Championing CPD in our Primary Schools

Effective continuing professional development (CPD) is crucial for an educator. Both for personal growth and most importantly, to make sure children are given the best opportunities to learn and succeed.

However, according to the latest data analysis from SchoolDash, spend on professional development is stagnant. A recent report from The Department for Education also confirmed that workload pressures often impede CPD.

Christina Pumfrey explains how South West Essex Community Trust (SWECET) prioritises in-house CPD for its primary schools, recognising the time constraints faced by teachers. From weekly training sessions to peer-to-peer learning and resource sharing, SWECET provides tailored support by identifying each school’s unique needs and developing bespoke programmes that address both their challenges and opportunities.

Technology and collaboration

“Technology plays a huge role in encouraging collaboration and enhancing communication between teachers and staff across our primary schools.

The introduction of our shared hub has revolutionised how staff interact and share resources. It allows teachers to easily access and share plans, resources, and best practice, breaking down the silos that can sometimes exist between schools.

Staff connect with colleagues across SWECET through this platform and are able to share ideas and seek advice, regardless of their physical location. It’s particularly valuable for teachers in smaller schools where there may be only one teacher per year group or subject area. They may experience isolation and benefit from being connected with a wider network of colleagues.”

Bespoke programmes

“We take a blended approach that addresses both common needs and individual school priorities. For example, we recently recognised the growing importance of trauma-informed practice and sourced a national trainer who led all three of our primary schools through focused sessions. This initial training highlighted the need for further professional development across all our staff, leading us to invest in training programmes. Building on this success, we have empowered our headteachers to lead the next phase of trauma-informed practice training, exemplifying our commitment to ensuring all our schools support the well-being of our most vulnerable children.

Our schools are diverse, with varying sizes, student populations and individual needs. Recognising that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work, we focus on tailoring CPD to meet the needs of each school to ensure the best outcomes for every child.”

Nurturing future leaders

“We believe in nurturing internal talent and developing our own leaders. We’re proud that all our heads and deputies of school have progressed within the Trust.

We provide opportunities for staff to gain valuable experiences across different schools within the Trust, offer targeted leadership training, and encourage mentorship and shadowing. Aspiring leaders can learn from their experienced colleagues by shadowing them and gaining valuable on-the-job experience.

Our Trust Leadership Development programme offers two distinct pathways, one for emerging and existing leaders, and another for those aspiring to senior leadership roles. Both include face-to-face sessions with industry experts, individual mentoring and work-shadowing.”

You can read more about these pathways here.

Supporting staff wellbeing and work-life balance

“Collaborative work is central to our CPD approach, enhancing teacher well-being and empowering them to excel.

Our schools revisit their curriculum collectively on a regular basis. This approach reduces the burden on individual teachers, ensuring a joined-up approach that will benefit pupils.

Through a focus on effective, high-quality CPD, and driven by the hard work of our leaders and the dedication of our staff, our three primary schools are well-positioned to continue providing an excellent education for children.”