Secondary Journey to Outstanding

This event provides trust, school and middle leaders with the opportunity to gain insight into the successes of a school with excellent outcomes.

SWIFT are delighted to be working with James Lamb, Headteacher at The Castle School in Taunton to offer a series of study visits, working alongside the school leadership team to learn how the school achieve excellent outcomes for their pupils. The visits will empower leaders with innovative ideas and tangible first-hand experiences of the practices that have shaped the school in achieving an Outstanding grading in their recent Ofsted inspection at strategic and operational levels. Lesson visits and conversations with leaders, alongside reflection and action planning for your own school priorities, will enable you to get under the skin of the journey the school have taken in addressing the challenges facing schools in the Southwest. By participating in this CPD programme, you will develop your own leadership, increase your impact in your schools and build valuable networking links with peers.

Sessions are spread across a number of visits to focus on different aspects of school improvement, and to maximise successful implementation of next steps in schools, allowing attendees to implement action points and in their schools. There are opportunities for reflection and feedback on impact, challenges, and best practice in subsequent sessions.

Session 1 - Thursday 20 November 2025 09.00-12.30

Introduction to study visit series – Head of School and Deputy Head of School

· Overview of The Castle School – context, mission, ethos, values. Strategic planning. School improvement. Planning for an inspection

· Lesson visits with middle leaders

· Focused refection and planning for own school priorities

· Overview of key themes for follow up sessions/ Feedback

Session 2 - Thursday 11 December 2025 09.00 - 12.30

Quality of Education – Head of School and Deputy Head of School

· Key principles - TCS Pillars of Leadership

· Curriculum

· Literacy - Reading, whole school literacy strategies

· Lesson visits to observe

· Focused reflection and planning for next steps

Session 3 - Thursday 29 January 2025 09.00 -12.30

Personal Development and Behaviour and Attitudes – Head of School, Deputy Head of School and Assistant Head of School

· Key principles – School culture

· Support the child, sanction the behaviour approach

· Participation – Enrichment

· Lesson visits to observe

· Focused reflection and planning for next steps

Session 4 - Thursday 12 February 2025 09.00-12.30

Leadership and management – Head of School and Deputy Head of School

· Key principles

· Roles and responsibilities

· Training – importance of CPD

· Accountability – outcomes and assessment

· Meeting with leaders

· Focused reflection and planning for next steps

School Leaders, Trust Leaders and Middle Leaders of Secondary phase schools

Programme Aims:

· See and reflect upon excellent practice in an Outstanding Secondary setting in the Southwest

· Feel empowered through action points, innovative ideas and tangible solutions to overcome the most pressing challenges and elevate pupil outcomes

· Consider how your existing practice can develop in the light of this experience

Develop your own leadership as part of supportive group

James Lamb is Headteacher at The Castle School, Taunton and been working in education for over 20 years. James started his career at King Ethelbert School in Kent and then relocated to Somerset securing his first Head of PE role at Hans Price Academy (formerly Wyvern Community School) in 2005. He has worked as part of senior leadership teams since 2011 and secured his first Headship in 2018 at Chilton Trinity and then at The Castle School from January 2021.

James has experience of working with other organisations and is facilitator of the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) for Leading Schools Southwest (LSSW) as well as having experience of two years of working with the Somerset Schools Forum. He is also a Trustee for Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust (DMAT).

He is committed to ensuring there is equity within his schools so that the most disadvantaged and vulnerable students have the best possible life chances through a high-quality education. Children have one opportunity to a quality education, and this needs to be right first time. He is passionate about school leadership and strives to create environments where schools grow the leaders of tomorrow.

Schools and trusts are welcome to book more than one member of staff from each school onto the full programme.

Booking costs for all four sessions are below, offering excellent value for money. These include a reduced rate if a second member of staff from the school would like to attend in addition to the lead delegate.

Refreshments are included.

SWIFT Members: One delegate from school £195 - includes all four sessions

SWIFT Members: Two delegates from school £250 - includes all four sessions

Other colleagues: One delegate from school £245 - includes all four sessions

Other colleagues: One delegate from school £310 - includes all four sessions

NB Your school will need to have SWIFT membership for 2025/26 to qualify for the member price.

Please note: Payment is by INVOICE ONLY. Please select invoice as the payment method at check out.

SWIFT Partner providing course (including invoicing) is Blackdown Education Partnership.

You will receive a confirmation of booking from Eventbrite. All further correspondence will come from [email protected] or [email protected]; please ensure you check your junk mail box and approve the email to ensure you receive important event details.

If you are unable to attend on the day, or are sending someone else in your place, please let us know. Please be aware that failure to cancel your space can incur your school a cost.

• More than 21 days to date of event: Full refund available (minus £25 admin fee)
• Between 20-7 days to date of event: 50% refund available (minus £25 admin fee)

• 6 days or less to date of event: No refund available (plus £25 admin fee)

Should a training course recruit insufficient numbers to make it viable, we reserve the right to cancel the course, without penalty, giving minimum notice of 24 hours.

Full Terms and Conditions are available HERE.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher South West Institute for Teaching