Exeter Conference Launches Your Future Story

A major new initiative to address entrenched regional inequality in educational outcomes launched this week at the University of Exeter, as over 100 delegates gathered for the inaugural Your Future Story conference on Thursday 11 September.

​Led by the Colyton Foundation, Your Future Story is a ten-year programme designed to support 1,000 high-attaining pupils from under-resourced backgrounds across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset to remain on the pathway to high-tariff higher education.

Fewer young people from the South West progress to university than in any other English region - and the region has some of the poorest outcomes for pupils in receipt of free school meals.

The conference brought together representatives from over 30 secondary schools, the region’s major multi-academy trusts, and senior leaders from universities, local authorities, employers and national charities-united by a shared commitment to ensure that background is never a barrier to high attainment or opportunity.
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Opening the conference, representatives of this partnership reflected on the reasons they are supporting the programme:

A New Chapter for the South West

Your Future Story is supported by a powerful coalition of delivery partners, including the Universities of Cambridge, Bristol and Exeter, national social mobility charity The Sutton Trust, South West Institute for Teaching (SWIFT), Leading Schools South West, and multi-academy trusts across the region.

The programme is built on a long-term, cohort-based model that includes academic mentoring, supra-curricular enrichment, personal development, and regular visits to universities and regional employers.

At the centre of the approach is the Teacher Champion—a trained in-school mentor in every participating school, supporting pupils to sustain high attainment and ambition throughout their secondary education. Alongside them, Senior Leaders are supported through the Leading High Attainment strand of the programme to embed whole-school strategies and maintain a sustained focus on the needs of high-potential, under-resourced pupils.

Together, these roles are central to the programme’s ambition to deliver systemic change—not only improving outcomes for individual students, but also transforming the wider structures and expectations that currently limit opportunity across the region.

Insight to Action: National Voices Share Experience

A keynote panel discussion explored how lived experience, long-term partnerships and regional strategy can drive real progress for high-attaining disadvantaged pupils.

​“This programme offers something genuinely new,” said Tim Harris, Headteacher, Colyton Grammar School and Trustee, Colyton Foundation. “An approach tailored to the specific challenges of rural and coastal communities.”
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Tom Levinson, Head of Widening Participation, University of Cambridge, added: “This is a genuine collaboration between schools, trusts, charities, local authorities, universities and employers. This joined-up approach is rare—and extremely powerful.”

Lorraine Heath OBE, Chief Executive, Blackdown Education Partnership, reflected on the geographical inequalities faced by South West pupils: “It takes a village to raise a child—but not all villages are equal.” She praised the programme’s focus on trained mentors, drawing on her own experience to highlight the transformative impact these figures can have on young people.

Mohamed Abdallah, South West Regional Director at the Reach Foundation, opened the session by emphasising the importance of connection: “These children need to hear how significant they are- and how their contribution matters.” He described how mentoring rooted in listening and belief can be transformational.

Jon Datta, Head of University Access & Digital at The Sutton Trust, highlighted the strengths underserved young people bring: “These students have experiences that give them resilience, insight and voice. They need the chance to show it.”

Drawing on his own educational journey, Matt Cordwent, Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys and University of Exeter alumnus, emphasised the pivotal role of teachers: “So often it is a single teacher who opens a door. We need to empower more of those teachers to step forward.”

Alex Crossman, Executive Headteacher at the London Academy of Excellence Stratford, challenged the sector to move beyond narrow metrics: “We must avoid transactional narratives. Celebrate the joy and value of subject knowledge itself.”

Offering a system-wide perspective, Moira Marder, Chief Executive of the Ted Wragg Trust, warned against fragmentation: “We can’t continue working in silos. Collaboration across schools, colleges and local authorities is the only way to make a real difference.”

​​​Laying Foundations: Training for School Leaders and Mentors

In the afternoon, delegates took part in two professional learning streams designed to equip schools for long-term delivery:

Teacher Champions began induction training focused on building mentoring relationships, engaging families, and sustaining aspiration across key transition points.

Senior Leaders began the Leading High Attainment programme, which provides strategic tools and frameworks to drive change at school level.
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Both sessions were co-delivered by Colyton Foundation staff and programme partners and will continue throughout the year as part of a structured professional development offer.

Looking Ahead

The first cohort of 100 pupils will begin the programme this term. New cohorts will join annually until the programme reaches 1,000 pupils across the region.

“There was a wonderful energy in the room,” said Nick Wakeling, Director of the Colyton Foundation. “A shared sense of belief and commitment to ensuring that young people in the South West have equitable access to opportunity. That’s how lasting change happens. Now the real work begins.”