Teachers' CPD

Evaluation of professional development programme for early career teachers (ECTs) who are teaching key stage 1 (KS1) pupils in schools in disadvantaged areas cvonducted for the Education endowment Foundation (EEF), which aimed to enhance ECTs' knowledge and use of evidence-informed practices and to retain ECTs in the profession. The mixed methods theory-based evaluation gathered data from interviews, focus groups and surveys of participants and stakeholders to examine evidence of promise and the plausibility of the theory of change. ECTs' knowledge and understanding of approaches to teaching disadvantaged students, self-efficacy, confidence and research-use increased and they made changes in their classroom practice. The absence of a comparison group means that it is not possible to estimate the level of improvement that may have occurred without the programme. Most ECTs perceived that RETAIN was beneficial to their professional and career development and none left the profe...

The authors compare an Indian and a 'western' perspective on such organisational and management issues as marketing, membership, communication, fund-raising, leadership succession, etc. routinely faced by teacher associations. Comparing the inputs and training by the UK trainer and the BC participants with the responses, comments and observations of the Indian participants in some leadership development workshops for an Indian TA, they identify two culturally different undercurrents, pointing at the different ways the 'two sides' looked at TAs and various aspects of managing TAs.

Teachers in modern education face significant work challenges and must commit to continuous learning. Disruptive technological advancements require teachers to be digitally nimble and adaptive to constant changes. Educational institutions and schools must provide teachers with relevant resources for continuing professional development (CPD). Numerous past studies have shown that CPD is related to improved teaching practices and student learning outcomes. However, the success of CPD programs lies in teachers' engagement in the process. This case study explores the types of CPD activities available and investigates the factors influencing a Malaysian teacher's engagement in CPD. Malaysian teachers can access various CPD activities, including workshops, seminars, reading, and informal conversations with colleagues. The study also found that contextual and personal factors contribute to teachers' decision to participate in CPD activities. Contextual factors include available CPD opportunities, administrative and collegial support, and barriers to participation. Personal factors include teachers' preferences in learning approaches and their interest in particular topics. The features of CPD activities will affect teachers' perceptions of CPD and influence their engagement levels. These findings suggest redesigning CPD activities that promote a favourable perception of CPD and encourage engagement.

Clusters are required to include at least one 'more successful' local school, such as a Beacon or Specialist school. In order to preserve anonymity, given the small number of schools involved, we refer to all such schools as 'more successful' rather than by specific type. The term is used as a generic description rather than a value judgement.

Objectives Investment in the development of the pharmacy workforce has been recognized as crucial for achieving universal health coverage. The 21 International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Development Goals (DGs) have been used when conducting national needs assessments in several countries to provide evidence-based policy on workforce development. This study aimed to explore factors contributing to education and training in a FIP sample of mainly low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), and current national policy initiatives and priorities, mapped against the FIP DGs. Methods The study employed a mixed-methods approach, including an online survey questionnaire and interviews with representatives from 26 national professional organizations from 21 countries. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), descriptive analysis, and thematic analysis were carried out to analyse the data. Key findings A total of 26 national professional organizations from 21 countries participated in thi...

Moving on: Organisational Support and Change Most ticks in the "Emerging" category: ! Consider instituting some form of peer observation of teaching, such as that recommended by the GTC. ! Consider mapping teacher attendance across the year, across different teams, and in relation to incidence of CPD. Are there any obvious trends? ! Consider how the staff room either does or does not foster informal professional discussion. Are there any stimulants to discussion in the staff room? (New teaching materials, etc.). Is the staff room reserved for discussion or is it also a working room? Would it be useful to reassess its use, to foster professional discussion? Most ticks in the Establishing category: ! Any of the suggestions above which would benefit your school ! Consider how peer observation might feed into other processes; ensure that in so doing so, peer observation remains a supportive, rather than judgemental process ! Consider how peer observation of teaching can inform evaluation of impact of CPD-make this the focus of peer observations for the year? ! Consider extending SMT observation to all teaching staff (so that it includes TAs, LSAs, etc., not just teachers). ! Consider creating a map or spread sheet which will show relationships between CPD uptake and retention within the profession ! Consider how the school might make use of informal professional discussion. Are teaching staff encouraged to record the results of professional discussion anywhere? Is this easy for them to do? 190 Most ticks in the "Enhancing" category: ! Any of the suggestions above which would benefit your school ! Consider how peer observation of teaching might be extended to your cluster or network of schools ! Consider how observation, both peer and SMT, might be of benefit to supply teachers-again, working with a network or cluster might be useful here. ! Discuss retention of teaching staff within the profession in your cluster or network. Does anyone track where staff go, for a period after leaving a particular school? Is there much interchange of staff within the network? ! Consider how cluster or network CPD might be useful in terms of retention of teaching staff within the profession.

