Ruth Swailes

Ruth has 30 years’ experience in primary education, over 20 of them in senior leadership roles including primary headship. Ruth has worked as a School Improvement Advisor, Early Years consultant and moderator in several Local Authorities; supporting leaders and teachers to improve outcomes for pupils. Passionate about Primary education, particularly Early Years, Ruth has taught from Nursery to Y6. In 2014 she left headship and trained as an Ofsted inspector, combining this role with a number of other roles in education. Ruth currently fulfils a range of different education improvement roles. She works part time as a School Improvement Advisor to several Local Authority schools. Ruth also works with a range of MATS, ,Academy and LA schools throughout the UK and beyond, providing training, school improvement advice, appraisal, coaching, mentoring and practical advice and support.

In addition to these roles Ruth is the lead developer of the Oxford International Early Years Curriculum with Oxford University Press. She is the winner of the Nursery World Trainer of the Year award 2021.Ruth is passionate about Education, particularly in the 0-7 phase and is a founding member of the “Firm Foundations” grass – roots Early Years, not for profit organisation which aims to bring high-quality, low cost training to practitioners.