CPD
Liz Francis
Our CPD leadership programme incorporates and
promotes many of the key features of the strategy, not
talks about the
least its three main priorities: embedding a learning
culture, increasing coherence and collaboration, and
improving quality and capacity.
key role of CPD
The strategy helps to embed a strong sense of
staff entitlement and ownership of CPD, and will
leaders and a
support schools in positioning CPD at the heart of their
improvement processes and planning.
new national programme,
In some cases, for example at Westminster Academy
in London, linking CPD to the school’s improvement
vision and tailoring it to the needs of individual
launched this month by the
teachers and support staff has helped to improve the
performance and behaviour of pupils.
Training and Development
The key to success is to build explicit links between
school improvement planning, CPD, performance
Agency for Schools, that
management and review, and national standards that
set out what is expected in a role.
aims to support CPD
Sharon Golze explains that CPD is embedded into
the ethos, aims and strategies of Don Valley School and
Performing Arts College in Doncaster. It is also built
leadership in schools
into its performance management reviews and standard
appraisal system, and its monitoring and evaluation is
fed back to staff so they can see its relevance.
O SUCCEED and continue to excel These sorts of dynamic links create a cycle of school
T
in the 21st century, schools need to improvement that underpins successful schools and
develop their internal capacity and successful staff. Getting this right and creating the right
capability. This must commence environment for these links to succeed, enables schools
with the development of a learning to develop a strategic approach to the planning and
culture. Effective CPD leaders and organisation of their CPD.
high quality CPD are key components Our aim is for individuals to take increasing
in creating and encouraging this culture. responsibility for their own professional development
High quality CPD drives up standards and and for schools to support this through developing a
achievement and underpins the development of cohesive learning culture and effective CPD leadership.
successful schools and successful staff. An underpinning principle of our work is that individual
Assistant headteacher, the Rev Lyndon Bannon, at and organisational development must go hand-in-hand.
Woodchurch High School in the Wirral, reports that In other words, individuals need to be empowered and
CPD underpins a culture of continual improvement in supported and schools need to provide the leadership,
the school that has resulted in A* to C grades improving systems and support to meet the collective professional
year-on-year. development needs of all their staff.
Staff satisfaction is also up, he says, and the school We are keen for all CPD leaders and headteachers
is in the top 20 per cent for pupil attainment, lessons are to register on our website and use our materials to
more interesting and better matched to pupil needs, and raise the quality of CPD in their schools still further.
pupil behaviour has improved, which has had a positive
effect on attendance.
How do schools get CPD right?
To be effective, professional development must include
Lead from
Everyone who signs up online will receive our monthly
newsletter tdaNews, with its dedicated section CPD
Matters giving news of latest developments, research
and opinions on CPD. You can also access our national
database of CPD at the same web address.
the whole workforce – school leaders, teachers and Also, look out for our regional conferences in
support staff. Strong leadership is vital, from CPD November – Professional Development and the 21st
leaders, headteachers and other senior staff, and schools
need to have a clear and shared vision of what effective
development looks like at the outset of their CPD.
In recent years, CPD leadership has become a more
skilled and specialised role. The CPD leader should
the front
Century School System – which aim to demonstrate the
importance of professional development in delivering
21st century schools and supporting effective CPD
across regions by sharing best practice. SecEd
be a member of the senior leadership team and take a • Liz Francis is director of workforce strategy at the
strategic view of the school’s development. Training and Development Agency for Schools.
And, as CPD itself becomes a strategic priority
linked to the overall outcomes of the school, the CPD • Online, on their own and free of charge as part We are also about to publish an updated
Further information
leadership role is becoming more pivotal, with strong of the National College leadership pathways professional development strategy, which has been For more information about the National Training and
links to the development of all staff and all aspects of programme. developed with and supported by the National Development Programme for CPD Leadership and other
school improvement. • Through attending courses organised by local Advisory Group for professional development – TDA CPD support (including the database, National
The role requires an understanding of how authorities and other providers that incorporate the which includes many of our key partners, such Standards for Teachers and National Occupational
professional development needs can be identified online programme. as the National College, Children’s Workforce Standards for Support Staff, case studies, resources and
through performance management and school • By studying higher education institution courses, Development Council, and the Workforce Agreement other practical guidance), visit the TDA CPD Zone at
improvement planning. CPD leadership requires an which incorporate the online programme and award Monitoring Group. www.tda.gov.uk/cpd
appreciation of the different forms CPD can take, and 30 Master’s level credits on successful completion.
how it can be organised and evaluated. Online study gives the greatest flexibility. Individuals
However, while the role may be increasingly can follow the programme from any location with
important and recognised as such in many schools, internet access, choose their priority study areas, and
recent research from the Training and Development work through them at their own pace and level.
