The council published its account of the summit on Friday 26 June 2026. The event itself was held on Tuesday 23 June at STEAM in Swindon, and was hosted by Swindon Borough Council for headteachers, academy trust representatives and senior school leaders from across the town.
What was discussed?
The stated aim was a shared ambition of "one system, one purpose", to raise aspirations for every child in Swindon. Sessions covered:
- School attendance
- Inclusion and the pressures on support for special educational needs and disabilities
- Examples of schools in Swindon already working in partnership
- Earlier intervention, and closer working between education, children's services and community partners
- Alternative provision within mainstream schools
Speakers included Kashif Nawaz, the council's director of education, Kirston Nelson, corporate director for prevention and communities, and Councillor Kate Tomlinson, cabinet member for children and education. The Department for Education spoke about national policy.
The Swindon Education Partnership
The council described the introduction of the proposed Swindon Education Partnership as a key milestone. School leaders discussed how it would work, including shared priorities and next steps.
Cllr Tomlinson called the summit "a good opportunity to draw a line in the sand".
The council said it would work with schools and partners to take the summit's priorities forward and develop the partnership.
Source: Swindon Borough Council.
More from Swindo: Schools in Swindon.