Culture

In the words of Peter Drucker, “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Without it, even the best CPD plans can fall flat.

Staff need to have a shared vision and sense of purpose to make professional development successful. Teachers are always pushed for time so it’s important that school leaders prioritise and communicate the value of CPD if it’s to have a long-term impact on students. Collaboration and constructive feedback are also essential.

An open-door culture where staff can observe and share feedback creates a climate of continuous learning. Colleagues need to feel supported to give input to the school’s CPD plan, with opportunities to build on and share areas of professional strength.

What does the research say?

Kraft & Papay (2012) identify that a positive school culture creates an environment where teachers can thrive, collaborate effectively, and focus on improving their practice. It is the presence of these cultural elements that determine effective student learning and can lead to greater teacher satisfaction and retention. Through survey data, they show how, over 10 years, teachers working in a supportive school improve almost 40% more than their peers in unsupportive environments.

This is supported by our own 2021 working paper into teacher working conditions. This emphasised that school culture has a significant impact on various educational outcomes, including student attainment, teacher development, and teacher retention (Weston, Hindley & Cunningham, 2021)

Learn how to Foster Trust for Professional Development

Our interactive e-learning module will support you to:

  • Understand the importance of fostering trust for professional development
  • Reflect on different models of trust and approaches to building trust within your setting
  • Identify actionable next steps for continuing your learning

Learn through videos and case studies from real school leaders, reflect on your practice, and read breakdowns of the research behind how different approaches work in different schools.