School-based teacher professional development

This Unit defines CPD,the school-based CPD framework,CPD activities and tools.

What is it?

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development.
Put simply, CPD is an umbrella term that includes all of the activities that someone does to make them better at their job. It refers to “any professional development activities engaged in by teachers (and others in schools) which enhance their knowledge and skills and enable them to consider their attitudes and approaches to the education of children, with a view to improve the quality of the teaching and learning
processes”

The School-based CPD framework

This framework is intended to help and school leaders plan high quality CPD for the school workforce. Schools can personalise it to match the needs and opportunities presented in any individual school.

School-based CPD (SB-CPD) as opposed to its more expensive workshop- based alternative has the school as the focus location for most of the professional development programs.

This suggested SB-CPD framework is based on:-

1. Strong CPD Leadership

2. Training

3. Incentives and

4.  Feedback

SB-CPD leadership

There should be clear leadership to steer CPD at the school level. This can be an individual,usually called the CPD coordinator or a CPD committee lead by a member of senior management.

See Appendix for desirable skills of CPD leadership and duties.

This framework takes into account a progression in Teachers and Leadership Standards (such as the teacher scheme of service) that teachers/Leaders expected to develop through CPD activity

The should be 3 professional development  tracks,namely for :-

1. Teachers

2. School leaders

3. Support staff

There should be 3 types of training provided to the teachers a) Subject specific training for
their own professional development e.g once a year,

b) Quarterly teaching methods training and

c) Weekly 5-minute ‘speedy reviews’ where they are given specific pointers on
improvements in their teaching based on class observations.

The school leaders and support staff tracks can follow specific curriculum. See Appendix for an example.

see Appendix in Unit 6 for a sample comprehensive CPD framework.

CPD Standards

High quality CPD provision in schools will usually bear similar characteristics. The principles, or standards, below, describe something of that high standard, against which schools can assess their own practice.
Above all else, CPD must always be seen to be making a positive impact on the learning of all pupils.
1. Learning Communities 

The CPD arrangements help organize the adults who work in school into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school.
2. Leadership 

CPD is well managed and co-ordinated by highly skilled school leaders who guide continuous improvement in learning and teaching standards.
3. Resources 

CPD is well-resourced to support adult learning and  collaboration.
4. Data Driven 

The school’s planning for CPD uses pupil-level and aggregated data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress and help sustain continuous improvement.
5. Evaluation 

CPD planning draws upon multiple sources of information to guide improvement and
demonstrate its impact.
6. Research-based 

The approach to CPD prepares adults in school to apply research to decision making about teaching and learning.
7. Well designed 

CPD methods reflect learning strategies that are well suited to the intended goals.
8. Learning 

CPD is deeply rooted in a developing knowledge about human learning and change.
9. Collaboration 

CPD provides all adults in school with the knowledge and skills to collaborate.
Equity

 CPD prepares adults in school to understand and appreciate all pupils, create safe, orderly and supportive learning environments, and have high expectations of pupil achievement.
10. Quality Teaching 

CPD deepens adults’ content knowledge, provides them with research-based teaching strategies to assist pupils in meeting high standards, and prepares them to use various
types of classroom assessments appropriately.
11. Family Involvement 

CPD provides adults with knowledge and skills to involve families and other stakeholders appropriately.