I have spent the best part of 16 years navigating the intricacies of classroom dynamics, laying the groundwork for my journey into the realm of CPD leadership.
During this time I took on a variety of whole-school professional development roles which presented me with uncharted territories, challenges, and a steep learning curve around leadership and culture.
I now work as a curriculum designer at the Teacher Development Trust (TDT) and have recently been immersed in the development of our NPQ suite – recently judged outstanding by Ofsted.
This experience has led me to reflect on what could have magnified the impact of the CPD initiatives I designed when in school – had I known then what I know now!
The CPD landscape: Balancing priorities and perspectives
Leading whole-school professional development requires clear oversight, communication, and resilience. As a CPD lead, you serve as the conduit of knowledge between the senior leadership team and the staff body.
While the senior leadership team concentrates on the school improvement plan and staff members focus on individual learning needs, middle leaders find themselves trying to balance staff development requirements within their departments.
This can lead to conflicting CPD needs, and if this isn’t recognised and reflected in staff development plans, the impact of CPD across the school can be varied and less than optimal.
So, what went well for me when I was leading staff development in my school and what could have been avoided?
We fully embraced blended learning in CPD
What went well: We embraced blended learning during the Covid lockdowns, transitioning our INSET day to an online format. This involved a mix of live synchronous sessions and pre-recorded modules organised to suit different staff needs. Feedback showed that colleagues valued the flexibility of completing training from home, so we continued this blended approach once we returned.
The research base: Combining synchronous and asynchronous learning approaches offers various benefits. Synchronous learning fosters engagement and collaboration, while asynchronous learning accommodates individual needs and schedules. This blend maximises engagement, collaboration, and knowledge retention, ultimately enhancing learning outcomes for all learners (Means et al, 2013; Anderson et al, 2001).
We recognised the importance of a personalised approach
What went well: We understood the power of bespoke CPD planning and how it maximises the impact of professional development initiatives by addressing colleagues’ diverse needs and interests. Our personalised CPD planning ensured that colleagues received training aligned with their strengths, areas for growth, and professional goals, fostering increased engagement, motivation, and ownership of professional development practice.
The research base: Research by Professors Dylan Wiliam (2011), John Hattie (2009; 2012), and Carol Dweck (2006) underscores the importance of tailoring learning experiences to individual needs, fostering a growth mindset, and providing on-going support and feedback to educators. These practices ultimately lead to improved teaching practices and student outcomes. Schools prioritising personalised CPD demonstrate a commitment to their teachers' on-going growth and development, enhancing retention and recruitment efforts and creating a supportive and nurturing professional environment.
We harnessed the power of teacher collaboration
What went well: Recognising the need for a fresh approach to observations, I was fortunate to collaborate with another school CPD leader on piloting the “WalkThrus” (Sherrington & Caviglioli, 2020) method in our school. This collaborative partnership across schools provided invaluable support for me in my role. Also, the WalkThrus method is aligned with a peer-collaborative approach to instructional coaching, which we wanted to explore instead of the traditional observation methods.
The research base: Research by Coburn et al (2009) suggests that learning walk and WalkThru style practices work best when there is a “clear, coherent, well-articulated and shared vision” regarding the evidence collection. This innovative approach to lesson observation aligns with the shift towards more supportive instructional observation practices. It marks a significant departure from traditional, high-pressure observation models, emphasising its capacity to foster collaborative reflection and enhance professional growth among educators.
We intentionally shared and celebrated great practice
What went well: I founded and launched a teaching and learning magazine to foster a community of practice and encourage colleagues to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices. The magazine became a hub of collaboration and innovation, introducing cross-curricula practical ideas and solutions, updating staff on new classroom technology, and spotlighting colleagues’ lives beyond the classroom.
The research base: Educational researchers emphasise a magazine's role in CPD and community-building. It can offer insights into pedagogical strategies and technology, aligning with reflective practice theory (Schön, 1983) and bridging the gap between research and classroom application (Wenger, 1998). Showcasing teaching methods and personal successes inspires innovation and motivation among colleagues and a deeper engagement with professional development practices around the school.
We started with a deep understanding before planning for change
What went well: In my quest to enhance our school's learning environment, I led a CPD audit. This provided valuable insights into our colleagues’ unique learning needs. Conducting a CPD audit is essential for developing effective whole-school CPD, and we tailored future professional development sessions with colleagues’ needs and goals in mind.
The research base: Opfer and Pedder's (2011) research emphasises the importance of customising CPD to teachers' and students' diverse experiences, enhancing educational practices and outcomes. Similarly, Timperley et al (2007) advocate for CPD which is grounded in classroom realities and responsive to educators’ input, highlighting the vital role of a thorough needs audit in creating meaningful and lasting change.
Insight and patience: Three tips for transforming CPD
After a rewarding journey in teaching and leadership roles, I now find myself in a privileged position – stepping away from the classroom hustle, taking a breath, and diving into the complex world of NPQ research.
This reflective vantage point has offered me a unique lens to reassess and gather insights that could have significantly transformed the CPD landscape within my school. Here are three “lessons learned” for transforming CPD that I wish I’d been aware of back then:
1, Embrace human-centred leadership in your CPD design
Even better if: Reflecting on my leadership journey, I acknowledge my past tendency to rush through projects, unintentionally expecting others to keep up. This oversight ignored the important balance my colleagues needed between family responsibilities and work commitments.
