CPD for supply teachers

reference: none

published:  01 Oct 2009

The GTC was aware, from the findings of previous surveys of teachers, that there are concerns about continuing professional development (CPD) in relation to supply teachers.  Although surveys conducted by the GTC have shown an increase in teachers expressing satisfaction with their professional development over time, of all the groups of teachers who responded to the GTC Survey of Teachers of 2006 and 2007, supply teachers said that they were least satisfied with their CPD. The most recent survey of teachers, conducted in 2009, shows that professional development for supply teachers is a continuing issue.

Evidence points to the fundamental differences teachers make to pupil learning, and the GTC believes that improving opportunities for and access to CPD is vital to improving teaching and learning.  The GTC, therefore, commissioned a team from the Institute of Policy Studies in Education to conduct a small, qualitative research study, to begin to identify strategic and manageable approaches to support professional development for supply teachers.  

This paper disseminates the findings of this study - Scoping manageable and strategic approaches to CPD for supply teachers – and comments on some of the issues raised by and potential implications of this work, setting these alongside findings from the 2009 Survey of Teachers.