Welling School Cpd Policy

Welling

Welling School CPD POLICY 2009/10 This policy document outlines four key areas that are central to Welling School’s CPD offer: • • •

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Principles, Values and Entitlements Identifying CPD Needs CPD Provision Evaluating Impact and Disseminating Good Practice

Principles, Values and Entitlements

1. Welling School is a “dynamic and creative learning community” where all staff at every level of organisational structure are involved, with equity, in a continuous process of improvement and enrichment to “Learn, grow, lead and inspire”. The school is committed to fostering a positive climate for continuous learning. CPD is the means by which the school is able to motivate and develop its community. It does so at a variety of levels - individual, team, whole school, within the Kemnal Trust framework and through wider LA, local and national networks with an emphasis on fostering collaborative learning with every member of staff taking some responsibility for the learning of others. It conforms closely to the GTCE’s ‘Professional Learning Framework’. 2. The school believes in the DCSF philosophy that “effective teachers should take ownership and give a high priority to professional development”. It believes that a coherent and progressive opportunity to develop professionally and personally both improves standards and raises staff morale through personal and professional fulfilment and assists recruitment and retention, thus creating a sustainable workforce. The CPD will be co-ordinated by Nina Moore (Acting DHT CPD/QA) but who will be assisted by others in taking forward this policy as the following model highlights:

3. All those involved in the school community shall have an entitlement to equality of access to highquality induction and continuing support and development that empowers staff, improves practice and helps to raise standards. 4. The central features of the CPD policy comprises effective auditing and identification of need and aspiration, ensuring appropriate match of provision to learning needs of the individual; reliable and thorough evaluation of the impact of provision, effective dissemination of good and successful practice to ensure that such practice is embedded and reinforced. A database of staff CPD targets extracted from the PMR document each academic year will enable the CPD Coordinator to match provision to need. 5. The school will obtain appropriate quality standards in organisations that support effective CPD. This academic year, emphasis will be placed on securing ‘Investors in People’ Gold standard accreditation. 6. The school will use a range of types of provision and providers adopting “Best Value” principles in determining these. School CPD Policy 2009/10: NME ‘Learn, Grow, Lead, Inspire’

Welling

7. The school’s CPD provision will allow staff to develop skills and competencies progressively allowing them to develop, build on and reinforce skills and expertise identified within the PMR process, particularly across the key areas identified in the appropriate Standards Frameworks. 8. The school will support professional recognition including accreditation of the CPD undertaken through bespoke in-house certification that can be evidenced in an on-going portfolio.

Identifying CPD Needs 1. The school will have a named CPD Leader who shall be deemed to be fulfilling a leadership and management responsibility in relation to this post. Nina Moore (DHT CPD/QA) will receive training and support as appropriate in order to fulfil this role effectively and attend useful providers’ sessions. 2. The CPD Leader working closely with JTM (First Deputy) shall be responsible for identifying the school’s CPD needs and those of the school community. Such needs will be identified largely through existing mechanisms such as Performance Management, CPD interviews with Cathy Coughlan (Vice Principal of Kemnal Technology Trust), self-evaluation, national and local priorities, other internal and external monitoring and feedback evidence and through informal and formal discussions with individuals and teams. The outcomes of the needs analysis will be a CPD plan which forms part of the School Improvement Plan. 3. The CPD Leader will be responsible annually for discussing with the Head teacher and Governing Body the main CPD priorities and the likely budgetary implications of addressing these needs. 4. CPD issues will be addressed at Governing Body meetings and be included as part of the Head teacher’s report. The CPD Leader shall attend appropriate Governing Body meetings and, at least annually, present a report on the provision and impact of CPD. 5. Requests for accessing CPD should be addressed to the CPD Leader using the appropriate pro-forma that can be found on the CPD Professional Learning Community Blog ‘Welling Post-it’ (http://wellingpost-it.blogspot.com). The CPD Leader in consultation with line managers and Celia Clark (Cover Coordinator) will only sanction withdrawal from teaching and learning commitments if the training is relevant and meaningful; matched to individual needs identified through the PMR process; offers ‘Best Value’, will support raising standards and achievement, and does not place pressure on capacity. Staff will be encouraged to explore alternative means of accessing CPD through in-house ‘Learning Breakfasts’, AST support, cross-curricular collaboration and/or via the Trust in order to maximise the budget and offer ‘Best Value’. 6. The CPD Leader shall provide and update details of the range of opportunities available and be responsible for communicating relevant opportunities to appropriate staff. The information will be kept updated and made accessible and available to the school community via the school blog: http://wellingpost-it.blogspot.com 7. The CPD Leader shall be responsible for ensuring that appropriate opportunities are provided for the following groups of the school community:

