CPD is often driven by headline pupil data. For example, school priorities might include ‘literacy’, or ‘underachieving boys’. Whilst this obviously relates to pupils, it doesn’t always translate to pupil focussed CPD. When engaging in CPD, staff should have target pupils in mind, with a view to planning to meet these pupils’ needs, and evaluating the impact on their progress.
- Encourage staff to begin any CPD with target pupils in mind.
- Ensure any observations are pupil focussed.
- Ensure that conversations around CPD and performance management include discussions around specific pupils.
- Refer to pupil data regularly.
- Discuss ‘what success would look like for pupils’. Often CPD focuses on teacher practice (e.g. how teachers give feedback) without exploring what impact is expected in terms of pupil outcomes.
Evaluation is not possible after a process if you haven’t identified the area of need and what success would look like before the process!