This article considers the experiences and perceptions of practising English headteachers and the tensions that they face when juggling government prescription and government initiatives, which may be antagonistic to their educational values and beliefs. Managerial control over teachers work has been particularly acute and destructive to 'human flourishing'. Headteachers have a moral and ethical responsibility for the welfare and education of pupils. Such professional ethics oblige the professional to seek the good of the pupil and therefore good is viewed as intrinsic to the work of an educator. Thus headteachers are directly involved in negotiating between sometimes contradictory imperatives and drivers. How then does the headteacher cope with what Colley refers to as 'situated ethics work'? This article presents data derived from written responses from 10 headteachers that begin to open up this question. I argue that it is not uncommon for people to weaken in their values-driven stance when under great pressure. It is however important to recognize the extent to which educational values are constrained by neo-liberal value-based market agendas in order to continually question and re-evaluate what is happening within education rearticulating this for the benefit of pupils.

This article outlines the findings from a recent research study that explored the ways in which continuing professional development is being evaluated in schools. It focuses upon the extent to which schools are gauging the impact of continuing professional development (CPD) particularly at the classroom level. The article provides a contemporary overview of evaluative practice of CPD and concludes that the impact of CPD on student learning remains significantly under-evaluated. The article suggests that schools require more support and training in order to evaluate the impact of CPD more effectively.

Theoretical and political perspectives on the nature of professionalism in teaching are abundant, but little is known about the views of teachers themselves. We asked primary and secondary school teachers in England what teacher professionalism means to them. We explored what teachers think about professionalism, on what dimensions their thinking varies, and how much it varies. We researched how successful the government had already been, and how successful it would be in the future, in changing teachers' conceptions of professionalism. Two large-scale national surveys were conducted, with a longitudinal element. We found that teachers' thinking about their professionalism may be construed as consisting of an inner core of strong, shared beliefs and commitments; an intermediate set of coherent but contested components of professionalism; and an outer layer of disparate elements which are generally highly disputed and which remain unintegrated into broader ways of thinking.

Controlling the unprecedented novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is nowadays the priority of every nation, including Ethiopia. The objective of this survey was to evaluate the readiness of community drug retail outlets amid COVID-19 emergency response efforts in Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in April 2020 at community drug retail outlets in Jimma town, Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia. An observational checklist, containing 13-items with yes/no options, adapted from International Pharmaceutics Federation was used for facility preparedness, while self-administered structured questionnaire adapted from international guidelines on COVID-19 prevention deployed to collect baseline knowledge (12-items), practice (six-items) and attitude (five-items) of individual pharmacy staff at the surveyed facilities. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS. Results: Forty-six community drug retail outlets and their pharmacy workforce participated in the survey. The respondents prevailed good awareness with regard to means of transmission (90%) and incubation period (76%) and how to proceed with suspected cases (80%). In this intent, most of them reported disinfect their hands regularly and cover their nose and mouth when they sneeze or cough (96%), keep a distance of 1 to 2 meters between them and clients (98%) and avoided hand shaking (80%). Nevertheless, only just over half of the practitioners (56%) correctly mentioned the cardinal symptoms of the disease adequately and only about 21% wear personal protective equipments. Conclusion: Overall knowledge on COVID-19 and personal practice of control measures by community pharmacists was unsatisfactory. Collectively, facility preparedness of the drug outlets was good but with a number of specifics areas that require improvements.

Treating teachers appropriately is considered extremely important for promoting a healthy and effective school environment. The present research predominantly focused on headteachers professional behaviour towards teachers in an attempt to explore teachers unheard voices. A phenomenological approach was employed to uncover teachers experiences of how they are treated by the headteachers in schools. Fifteen teachers were purposively selected from public and private schools of an administrative division in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. The participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The underlying themes were explored through a thematic analysis of the text. The emergent themes include teacher-head teacher interaction, authoritative in the meetings, favouritism and biases, ignoring staff members, hurting self-respect and frustration and isolation. The study has implications for school improvement and further research on headteachers experiences that lead...

