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What are the drivers for CPD in school?

What influences the way CPD is planned?

This activity was used with CPD leaders to ascertain what is influencing their planning of professional learning in the school. However, it could be undertaken by any leader in a school/educational setting with their team as part of the school self evaluation process, or to assess the learning needs within the team.

Aim of the activity

To provide a structure to discuss learning needs within the team and how they view the influences impact on their development needs.

Intended audience

Leaders of any team in the school, primary or secondary, or other settings.

What you need

Individual copies of the diagram for each staff member; copies of the School Improvement Plan and Departmental Improvement Plan to hand.

Time needed

40 minutes.

Download the diagram (PDF, 27kb).

Suggested approach

Provide the context for the activity – it could be part of the regular departmental review which leads into the school self evaluation or it may be that you want to find out the thinking in the team before introducing a new initiative. Refer to the priorities as set by the SIP and DIP.
In pairs, ask the teachers to discuss the influences (drivers) they see as being of most significance on their development needs.
Ask them to record these in the outer circle of the diagram.
Ask them to discuss what is actually done in response to these and what they think should be done.
After discussion ask them to record their thoughts in the inner circle.
As a whole team then discuss the challenges of developing the skills knowledge and expertise of the team, and the opportunities to meet these challenges.
These should be recorded and used to help plan the departmental professional development, and feed into the school self review process.

Link to the CPD Curriculum

The notion of a CPD ‘map’ or ‘curriculum’ is proposed by the GTC as a way of making sense of the various drivers for change and ensuring that each one can be addressed in the wide CPD offer that is made.

The Gilbert Report

Some of the drivers currently identified as critical in the Gilbert Review report 1:

analysing and using data, with specific focus on assessment for learning
understanding how children learn and develop
working with other adults (including parents and other children’s services professionals)
engaging pupils as active participants in learning.

Others derive from changes in school curriculum content, processes and organisation planned for implementation by 2010. The rapidity with which new knowledge is created within subjects and specialisations, particularly in the area of information and communications technologies (ICT) is also a significant driver.


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