Jump-start in Medway

"Everyone has become more aware of the importance of supporting early career teachers, and this is exactly what we wanted to achieve," says Laura Cruttenden, a teacher at Ridge Meadow primary school in Medway, part of the All Together Better pilot.

After forming a steering group, a survey was conducted by and among early career teachers in the area to determine their professional development needs. The results were illuminating. "They had had few opportunities at all," says Laura. These findings were shared at a one-day conference that went on to chart the different career paths a teacher might choose and the steps they needed to get there.

Now Laura has now begun to mentor newly qualified teachers. "I had always wanted to do this, but my first four years of teaching have passed by really quickly and I'd just not found the time. Getting involved with the project has helped to jump-start me into doing it."

A pioneering project to boost opportunities for continuing professional development has won praise from all quarters. Barbara Oaff talks to those who took part to discover what they gained.

Not so long ago, the overwhelming majority of teachers in Greenwich knew little about continuing professional development (CPD). Indeed 95 per cent had never seen a policy relating to it. And Greenwich was not unique. But today it's a different story. As John Camp, deputy head teacher at Halstow primary school in Greenwich, explains: "Now we have a framework that has enabled teachers to have structured discussions about their needs. For the first time we have a basis for promoting a culture of learning."

This change could be said to demonstrate both the need for and the success of the 'All Together Better' project, which has involved the GTC working with the DfES and in partnership with 26 LEAs. Originally launched as a nine-LEA project three years ago, it sought to improve CPD in terms of both access and quality. So what has been achieved? What lessons can be learned? And what happens next?

Designed to investigate how coherent CPD opportunities could be created and provided for teachers at different stages of their careers, All Together Better has drawn upon the expertise of various agencies and individuals. These included GTC link advisors who met regularly with steering groups from LEAs, incorporating LEA advisors, teachers, teaching assistants and others. DfES regional advisors were also involved.

At the project's core was a simple rationale. Sarah Stephens, GTC Director of Policy, explains: "CPD enhances practice. It leaves teachers refreshed, motivated and informed. This is especially true if it has been designed not just for them, but by them as well. All Together Better is about identifying ways to bring that about."

The end results seem to have impressed everyone involved. As the project came to a close, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) carried out an independent assessment that praised the work. NFER's report highlighted several positive findings, including:

• Improved awareness of how to recognise training needs, in turn leading to more tailored and effective CPD provision
• Greater understanding of CPD
• Better access to CPD
• Increased knowledge and skills
• Stronger links with the LEA and the other schools involved that could lead to crossschool initiatives
• A sense of satisfaction and enjoyment from working collaboratively in a partnership.

In practice, approaches varied from school to school. For example, in Stoke-on-Trent participants looked at CPD in relation to implementing the Every Child Matters agenda. Carolyn Brown, who is a GTC advisor as well as a Warwickshire LEA school workforce advisor, says: "We wanted the profession to form a CPD framework that embraced and anticipated the way teachers' roles will change due to the children's agenda."

In Medway they considered CPD in relation to early career teachers. In Sunderland, the question was how to get the whole school involved in CPD. As for models, these too were diverse. So-called whole town learning went on in Darlington. The CPD co-ordinators of schools across the area gathered together to jointly explore how to improve the CPD offer and act as agents for change.

The 'critical friend' model was applied in Hull. Mary Ward is principal advisor for schools' achievement and standards, part of the Children and Young Peoples' Service at Hull City Council. She explains: "Our GTC advisor helped us to review our practices, developing them into a more coherent form. He provided a high level of professional expertise for us to call upon, which we found particularly helpful as we considered how we might measure the impact of CPD activities at both local authority and school level."

In Nottingham, the project group model was used. Lorna Beedham, CPD advisor for Nottingham City Council outlines how this worked in practice. "We wanted to create a strategy for whole school CPD. We had four groups, one each for heads, teachers, support workers and LEA providers. This was to ensure everyone affected was involved. We put the responses into a single document, which outlined key principals and needs. This was shared, with feedback incorporated into a final strategy."

What Next?

Now the plan is to disseminate the project's findings more widely. The GTC has brought many of the participants together with their MPs, so the politicians can hear what works, from the grass roots up. Meanwhile teachers and LEA's are expected to share their experiences with each other as a means of promoting best practice. In addition, the GTC will be liasing with the Training and Development Agency for schools, highlighting how All Together Better can carry forward its work and extend its reach. GTC project leader, Fiona Thomas, says: "We will be working with the TDA's advisors so that they can use the findings in their work with schools across the country. It's hoped that this will help further raise the quality and impact of CPD."