Staff Development

Principles, Values and Entitlements

1. Woodeaton Manor School believes that all staff should be involved in a continuing process of improvement.  The school is committed to fostering a positive ethos of continuous learning.  Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the means by which a school is able to motivate and develop its staff community.  This development takes place at a number of levels: individual, team, whole school and through wider networks. 
    
2. Woodeaton Manor School believes that a carefully planned programme of CPD improves standards, raises morale and assists with recruitment, retention and succession planning.

3. All those involved in the school community has an entitlement to equality of access to high-quality induction and continuing development.

4. The school has effective measures in place to audit the professional and personal needs of staff and link to the Appraisal system.

5. The focus of CPD is on improving standards and the quality of teaching and learning.  The school ensures that mechanisms are in place to disseminate good practice in CPD that supports and improves teaching and learning.

6. CPD planning is integrated with the Raising Achievement Plan and based on priorities identified through self-evaluation.

7. All forms of professional development are be based on the following principles:

• all staff are to be encouraged to develop their knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes to enhance their professional work;
• all staff  have regular opportunities to discuss  their development needs and professional aspirations;
• all staff have a responsibility to participate in school focused CPD and personal career development.

8. The school use a range of providers/types of provision and endeavour to source the provision of CPD according to the best value.  Quality Assurance mechanisms ensure that the school accesses provision of a consistently high standard.

9. The school supports professional recognition, including accreditation of the CPD undertaken.

Leadership and Management of CPD

1. The school has a named CPD leader, who will have responsibility for the leadership and management of CPD. 

2. The CPD leader has access to appropriate support and training in order to fulfil their role effectively.

3. The CPD leader is responsible for collating the CPD needs of the school and the staff.

4. The CPD leader’s main responsibilities will be to:

• Keep up to date with CPD developments locally and nationally;
• Promote CPD as a central element of Appraisal and school improvement;
• Provide details on the range of CPD opportunities and disseminate information to the appropriate staff.  Maintain and develop links with sources of CPD.  Ensure procedures for accessing information on CPD are available to all;
• Quality assure providers;
• Identify the school’s CPD needs through mechanisms such as: school self-evaluation, analysis of Appraisal targets, local/national priorities, internal/external monitoring, informal/formal discussions with individuals and teams;
• Discuss with the governing body the main CPD priorities and the budgetary implications;
• Report to the governing body on the provision and impact of CPD;
• Ensure whether any follow up is needed to the training, e.g. feedback to the provider and be responsible for any such actions;
• Provide guidance to colleagues on the most effective procedures for disseminating information following professional development training;
• Regularly and accurately update records of the training undertaken by colleagues, and advise the appropriate bodies where there are issues of equality of access and involvement.

Planning for CPD

The school arrangements for CPD need to balance the judicious use of resources with the range of aspirations and interests within staff. The following criteria is used to inform the decision making process to achieve such a balance. CPD opportunities will be rated more highly when they:

• meet identified individual, school or national development priorities;
• are based on good practice – in development activity and in teaching and learning;
• help raise standards of pupils’ achievements;
• respect cultural diversity;
• are provided by those with the necessary experience, expertise and skills;
• are planned systematically and follow the agreed programme except when dealing with emerging issues;
• are based, where appropriate, on relevant standards;
• are based on current research and inspection evidence;
• make effective use of resources;
• are provided in accommodation which is fit for purpose with appropriate equipment;
• provide value for money;
• have effective monitoring and evaluation systems, including seeking out and acting on user feedback to inform the quality of provision.

Supporting a range of CPD activities:

The school supports a wide portfolio of CPD approaches in an effort to match preferred learning styles of staff and to maximise the impact on teaching and learning within the school. These CPD approaches may include:

• attendance at a course or conference;
• in-school training using the expertise available within the school, e.g. team teaching, coaching/mentoring, skills in classroom observation, sharing existing expertise;
• school-based work through accessing an external consultant/adviser or relevant expert such as an advanced skills or lead teacher;
• school visit to observe or participate in good and successful practice, e.g. visit to a school or subject area with similar circumstances, a training school;
• secondments, e.g. with a regional or national organisation, an exchange or placement, e.g. with another teacher, school, higher education, industry, international exchange, involvement with governing body;
• shadowing opportunities to observe experienced colleagues in another setting;
• opportunities to participate in award bearing work from higher education or other providers such as the National College for the Leadership of Schools and Children’s Centre;
• research opportunities;
• distance learning, e.g. relevant resources, training videos, reflection, simulation;
• practical experience, e.g. national test or exam marking experience, opportunities to present a paper, contribute to a training programme, co-ordinate or support a learning forum or network, become involved in local and national networks;
• job enrichment/enlargement, e.g. a higher level of responsibility; front lining working in someone else’s job, job sharing, acting roles, job rotation, shadowing;
• producing documentation or resources such as a personal development plan, teaching materials, assessment package, ICT or video programme;
• coaching and mentoring – receiving or acting in these roles, acting as or receiving the support of a critical friend, team building activity;
• partnerships, e.g. with a colleague, group, subject, phase, activity or school-based; team meetings and activities such as joint planning, observation or standardisation, special project working group, involvement in School Improvement Partnership Network, Network Learning Community;
• creating an improved learning environment within the school.

Assessing the impact of CPD:

Annually the headteacher will conclude her report to the governing body with an assessment on the benefits of CPD undertaken (and planned), especially as it relates to:

• pupil and school attainment;
• improved teaching and learning;
• increased pupil understanding and enthusiasm;
• increased staff confidence;
• increased evidence of reflective practice;
• recruitment, retention and career progression/promotable staff.