This paper examines some of the key aspects of successful leadership practices for schools in challenging urban context. The research question for this paper is: “What are the key aspects of successful leadership practices used by headteachers in schools in a highly disadvantaged urban context?” The study is based on a qualitative case study approach with a comparative perspective. In the study a purposeful sampling approach was adopted. In order to answer the research question multiple methods of data collection were used. The research findings show three following development phases common to the studied schools and successful leadership practices corresponding to those phases: (i) Creation of reliable foundations: toward new qualities; (ii) Building a culture of concern and achievement; and (iii) Searching for synergy: stabilization and consolidation. Teachers’ leadership and building the educational partnerships are especially important practices within the phase: “Searching for...

Controlling the unprecedented novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is nowadays the priority of every nation, including Ethiopia. The objective of this survey was to evaluate the readiness of community drug retail outlets amid COVID-19 emergency response efforts in Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in April 2020 at community drug retail outlets in Jimma town, Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia. An observational checklist, containing 13-items with yes/no options, adapted from International Pharmaceutics Federation was used for facility preparedness, while self-administered structured questionnaire adapted from international guidelines on COVID-19 prevention deployed to collect baseline knowledge (12-items), practice (six-items) and attitude (five-items) of individual pharmacy staff at the surveyed facilities. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS. Results: Forty-six community drug retail outlets and their pharmacy workforce participated in the survey. The respondents prevailed good awareness with regard to means of transmission (90%) and incubation period (76%) and how to proceed with suspected cases (80%). In this intent, most of them reported disinfect their hands regularly and cover their nose and mouth when they sneeze or cough (96%), keep a distance of 1 to 2 meters between them and clients (98%) and avoided hand shaking (80%). Nevertheless, only just over half of the practitioners (56%) correctly mentioned the cardinal symptoms of the disease adequately and only about 21% wear personal protective equipments. Conclusion: Overall knowledge on COVID-19 and personal practice of control measures by community pharmacists was unsatisfactory. Collectively, facility preparedness of the drug outlets was good but with a number of specifics areas that require improvements.

This paper examines some of the key aspects of successful leadership practices for schools in challenging urban context. The research question for this paper is: "What are the key aspects of successful leadership practices used by headteachers in schools in a highly disadvantaged urban context?" The study is based on a qualitative case study approach with a comparative perspective. In the study a purposeful sampling approach was adopted. In order to answer the research question multiple methods of data collection were used. The research findings show three following development phases common to the studied schools and successful leadership practices corresponding to those phases: (i) Creation of reliable foundations: toward new qualities; (ii) Building a culture of concern and achievement; and (iii) Searching for synergy: stabilization and consolidation. Teachers' leadership and building the educational partnerships are especially important practices within the phase: "Searching for synergy: stabilization and consolidation".

This paper explores the role of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in developing teachers' competence in integrating technology into their practice to better understand the provision of equitable and quality teaching and learning. Employing a phenomenological research paradigm, underpinned by a hermeneutic phenomenological methodological research design, data was collected from a purposive sample of 10 primary school teachers in the Western Cape. Narrative and semi-structured interviews provided a rich and textured account of the diverse ways in which teachers' competence in technology integration was developed by CPD. The data explication process applied, suggests that teaching and learning resources were important factors in which CPD model participants were selected. However, teacher agency exercised within structural and cultural conditions significantly shaped the effective integration of technology in the diverse classroom context. This paper provides a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between teacher context and CPD's effect on Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge.

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated inequalities in access to quality pharmacy education, particularly in resource-limited settings in Africa (Engle, 2020; Fuller et al., 2020). This is a serious concern for Africa especially, given that sub-Saharan Africa ranks lowest on the global pharmaceutical workforce index and has a disproportionately high burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases, combined with weak health systems (World Health Organisation [WHO], 2013; Bates et al., 2018).

