Self-help CPD in Slough

Bernadette Thompson (pictured below) is the first permanent head in two years at Cippenham junior school in Slough. After hearing about the TLA at one of the GTC’s
national series of heads’ briefings, she’s keen to bring the scheme into her school.

'Cippenham needs a whole-school approach to CPD,' says Bernadette. 'Previously, there was a focus on science, mathematics and literacy, but teachers felt de-skilled in the creative subjects. Through the TLA we can offer self-help CPD. I’m confident it will work even at a time of great change for the school.

'CPD used to be about teachers being told what to do; it was target-driven. With the TLA, it’s about teachers becoming responsible for their own learning and personal
development, seeing how they can perfect their teaching in a particular area.'

Bernadette Thompson

Taking risks in Milton Keynes

Trying something new in the classroom was something that Mhairi Elliott felt apprehensive about, until she embarked on her TLA project.

'Coaching helped me to feel really supported,'says Mhairi, who is in her second year of teaching business studies and economics. “I wasn’t afraid to take risks and be creative in my own practice.'

At Mhairi’s school – Walton high in Milton Keynes – every teacher is actively encouraged to pursue their professional development through the GTC’s TLA. One of the first in the school to tackle her own project, Mhairi looked at the impact of podcasting on students’ engagement.

Year 11 business studies pupils were asked to take part in job recruitment from the perspective of both the applicant and the employer. This included creating their own CVs, devising a job description and short-listing the best candidates. Lessons culminated in mock job interviews, which were recorded for transmission on Walton high’s own internet-based radio station.

'As their interviews would be heard by other pupils, it meant that everyone took the exercise seriously,' says Mhairi. “Recording also meant that they could evaluate their own performances, helping them when they eventually apply for a job.'

Mhairi’s Stage One TLA submission has been so successful that now she plans to develop her work, taking it forward to Stage Two. In the meantime she continues to share the results with her colleagues, giving presentations both in and outside the school. “Interest is just spiralling,' she says.

After a successful three-year pilot scheme, plans are in progress for national expansion of the GTC’s Teacher Learning Academy (TLA). Here we find out what makes the TLA such a hit with teachers.

With 4,000 teachers in 100 local authorities working with the TLA so far, now the aim is to increase this significantly - to 10,000 teachers
every year.

Through the TLA, teachers have their own professional learning recognised at one of four stages, ranging from a halfterm classroom project to one that has potential national importance.

Already the GTC works with a wide range of national TLA partners and in the future these partners will become entry points to the scheme in their own right. Overall quality assurance will remain with the GTC, as teaching’s professional body.

“Most professional bodies offer some form of continuing professional development accreditation,' says GTC Chief Executive Keith Bartley. 'But often this is simply a requirement that a certain number of CPD hours must be worked.

'Where the TLA differs is that it starts from the contribution that an individual teacher’s own learning can make to the development of the profession. Built into the scheme is the need to share what you have learnt, even if only at department level. And it’s serving teachers who make sure all TLA projects are of the right quality.'

Who are our partners?

As well as most local authorities, major national partners involved in the TLA to date include:

• Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)
• Association of Teachers and Lecturers  (ATL)
• National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)
• National College for School Leadership (NCSL)
• National Science Learning Centre (NSciLC)
• National Union of Teachers (NUT)
• Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
• Specialist Schools and Academies Trust  (SSAT)
• Training and Development Agency (TDA)
• Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET)

A full list of national partners is available at:
www.gtce.org.uk/tla

Strong voices in Brent

Reception class teacher Beth Griffiths (pictured above), of Fryent primary school in Brent, had been leading Key Stage 1 singing assemblies in her school. As a nonspecialist, she was worried there was not enough continuity in the songs.

To tackle this, she found out about resources such as the Out of the ark CDs, and how to warm up singing voices. When a TLA speaker came to her school, she realised that she could show her professional learning by putting a Stage One submission forward.

'I wanted to show that what I’d been doing was worthwhile,' says Beth. 'Through the TLA, I could share what I had learnt with other teachers.

'I had more confidence to do this because I knew the TLA had validated me. As well as sharing my learning with the teachers that attended the singing
assemblies, I’ve shown Brent teachers how to warm up singing voices at a borough-wide Inset session.'

Crucially, Beth has evidence to show that singing at the school has improved, using ‘before and after’ questionnaires she prepared for both staff and pupils.

In her second year of teaching when she prepared her TLA submission, Beth is one of several Fryent teachers that have embraced the TLA to recognise their own professional learning. The school is so impressed that this year it will offer a day’s supply cover to teachers so they can write up their TLA submissions.

Photography by Johnnie Pakington