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Meeting the DfE standards for effective CPD

Standard for teachers’ professional development

In July 2016 the Department for Education (DfE) published the “Standard for teachers’ professional development”. The expert group noted that, “Effective professional development for teachers is a core part of securing effective teaching. It cannot exist in isolation, rather it requires a pervasive culture of scholarship with a shared commitment for teachers to support one another to develop so that pupils benefit from the highest quality teaching.”

At the Thames Valley Science Network we understand the importance of professional development and how it must ultimately make a difference to the young people we educate. As such we have developed a range of programmes that focus on supporting and developing teachers through a model of face-to-face meetings, mentoring and coaching to have impact both in their own practice but across their school.

All our programmes are three-four months in duration and consist of ½ day face-to-face meetings that provide the support and guidance required to develop participants, intercessional tasks to ensure application of skills and opportunities to reflect and develop. Ultimately each programme will help participants to develop and implement a whole school improvement strategy.

Participants will be supported and guided by a very experienced mentor/coach who is a Specialist Leader in Education for science.

Department of Education Standard for teachers’ professional development

 

How our programmes meet the DfE Standard for effective CPD

The Standards for Effective CPD How our programmes meet the DfE standard for effective CPD (DfE 2016)
Focus on improving and evaluating pupil outcomes The programme equips the participant in improvement approaches and evaluative techniques to support pupil progression in science over time

Action planning and intercessional tasks focuses on outcomes to explicitly improve T&L/AfL approaches in science across your school
Underpinned by robust evidence and expertise CPD programme informed by effective CPD research

Activities drawn from highly reputable and credible science education community Programme is led by an experienced Specialist Leader in Education
Collaboration and expert challenge School collaboration through intercessional tasks ensures effective application of knowledge and skills

Ongoing online, phone and mentoring support throughout the programme
Sustained over time The programme develops the participant and equips them with tools and approaches to sustainably develop and lead science in their school
Prioritised by school leadership Participants are encouraged to work with the school leadership in developing their own leadership practice to ensure value for money and lasting impact

 

OfSTED clarification – marking and feedback!

Ofsted Framework – clarification, what they don’t want … …
Ofsted inspections clarification for schools 

Details to confirm the requirements of Ofsted and to dispel myths that can result in unnecessary workloads in schools.

Pupils’ work

  • Ofsted does not expect to see a particular frequency or quantity of work in pupils’ books or folders. Ofsted recognises that the amount of work in books and folders will depend on the subject being studied and the age and ability of the pupils.
  • Ofsted recognises that marking and feedback to pupils, both written and oral, are important aspects of assessment. However, Ofsted does not expect to see any specific frequency, type or volume of marking and feedback; these are for the school to decide through its assessment policy. Marking and feedback should be consistent with that policy, which may cater for different subjects and different age groups of pupils in different ways, in order to be effective and efficient in promoting learning.
  • While inspectors will consider how written and oral feedback is used to promote learning, Ofsted does not expect to see any written record of oral feedback provided to pupils by teachers.

Evidence requirement

  • Ofsted will take a range of evidence into account when making judgements, including published performance data, the school’s in-year performance information and work in pupils’ books and folders, including that held in electronic form. However, unnecessary or extensive collections of marked pupils’ work are not required for inspection.
  • Ofsted does not expect performance and pupil-tracking information to be presented in a particular format. Such information should be provided to inspectors in the format that the school would ordinarily use to monitor the progress of pupils in that school.
  • Ofsted does not require teachers to undertake additional work or to ask pupils to undertake work specifically for the inspection.
  • Ofsted will usually expect to see evidence of the monitoring of teaching and learning and its link to teachers’ performance management and the teachers’ standards, but this should be the information that the school uses routinely and not additional evidence generated for inspection.

Intended to highlight specific practices that are not required by Ofsted. It is up to schools themselves to determine their practices and for leadership teams to justify these on their own merits rather than by reference to the inspection handbook.