This collection of case studies and experience reports refers mainly to continuing professional development (CPD) in the teaching profession in India. While the papers raise some important issues and concerns in CPD, they also report on various innovative attempts at tackling them. Since all studies, except two, are rooted in the Indian context, it will be useful to briefly review the CPD scenario in India. The strength and quality of any profession largely depends on how it manages the three stages of preparation, induction and ongoing development of its members. In an ideal scenario, adequate preparation is ensured through profession-specific education with judicious balance between theory and practical components, supplemented by field exposure, apprenticeship and on-the-job training. It is followed by systematic and gradual induction supported by mentoring, internship, shadowing, team work, etc, preparing new entrants to be independent, autonomous professionals. For their ongoing development there are many CPD avenues and mechanisms: regular needbased, updating events, short and long term courses, professional associations and networks, stronger links between research and practice through dissemination networks, personal studies and research, regular experimenting and sharing through journals, publications, workshops or conferences. Both the scope and the pressure to keep developing professionally are built into most professions. Medical and legal education in India are good examples of this combination of theoretical and practical learning backed up by on-the-job training and followed up with systematic induction and CPD. However, in India, like many other places, teaching is not as prestigious or esteemed as other professions like medicine, engineering or law, and it often appears to be low on the list of career options for most young graduates. Some teachers seem to be low on interest and commitment towards their profession. Studies like Ramchandran et al (2005) and Bennel and Akyeampong (2007) point to very low teacher motivation in India.

This article argues that English language learners need opportunities to engage in conversation in order to develop thinking and language competencies. One way of catering for those needs is through interactive storytelling. At first, conversation is defined and discussed in the ELT context. This is followed by a description of storytelling as a way of interacting in conversation. Then, there is an account of how storytelling can be further approached to help learners continue developing linguistic and non-linguistic competencies to become storytellers themselves. The final section includes classroom ideas to carry out with young learners, which can be easily adapted to older learners.

Evaluation of professional development programme for early career teachers (ECTs) who are teaching key stage 1 (KS1) pupils in schools in disadvantaged areas cvonducted for the Education endowment Foundation (EEF), which aimed to enhance ECTs' knowledge and use of evidence-informed practices and to retain ECTs in the profession. The mixed methods theory-based evaluation gathered data from interviews, focus groups and surveys of participants and stakeholders to examine evidence of promise and the plausibility of the theory of change. ECTs' knowledge and understanding of approaches to teaching disadvantaged students, self-efficacy, confidence and research-use increased and they made changes in their classroom practice. The absence of a comparison group means that it is not possible to estimate the level of improvement that may have occurred without the programme. Most ECTs perceived that RETAIN was beneficial to their professional and career development and none left the profe...

The year 2020 was tagged by transformation, adaptation, and evolvement in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The rapid shift to online learning during the pandemic has greatly enhanced the e-learning experience for both teachers and students. For students to remain involved and active in classroom instruction, custom-made tools/learning management systems are useful. The pandemic has shown teachers, students how to use various interactive learning technologies. In new normal situations, teachers and students should be encouraged to continue on-line tools to develop teaching and learning process. Keywords: COVID Outbreak, online education, teaching learning process, higher education institutes, e-learning, blended learning.

School leaders face potential conflicts between the demands of national and local education policy and the values and ethics that brought them into teaching and subsequently into school leadership. This article asks whether head teachers’ values are changed by the policy context, and looks at incidents in head teachers’ professional lives that have put their values to the test. It draws on case study work undertaken with one primary school and two secondary school head teachers in an English urban local authority. The article concludes that, for all the opportunities and limitations of educational policy, the greatest influence on the agency of school leaders is the personal history that has shaped their values and given direction to their moral compass.

Background: Despite continuing professional development (CPD) becoming a key strategy for improving health outcomes by enhancing the quality of pharmaceutical care services, the CPD needs of the pharmaceutical practitioners in Zambia remained unknown prior to this study. Aim: To determine the CPD needs and preferences among pharmaceutical practitioners in Zambia. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study involved administering a structured self-administered online questionnaire to collect data from 111 pharmaceutical practitioners registered in Zambia. Results: The majority of the participants (80%) were Pharmacists with less than 10-years post-registration experience. Several respondents (84.8%) indicated they were engaged in more than one sector of pharmaceutical practice, with hospital and community (retail) pharmacy sectors together having the highest proportion of practitioners. The highly preferred modes of undertaking CPD activities were conferences, seminars, symposia, and workshops (81.7%) followed by hands-on interactive skills activities (79.2%), and short courses (74.4%). CPD involving skills development (95.3%) was highly preferred followed by knowledge impartation (89.9%), behavioural enhancement (77.8%), and lastly attitude inculcation (74.1%). Specific high priority CPD programmes identified included: supply chain management, antimicrobial stewardship, medicine use review, rational use of medicines, and chronic care (non-communicable diseases) management, among several others. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical practitioners interviewed in this study seem to be in need of contextually relevant CPD programmes. Blended learning approaches involving face-to-face and online learning coupled with hands-on interactive sessions in knowledge impartation, behavioural enhancement, and skills development were preferred. These findings suggest an opportunity in Zambia to develop and upgrade relevant CPD for pharmaceutical practitioners.