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Newly Qualified Teachers (NQT’s), through liaison with Sue Harris (DHT); Annette Davies (NQT/ITT Coordinator) and AST’s who serve this group within the school community. Other staff new to the school or role Teachers with 5 years+ experience (including those beyond the threshold and those in the later stages of their career) Teachers specialising in teaching particular groups of pupils Advanced Skills Teachers, Fast Track and Lead Teachers Middle managers/Subject Leaders (Emergent Leaders) Senior Leaders in their early years More experienced senior managers SLT and ALT Governors Senior support staff including Bursars, Business Managers, ICT Systems Managers and Premises Managers Teaching assistants, learning mentors and Cover Supervisors

School CPD Policy 2009/10: NME ‘Learn, Grow, Lead, Inspire’

Welling

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Secretarial and administrative staff including librarians, catering staff Technicians including science, DT, Music, Media and ICT Parents and carers (PTA/Family Learning) Regular supply staff and those seeking to return to the profession Overseas Trained Teachers - OTT Beginning teachers – ITT and GTP

8. Nina Moore, Dawn Skinner (HR/CPD Support) and Nikki Whitelock (Support Staff CPD Leader) will be responsible for ensuring that providers are of sufficient quality. 9. The school will have systems and opportunities for teams, and the whole school to discuss and feedback to the CPD Leader details of priorities and methods including the use of the school training days. 10. CPD leader will QA all in-house training and ensure that staff complete an evaluation pro-forma for all external courses evidencing how skills, knowledge will be disseminated to colleagues. 11. CPD leader with support from Dawn Skinner and Nikki Whitelock will be responsible for ensuring the efficient organising of opportunities, e.g. booking, confirmation and for providing appropriate support such as organising relevant resources, setting up appropriate meetings and organising membership of, and subscriptions to, appropriate bodies such as subject associations and school improvement organisations.

CPD Provision 1. The opportunities available will fully reflect the Code of Practice produced by the DCSF in that they will only be offered if they: • • • • •

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meet identified individual, school or national development priorities be based on good practice - in development activity and in teaching and learning help raise standards of pupils’ achievements respect cultural diversity be provided by those with the necessary experience, expertise and skills be planned systematically and follow the agreed programme except when dealing with emerging issues be based, where appropriate, on relevant standards be based on current research and inspection evidence make effective use of resources, particularly ICT be 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

2. The school will support a wide portfolio of CPD approaches identified according to “Best Value” principles and which reflect the learning effectiveness of the participants. These include:

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in-school training using the expertise available within the school and collaborative activity (e.g. collaborative teaching, planning and assessment, work with a learning team, classroom observation, existing expertise, peer evaluation, collaborative enquiry and problem-solving, modelling, collaborative online discussions and sharing of best practice using the school CPD blog ‘Post-it’) coaching and mentoring and engaging in a learning conversation contributions to, and engagement with ‘Post-it’ the whole school ‘Professional Learning Community’ blog: http://wellingpost-it.blogspot.com job enrichment/enlargement (e.g. a higher level of responsibility, front line working in someone else’s job, job sharing, acting roles, job rotation, shadowing, leading meetings) producing documentation or resources such as curriculum development, teaching materials, assessment package, ICT or video programme accessing an external consultant/adviser or relevant expert such as an Advanced Skills Teacher or Lead Teacher master classes, model and demonstration lessons

School CPD Policy 2009/10: NME ‘Learn, Grow, Lead, Inspire’

