Staff Learning

:Professional development
Home Up Budget Commentary Co-operative learning Staff Learning Leadership Learning School Wide learning School to School learning The implementation of the core programme will involve extensive professional development of all staff working within the schools, heads, teachers, CSA’s and other non-teaching staff. This professional development will include reference to current research and theory, collaborative approaches to initial training involving several schools, peer mentoring and observation and the use of trained facilitators to aid the development of teachers to examine their own practice and that of others. The programme will develop good practice through observing the work of teachers and children within their classrooms.

After the basic development of the programme and the initial training it is essential that all people involved have the mechanisms to access continued support and be able to give feedback so as to develop and share ideas.

Very early in the programme (Oct 10th) all head teachers will meet to discuss and understand the core purpose of the Networked Learning Community and their part in its development. All staff within the first pilot schools will also meet to discuss the purpose of the network and the part they can play in developing teaching and learning within the schools as well as the CPD of teachers within the NLC.

Heads and facilitators within the schools will meet at regular, prearranged times  for the specific purpose of sharing and learning from the developments within the schools. Heads will be able to focus on the issues relating to the management of change, implementation of new initiatives within schools and to develop the role of ‘lead learners’ in order to be effective role models to other learners within their organisations.

School facilitators will meet to disseminate the work within their own schools and to develop their own role as ‘lead learners’. These meetings will also fulfill the function of ‘pooling’ the experiences of teachers and children within the schools so that these can be developed into new strategies for the benefit of all learners involved. Opportunities will arise for the school facilitators to apply to take on the role of AST’s within their schools.

Data referring to pupil performance and attainment as well as qualitative observations will be analysed and shared within these groups in order to inform any future changes to current practice.

EAZ facilitators and the NLC co-leaders will be instrumental in facilitating the strategic direction of the initiatives and creating the climate in which innovation and enquiry is valued. The facilitators will be the main external drivers of the programmes and will help teachers to develop the skills and expertise needed to continue to develop and refine the pedagogy within their own classrooms and schools. Links with the University of Hull will allow for the development of a full evaluation of the work undertaken and the possibility of further research.

There is already a climate within the EAZ and the schools concerned with the NLC that recognises that change within the schools is essential if attainment is to improve. A willingness to look at current practice and performance and change it in the light of data and new ideas is already present and can be further developed using the mechanisms and enablers described above.

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