A coaching culture
Agency for Schools (TDA) has shown that CPD Some local authorities have adapted the programme
leaders face a number of challenges in ensuring clear to create bespoke training for local CPD leaders, taking
and effective training and development in schools. into account their priorities and circumstances.
CPD planning and organisation has not always Barnsley, for example, has run a local training course
Dot Struthers
a high level of challenge, and even if it feels like
a massive investment in time, the payback is far
been strategically focused – the key links between for three years, comprising six days over a year. Each day
performance management, CPD and school covers a theme, such as understanding and evaluating
offers some
greater than any other management style.
A willingness to support is about:
improvement have not always been made – and CPD practice, coaching, and CPD for the wider workforce. • Being able to listen carefully to other’s opinions,
leaders sometimes feel there is a lack of support and High education courses are also based on the online
advice on how
ideas, information and concerns.
resources for the role. programme. They will be available in all regions of • Checking to test for understanding and clarity.
England from this month, either through distance-
The National Training and Development learning provision or direct attendance. Ensuring that
to embed a
• Offering guidance, help and reassurance as
necessary.
Programme for CPD Leadership
the learning of CPD leaders is accredited and can lead
to a Master’s qualification helps to raise their status and coaching culture
• Empowering others to act with back-up if
required.
Well informed and well equipped professional CPD performance in schools. • Considering other’s needs when offering support.
leaders are able to capitalise on the full potential of The online programme provides a broad range of AS A school leader, you have four main roles: to A willingness to challenge is about:
CPD and contribute even more significantly to school information and research and signposts our other CPD plan and make decisions, communicate to others, • Expressing your views as clearly and assertively
improvement. resources. Using examples, it guides participants through build relationships, and manage the performance of as possible.
This is why we have developed the National Training some of the central issues facing CPD leaders, including: your team/school – which in my opinion can be the • Setting high expectations.
and Development Programme for CPD Leadership, in • Legislation, national initiatives, key definitions and most challenging of them all. • Stating the actions or results you want.
partnership with the National College for Leadership of perspectives on strategic CPD leadership. The style of management you choose to use • Pointing out the positive or negative
Schools and Children’s Services (National College), to • Creating a learning culture which embraces all in any given situation is governed by two things: consequences of not meeting expectations.
support schools as they take a more strategic approach members of the school’s workforce. your willingness to support and your willingness to • Offering alternative views and ideas.
to the planning, organisation and delivery of their CPD. • Models of distributed leadership of CPD. challenge. The secret is in the balance and often as managers
The modular and practical programme provides a • What makes CPD effective, with a particular focus You may find yourself needing to offer a high we lean one way or the other and get it wrong by
countrywide perspective of the key skills, guidance and on collaborative approaches including coaching level of support and play the role of counsellor offering support when challenge is required or vice
resources that aspiring and existing CPD leaders need and personalised CPD. in a situation where it is not about a person’s versa.
in order to to fully succeed. • Connecting CPD, performance management and capability, but about their confidence. In this For those who hate conflict, they believe the
To ensure the programme provides what is needed, review, professional and occupational standards, instance, your job is to listen, encourage and softly, softly support approach is the right one, but
we have involved schools, CPD leaders, local authorities and school improvement. reassure. not always.
and higher education institutions in its development. • Techniques for evaluating the impact of CPD. And, when you get the feeling that people are And for those who like to take a harder line,
We have also drawn on national research into CPD • Mechanisms for sharing and embedding new wasting your time or deliberately trying to create sometimes challenging too much can act as a de-
provision carried out by the National Foundation for professional knowledge. a smokescreen or confusion, then a high level of motivator and have the opposite effect.
Educational Research and built on our existing range challenge is required. In this situation you become a
of CPD leadership resources. We will monitor and
Embedding the links
task-master, who is assertively laying down the rules • Dot Struthers runs workshops and coaching
evaluate its use to ensure it meets the need. In addition to our CPD leadership programme, we and boundaries. sessions on coaching for performance. Register at
Whatever the expertise and experience of an aspiring or are also rolling out support for “embedding the links” Coaching is the ideal style of management, www.merechats.co.uk to get free tools, resources and
existing CPD leader, they can access the new programme between CPD, performance management and school because it requires both a high level of support and a monthly CPD newsletter.
at an appropriate level, in one of three ways: improvement – a key aspect of CPD leadership.
SecEd • September 17 2009 13
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