An archive of articles written by TDT for SecEd.
23 November 2016
The role of the team or department leader is changing dramatically. Teaching and learning are becoming the key focus as schools distribute the leadership of CPD.
Read this article by Bridget Clay on how to ensure middle leaders are well supported and able to support and develop their teams to transform staff and pupil outcomes.
Five principles to help you evaluate your CPD
27 April 2016
Thomas Guskey’s five levels for evaluating CPD provide a strong base to ensure your school’s CPD offer is effective. We look at how you might apply these principles in your school
Read further here.
18 November 2015
What does exceptional CPD look like and how can school leaders ensure they achieve this for their teachers? David Weston looks at the research and some examples of best practice.
With pressure on staff recruitment, retention, student outcomes and quality of teaching, there has never been a more important time for improving staff development.
Read further here.
15 October 2015
How can you ensure that your teachers’ professional development is being driven by your pupils’ learning needs? Bridget Clay advises
Recent research suggests that school leaders can design high-impact CPD that helps improve outcomes. However, the report, Developing Great Teaching, goes on to suggest that this needs staff buy-in and needs to focus explicitly on student learning.
Read further here.
16 September 2015
David Weston would love to be better at cooking – so how would one improve one’s skills in the kitchen? And what parallels can be drawn with teachers’ CPD?
There’s a whole industry that has built up around teaching which involves giving generic teaching advice and doing generic observations. In many cases the advice-giver or observer has very little knowledge of the specific subject or topic being taught by the teachers present, nor the best ways to teach it, but we assume that this doesn’t really matter. Read further here.
09 September 2015
A call for evidence has been launched by the Teachers’ Professional Development Expert Group, which is aiming to ensure that all teachers have access to “high-quality on-the-job support”.
The group, formed at the invitation of the Department for Education, but which operates independently, cites evidence showing that the expertise of individual teachers matters much more than the school that children attend when it comes to educational outcomes.
Read further here.
25 June 2015
Teaching is most fun when you are constantly developing and improving. Now that you are nearing the end of your NQT year you will be thinking about next steps. Here are six ideas to keep you developing effectively over the coming year.
Read further here.
11 June 2015
A review of international research into effective professional development has set out a number of common approaches to structure and content that make CPD successful. Sarah Coskeran explains further here.
05 June 2015
How can schools evaluate the impact of their CPD? Phil Bourne offers some insights and advice.With increasing pressure on schools to ensure that they get the best pupil outcomes, as well as value for money, challenging decisions are required in all areas of their work.
Evidence shows that powerful professional development helps children succeed and teachers thrive. To ensure that the “ingredients” for improvement exist, leaders need to be diligent in guaranteeing staff CPD that focuses on high-quality programmes with maximum impact, while also reinforcing an ethos of ongoing learning. Read further here.
21 May 2015
Low trust between teachers and school leaders can lead to toxic cultures in our schools. David Weston discusses possible solutions to this dangerous situation
Through our National Teacher Enquiry Network (NTEN), we conduct a detailed audit of schools’ professional development processes, gathering both senior leaders’ perceptions and plans and then contrasting these with the reality of an anonymous whole staff survey. This has helped us to identify actions that have built trust.
Read further here.
30 April 2015
How can schools support their staff to engage effectively with their CPD? Jessica Brosnan offers some advice.
The Teacher Development Trust (TDT) has audited the CPD plans, processes and culture in more than 50 schools that belong to our National Teacher Enquiry Network (NTEN). A common difficulty within and across schools is how to best support staff to engage in their own professional learning. Read further here.
26 March 2015
The Teacher Development Trust has audited the CPD plans, procedures and culture in more than 50 schools. David Weston explains the most common problems they found, and offers some solutions
There is a huge amount of conflicting advice about how to develop teachers. Many school leaders we work with are looking for a helping hand to help them clarify their direction of travel and quality-assure their work against leading international practice. Read further here.
05 February 2015
The recommendations of the government-commissioned review of initial teacher training could also apply to schools’ CPD strategies. Bridget Clay explains.The Carter Review of initial teacher training gives an overview of the state of the current options for initial teacher training (ITT), and includes 18 recommendations for both government and the profession.
It is striking how many of the given recommendations could be related to on-going teacher development, as well as ITT. Read further here.
15 January 2015
Access to career development opportunities is often a key priority for teaching staff. David Weston offers seven ways schools can meet this need.We are more motivated in work when we have professional autonomy and recognition.
At the Teacher Development Trust we audit schools in our National Teacher Enquiry Network for the quality of professional learning. Across our member schools, we often find that making career development opportunities available is in itself an area for development. Many staff feel that such opportunities are unevenly spread and they often feel stuck, not knowing where to go next. Read further here.
