendance network – an online opportunity to connect with colleagues across the county, share experiences and keep up to date with current issues, approaches and developments around school attendance.
Ideal for attendance leads, senior leaders and anyone involved in supporting improved attendance in schools.

👉 Find out more and book your place
NEW Devon attendance conference

18 June 2026
Sandy Park, Exeter

NEW Devon attendance conference

Bringing professionals together to deepen understanding of attendance as a safeguarding, inclusion and wellbeing priority, and to strengthen collective approaches that help pupils feel safe, supported and able to attend school regularly. 

👉 Find out more and book your place
KS2 assessment updates – new online portal

KS2 assessment updates – new online portal

The Primary Assessment Gateway has been replaced by a new National Curriculum Assessments (NCA) Portal. Schools can now manage KS2 test administration in one place, including registering attendance, ordering modified large print papers, reporting maladministration, and submitting or tracking helpdesk queries. Local authorities will also complete monitoring, moderation, and standardisation activities within the portal.

Watch the new KS2 test administration video

Conferences

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Summer term 2026

Autumn term 2026

Find out more and book your place here

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Briefings and network meetings

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Attendance

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Data Protection

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Data Protection networking forum

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.

Data Protection networking forum (online)
30 April 2026

Handling of data protection complaints
- conflict to resolution

(Please note: 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

      Early Years and Childcare - including some fully funded training for Devon EYC providers (excl. Plymouth and Torbay)

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      Educational Psychology

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        These courses are fully funded for Devon schools and other schools with Devon children in care

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        English

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          • Assessment of writing - Make accurate, evidence-based assessments of writing across KS1 and KS2 where no national criteria or exemplification exists.

          • BookWrites and BookBuds - An innovative package of English teaching sequences for R-Y6, a secure but flexible framework of learning, within which teachers can develop their own expertise.

          • Re-think Reading! - A comprehensive resource to support the teaching of reading from Y1-Y6.

          📚 Books can be purchased to accompany the BookWrites and Re-think Reading! teaching sequences here 📚

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          Ethnically Diverse Education Achievement Service (EDEAS)

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          • EDEAS inset day training and key twilight sessions (fully funded for Devon maintained schools) and all delivered online - various dates, times and themes

            • Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Showman (GRTS) Awareness training

            • Supporting multilingual children in the Early Years

            • Classroom strategies for multilingual children

            • Equality, diversity and inclusion awareness

            • Improving support for multilingual children

            • Supporting multilingual children with writing

            • Closing the word gap

            • Understanding different cultures in our Devon schools

          • Proficiency assessments - multilingual children - a powerful tool for helping multilingual children in their educational journey

          • Translation service - translation of documents, EHCPs, key letters and consent forms. EDEAS provides a free bespoke quote for any document.

          Find out more about EDEAS training and book your whole-school place

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          Finance

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          • Bursar briefings (in person and online) - 20, 21, 22 Oct 2026
            Subscribing schools can bring a colleague for just £60

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          Governance

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          Governance consultancy subscriptions - everything you need to support governance, in one place

          Effective governance

          Effective clerking

          Key responsibilities

          Lunchtime bite-size sessions

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          Health and safety

          Devon Health and Safety Service training courses

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          Leadership & recruitment support

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            Music

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              Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision

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                Outdoor education and leadership courses

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                  Safeguarding

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                  School Library Service

                  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.

                  📚 Books can be purchased to accompany the BookWrites and Re-think Reading! teaching sequences here 📚

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                  SEND

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                  SEND - Sensory and/or physical needs

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                    Online learning from the sensory team:

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                    Sustainable schools and waste education

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                    The Department for Education's strategy ‘Sustainability and Climate Change: A Strategy for the Education and Children’s Services Systems’ stated that all schools should have:   

                    • A Sustainability Lead – a individual or team of people who will implement actions to improve the sustainability of the school
                    • A Climate Action Plan – outlining how the schools plan to work towards Net Zero

                    It’s not too late to get started on your Climate Action Plan; if you are still looking for help developing and implementing your plan, then visit Devon County Council’s Sustainable Schools webpages for links to a wide range of excellent free resources and opportunities.

                    Visit the Sustainable Schools website

                    The Zone Recycle Devon website provides a wealth of resources, from lesson plans and activities through to practical advice for managing waste better in schools.

                    Visit the Zone Recycle Devon website
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                    Sign up for a half-termly bulletin full of info and resources for teachers and schools in Devon around environmental issues, sustainability and outdoor learning. Keep up-to-date with the Sustainability Bulletin.

                    Take a look at past issues here: Sustainability Bulletin - Zone

                    Sign up to the sustainability bulletin here

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                    Virtual School

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