CPD: Is it making a difference in your school?

Since forming in 2012, the Teacher Development Trust has visited hundreds of schools around the country to review their CPD practices. One thing is for sure, we’ve seen first-hand how the most effective professional learning can drive school improvement by transforming teacher practice and in turn improving pupil outcomes. But we appreciate that it can also be a particularly challenging area in which to show measurable progression.

In an educational landscape where budgets are increasingly tightening, as a headteacher or school leader you will need to justify all areas of spending and know you’re getting bang for your buck. CPD is no exception to this. But what you might not have considered is that measuring impact is more than just a means of demonstrating value for money; it is also a powerful learning tool in itself. The more that all staff in your school are supported to formatively evaluate the effect of a change of practice in their classrooms, the more they will be active players in the process of meeting the CPD’s intended outcomes responsively according to all pupils’ needs.