2014
27 November 2014
Mentoring, observation, INSET and external courses will form the backbone of your CPD during your NQT year. David Weston advises on how to make the most of these opportunities.
During your NQT year, your school will be offering various opportunities and structures of support. How can you make the most of these support structures to maximise your professional learning and development over the year ahead? Here, I describe the steps you can take to take control of your own CPD and make the most of three common forms of support offered to NQTs: observations, mentoring and CPD sessions. Read further here.
06 November 2014
Ensuring your CPD strategies are effective and make a difference is vital. Sarah Coskeran offers some practical advice for evaluating the impact of three common types of CPD.
Evaluating the impact of CPD activities not only allows you to gauge whether or not your professional learning is having a positive impact on student outcomes in your classroom – it can also help to identify the particular elements that can be sustained and shared across school to encourage widespread impact in the longer term. Read further here.
06 March 2014
11 September 2014
David Weston discusses 10 ways to take back control of your CPD this year.
Powerful professional development helps children succeed and teachers thrive, but not every teacher receives support that is best tailored to their needs. If you are feeling underdeveloped or want to build on the CPD you receive from your school, here are 10 ideas for taking back control over your own learning. Read further here.
28 August 2014
The Teacher Development Trust supports schools to develop effective professional development strategies. Sarah Coskeran discusses six areas crucial to powerful school-wide CPD.
As a new academic year kicks off and the new General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) Professional Standards come into full swing, it is the perfect time for school leaders across Scotland to reflect on how they will support and encourage powerful career-long professional learning (CLPL) for their staff over the year ahead. Read further here.
01 May 2014
How can you create an effective CPD strategy for your school? David Weston discusses three key problems and solutions. Research on school improvement has shown that powerful professional development can help students succeed and help teachers thrive. However, many schools don’t get it right and end up confusing and stressing teachers with a multitude of rules, tips and tricks with no measurable benefits for students.
How can school leaders come up with an effective CPD plan that will support teachers and ensure the best outcomes for pupils? Read further here.
01 May 2014
The Japanese Lesson Study approach to teacher enquiry is gaining popularity in the UK. The technique sees three teachers working collaboratively to tackle specific barriers to learning. David Weston explains.
Lesson Study is a process of teacher enquiry, originally from Japan, which is being used across England to improve teaching and learning. Read further here.
06 March 2014
When commissioning external trainers, consultants or CPD providers, what key principles should schools follow to ensure success? David Weston and Paul Crisp offer their advice.
The education system is awash with well-intentioned teachers, consultants, trainers and facilitators who claim to have the key to improving your school. Read further here.
06 March 2014
2013
28 November 2013
14 November 2013
Not every CPD resource or event will suit your teachers or your school. Sarah Coskeran explains the four key questions you must ask before committing to any CPD activity.Research shows that ensuring good professional development for all staff is one of the most effective ways to improve outcomes for all students.
Seemingly countless courses and resources are on offer to help teachers improve their practice, but you need to choose high-quality expertise and input in order to facilitate effective learning back in the classroom.. Read further here.
03 October 2013
Teacher mentoring can be a powerful tool for CPD and school improvement – if it is done properly. Sarah Coskeran offers guidance for schools. Effective mentoring has been found to have a range of benefits for teachers’ professional learning and can help teachers take control of their own professional development. Read further here.
05 September 2013
The new National Teacher Enquiry Network is aiming to help schools access, develop and share evidence-based best practice in CPD. David Weston explains. This summer, the Teacher Development Trust (TDT) launched its National Teacher Enquiry Network (NTEN) to help schools across the UK share and develop world-class practice in the CPD of teachers in order to bring about profound and lasting improvement to schools and learners. Read further here.
05 September 2013
David Weston discusses why NQTs should focus on their CPD during year 2 at the chalkface and looks at what your priorities might be.Congratulations, you have almost completed your NQT year and finished the induction process in becoming a teacher.
With the reduced teaching load that you have had during your initial training and NQT year, you will have had a chance to reflect on your practice and learn a huge number of techniques and teaching approaches. Read further here.
18 April 2013
Deciding how to focus your school’s CPD can be difficult. David Weston lists six key areas.
Now is the time when schools evaluate priorities for the next academic year. The quality of teaching and learning sits at the top of this agenda and so staff CPD is a priority. However, it’s not always easy to decide where to focus. Here is a snapshot of six areas in which schools in the TDT’s National Teacher Enquiry Network get appraised and supported. Read further here.
