Continuing Professional Learning & Development
We believe that high quality teaching is pivotal in improving outcomes for students. The Sutton Trust report - ‘What Makes Teaching Great’ (2014) – states that teacher subject knowledge and quality of instruction have the strongest evidence of impact on student progress. The Education Endowment Fund’s summary of recommendations (2021) names professional development as ‘a crucial tool to develop teaching quality and enhance children’s outcomes in the classroom’.
Following the recommendations of the EEF, we have designed a CPLD programme which responds to the needs of all teaching colleagues, regardless of career stage, and which supports and motivates their ongoing development as classroom practitioners. The core of this programme is our schedule of Developmental Drop-Ins (DDIs) and incremental coaching conversations. A DDI is a 10-15 minute observation of a lesson, focusing on one of our JOG Essentials of Teaching and Learning. These happen twice each half term, with a follow-up coaching conversation scheduled after each one. The coaching conversations work towards identifying an aspect of the teacher’s practice, in relation to the JOG Essential, which can be developed and improved. This will be a specific, manageable and actionable next step which the teacher will put into practice by the second DDI, later that term. Twilight sessions happen once per term, and are calendared to fall between the two DDIs, to allow for sharing of best practice and additional input from the research, on the term’s JOG Essential.
In addition to our core programme of CPLD, we offer a menu of further developmental opportunities for both teaching and non-teaching staff. The school holds a subscription to the National College of Teaching which provides online webinars and training programmes. Teachers are also invited to attend CPD events and programmes through Collaborative Schools and the West Wilts Alliance. Leaders and aspiring school leaders are also encouraged to complete one of the suite of specialist NPQs offered by the DfE.
Early Career Teachers (ECTs)
We offer extensive support and training for Early Career Teachers (ECTs) through a combination of face-to-face conferences, networking opportunities with other schools and coaching with a dedicated mentor. ECTs all have protected time on their timetables to work through their programme of training, using clearly chunked resources via an online learning platform to guide them through the requirements of the Early Career Framework. In addition to this programme, ECTs have access to a range of subject enhancement courses as well as the CPLD provided at Twilights, INSET days and through our collaboration with other schools.
New Staff
Colleagues who join us are all invited to a new staff induction day, to build familiarity with the school and its procedures. Initial training in our teaching and learning protocols and IT systems, well as safeguarding and health and safety training are provided. We also offer a suite of drop-in sessions throughout the course of the year, open to all staff who would like further training or assistance with school systems and processes.