Welling

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role play, simulations collecting and collating pupil feedback, data and outcomes attendance at a lecture, course or conference school visits across the trust and beyond to observe or participate in good and successful practice secondments, exchanges and placements (e.g. within a regional or national organisation, an exchange or placement with another teacher, school, higher education, industry, international exchange, involvement with Governing Body) postgraduate professional development and other qualifications from higher educational institutions and other forms of professional recognition and qualifications such as NVQs, Higher Level Teaching Assistants, NCSL programmes research opportunities distance learning (e.g. relevant resources such as educational journals and publications, training videos, reflection, simulations) practical experience (e.g. national test or exam marking experience, opportunities to present a paper, contribute to a training programme, co-ordinating or supporting a learning forum or network, involvement in local and national networks, involvement with a subject or specialist association) external partnerships (e.g. with a colleague, group, subject, phase, activity or schoolbased team meetings and activities such as joint planning, observation or standardisation, special project working group, involvement in a formal or informal partnership such as a Trust Network Learning Community) Voluntary ‘Learning Breakfast’ CPD training events offered four times each term and delivered by staff for staff across four key strands – Wellbeing, Teaching and Learning, Tutor time and Communication.

3. All staff are expected to engage with CPD and take ownership of their learning pathways and those of colleagues. Staff will therefore be urged to:

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Keeps a systematic record of CPD undertaken and delivered (in-house, LA and external) using the ‘Personal CPD Record’ leaflet supplied to staff. reflect on their development using appropriate mechanisms such as the DCSF ‘Teacher net’ Career Development Portfolio/ online teacher CV: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/professionaldevelopment/teachercv/ seek professional recognition, including accreditation for CPD undertaken both in-house and external. The CPD Leader will provide directly or organise guidance to staff on how such recognition can be achieved. Contribute to the whole school CPD professional learning community blog ‘Post-it’ : http://wellingpost-it.blogspot.com to support the school in realising its ambitions of being a dynamic collaborative professional learning community with all staff contributing to the learning of others in some capacity. Contribute to and participate in the voluntary programme ‘Learning Breakfasts’ (Four per Term focusing on key CPD strands of – Wellbeing, Teaching and Learning, Tutor time and Communication.

All staff will be required to: Construct a ‘community’ CPD target as part of the PMR process that requires staff to identify how they will support the learning and professional development of colleagues.

All Middle-Managers (HOD/HOF/HOY), ALT and SLT will be required to: Evidence CPD as an inherent feature of team meeting agendas in the schedule outlined in the Calendar of Events. This evidence will take the form of minutes from meetings that will be QA’d by the CPD coordinator.

Evaluating Impact and Disseminating Good Practice 1. Following professional or other development, the participant will complete an evaluation and discuss with the CPD Leader the opportunities to disseminate to other staff. Relevant feedback about the School CPD Policy 2009/10: NME ‘Learn, Grow, Lead, Inspire’

Welling

provision and the ideas should be provided for the CPD Leader within the written evaluation. Where it is agreed that there would be benefit in a wider circulation or follow up, the CPD Leader will be responsible for organising that, e.g. circulating relevant resources, a session at a staff or subject meeting, introducing a teaching or learning strategy, inclusion on the school website/blog. 2. The CPD Leader will be responsible for ensuring whether any follow up is needed to the provider, e.g. feedback, issues of access. 3. The CPD Leader shall be committed to ensuring that CPD systems and procedures conform to current research findings and DCSF Guidelines. 3. The CPD Leader will review annually whether any aspects of the CPD provision do not represent value for money and make appropriate recommendations to the Head teacher and Governing Body. 4. The CPD Leader shall be responsible for assessing the value for money aspect of CPD through seeking to monitor and evaluate impact. This will be undertaken at a variety of levels including:

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immediate/short term evaluation by participants longer term follow up for a sample of CPD undertaken usually at a period no less than 6 months following the provision informal discussion with colleagues about improved practice

6. Use will be made of appropriate DCSF and other documents to aid the impact but it will, in any case, comprise hard objective data as well as other beneficial effects such as • • • • • • • •

pupil and school attainment record keeping more effective and embedded teaching and learning such as creativity, autonomy, a greater variety of teaching and learning approaches a climate of supporting success and effort staff confidence, enrichment, motivation, self-esteem, preparedness to take risks, collaboration, reflectiveness pupil enthusiasm, engagement and commitment recruitment and retention career progression/promotable staff.

7. Annually the CPD Leader shall provide a report to the Governing Body on the benefits of the CPD undertaken and future needs. The CPD policy will be reviewed annually by the Governing Body. 25th September 2009

School CPD Policy 2009/10: NME ‘Learn, Grow, Lead, Inspire’