The research base: Mary Myatt's work often emphasises the importance of considering the human aspect in education leadership. One quote, in particular, highlights the significance of considering colleagues’ personal experiences and circumstances when designing CPD initiatives: "Good leadership is about being human. It is about considering the impact on others, thinking about the human dynamics of the system, and being acutely aware of the relational aspects of working life" (Myatt, 2018, p71).
This beautifully highlights the essence of leadership, which is woven with empathy and sensitivity. It reminds us that true leadership transcends the boundaries of ambitious agendas, inviting a deeper understanding and trying to accommodate the unique journeys and circumstances of those we lead.
2, Prioritise data-driven decision-making
Even better if: When I led CPD in my school around literacy, I initially believed that addressing every aspect of the school literacy plan was crucial. However, guided by the advice, I learned the importance of robust data analysis in identifying meaningful strategic changes before implementation even begins.
The research base: At TDT, the NPQ courses encourage a focused approach to implementation, gleaned from the Education Endowment Foundation’s guide to implementation (EEF, 2024). By meticulously collecting accurate and robust data, leaders can confidently identify and prioritise areas for attention.
3, Embrace flexibility in CPD design: Lessons from Cheltenham Bournside
Even better if: Recently, I had the uplifting experience of listening to Lucy Hemsley, the assistant headteacher at Cheltenham Bournside School. Renowned for its innovative CPD, the school champions teacher autonomy in professional development practices, weaving a flexible approach into its academic year. A one-size-fits-all approach to CPD is outdated. In my role, we were starting to make a shift to more flexible CPD approaches, but we still had a long way to go. Trusting teacher autonomy and being open to more flexible CPD suggestions could have had a positive impact on teacher motivation in our context.
The research base: Research supports the effectiveness of flexible approaches to CPD in improving teacher motivation and retention. Darling-Hammond et al (2009) found that personalised professional development significantly increases teacher retention rates and job satisfaction. Moreover, Yoon et al (2007) demonstrate that sustained, on-going professional development tailored to individual needs and preferences can positively influence teacher motivation and instructional practices.
Final thoughts
Creating an atmosphere and culture conducive to effective implementation is a gradual process that requires careful attention, leadership, and effort. It begins with laying a solid foundation, which entails establishing a clear vision and benchmarks tailored to your specific context.
Central to this is cultivating an environment where teachers feel empowered to explore and learn from their mistakes, confident they have support from school leaders.
An excellent illustration of this approach was the transition from high-pressure, graded lesson observations to the peer coaching model of the “WalkThrus”. The feedback from this new observation method was overwhelmingly positive, with staff demonstrating remarkable self-reflection in their practice and exceptional levels of collaboration throughout the process.
The journey from the classroom to CPD leadership has been a profound evolution, marked by invaluable lessons, transformative insights, and a steadfast commitment to continuous improvement.
Reflecting on the challenges and triumphs encountered along the way, it becomes evident that the key to effective CPD lies in embracing human-centric leadership, prioritising data-driven decision-making, embracing flexibility in CPD design, and cultivating a supportive implementation culture.
These pillars form the foundation upon which impactful CPD initiatives can thrive, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and lifelong learning among educators.
By harnessing the collective wisdom of our experiences and embracing innovative approaches to CPD, we can create learning environments that empower educators, inspire excellence, and, ultimately, transform the lives of our students.
- Ariana Wells has more than 16 years of experience in education and is now partnerships and communications manager at the Teacher Development Trust. She began her career as a secondary English teacher before taking on leadership positions, including head of English and lead practitioner of teaching and learning. The TDT is a national charity for schools and colleges focused on creating workplaces where teachers thrive and become experts so that students succeed. Find out more at https://tdtrust.org/. Find previous TDT articles for Headteacher Update via www.headteacher-update.com/authors/teacher-development-trust
Further information & resources
- Anderson et al: Assessing teaching presence in a computer conferencing context, Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, (5,2), 2001.
- Coburn, Honig & Stein: What's the evidence on districts' use of evidence? The Role of Research in Educational Improvement, 2009.
- Darling-Hammond et al: Professional learning in the learning profession, Stanford University, Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education, 2009: https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/professional-learning-learning-profession-status-report-teacher-development-us-and-abroad_0.pdf
- Dweck: Mindset: The new psychology of success, Random House,
- EEF: Putting evidence to work: A school’s guide to implementation, 2024: https://eef.li/implementation
- Hattie: Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement, Routledge, 2009.
- Hattie: Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing impact on learning, Routledge, 2012.
- Means et al: Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies, US Department of Education, 2013.
- Myatt: The Curriculum: Gallimaufry to coherence, John Catt Educational, 2018.
- Opfer & Pedder: Conceptualising teacher professional learning, Review of Educational Research (81,3), 2011.
- Schön: The Reflective Practitioner: How professionals think in action, Basic Books, 1983
- Sherrington & Caviglioli: Teaching Walkthrus: Five step guides to instructional coaching, John Catt Educational, 2020.
- Timperley et al: Teacher professional learning and development: Best evidence synthesis iteration, Ministry of Education, 2007.
- Wenger: Communities of Practice: Learning, meaning, and identity, Cambridge University Press, 1998.
- Wiliam: Embedded Formative Assessment, Solution Tree Press, 2011.
- Yoon et al: Reviewing the evidence on how teacher professional development affects student achievement (Issues & Answers Report, No 033), US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest, 2007: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/southwest/pdf/rel_2007033.pdf