Effective professional development programmes help teachers to acquire the most recent knowledge of subjects and to use appropriate techniques to enhance student learning. The National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development attempts to address the need for suitably qualified teachers in South Africa. This qualitative inquiry aims to explain staff's perceptions of the provision of continuing professional development programmes in the light of the mentioned policy. The following two main categories have emerged from the data analysis: the provision and logistics of effective professional development programmes.

This empirical study examines the experiences of academics and professional service staff in a large UK university during first weeks of the transition to online teaching and working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. The method draws on the work by Gourlay and Oliver (2018) to explore engagement with the digital university in everyday

This paper discusses part of a practitioner research case-study which I carried out with a class of thirty-seven college students learning chemistry in a blended learning context. The full two-year study involved a multi-method interpretivist approach using observations, unsolicited meetings, VLE tracking system, students’ reflective journal, online informal discussions, questionnaires, focus groups and individual interviews. The study identified four key student online learning dispositions, i.e., the dispositions of resourcefulness, resilience, reciprocity and responsibility. These dispositions were identified as persona-related enablers for online learning and were found to be crucial for the students to develop a deep approach to learning. They were also instrumental for changes in the students as learners. These included changes in epistemological beliefs, study patterns, study habits and above all, changes in learner roles and learning identities. Notable changes occurred in a...

This research aims to ascertain Teachers' perceptions relating to the role of the curriculum coordinator within the primary school and, more specifically, the teaching of music. The teachers involved in this research were from four primary schools in the Middlesbrough area. A wide variety of literature on curriculum coordination and music teaching was studied to provide background information for the research, highlight research questions and to assist in the design of the research instruments. The research involved the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. The data were obtained through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The majority of teachers in the sample viewed curriculum coordination positively. However, when questioned about their confidence to deliver the full National Curriculum, music was the one area where a large proportion of teachers lacked confidence. Furthermore, a number of the sample teachers, despite advocating the curriculum coordinator role, indicated that music was the one curriculum area where subject specialist teaching would be possible. The study concludes that if the potential of each pupil is to be reached and maintained successfully, then there must be some degree of subject specialist teaching within the primary school. statement of Copyright The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without her prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged".

The English education system offers meaningful examples of how some aspects of education reforms concerning school autonomy develop and what their implications are. In a way it provides a test bench for many ideas which policy makers are trying to introduce in many other systems. It is therefore interesting to consider it, in order to gain a broader perspective from which to frame Italian school autonomy. This paper focuses on the complex scenario of English educational accountability, one which attracts the interest of researchers from all over the world and originates a continuous debate among practitioners, researchers and policy makers. The broad literature concerning English educational accountability makes available a variety of interpretations, reflections and points of view. The paper intends to consider this scenario mainly from the perspective of English headteachers. The objects of the analysis are the voices of headteachers and policy advisers, collected through intervie...

Undergraduate students are facing challenges during COVID-19 pandemic where teaching and learning (T&L) are completely migrated to online and distance learning (ODL). Most of the countries worldwide are under lockdown. Regardless of the shock faced, education is one of the main sector where it is important and can be continued to operate completely online, and perhaps combined with face-to-face (F2F) into Hybrid Learning when the pandemic rate International Journal of Learning and Development ISSN 2164-4063 2021, Vol. 11, No. 2 http://ijld.macrothink.org 176 is going under control. However, many feedback received from the students especially from various sources including students themselves, parents, and educators on real situation in ODL. Thus, this study is taking an initiative to gather systematic and objective feedback on three main factors; Autonomy, Competence and Relatedness. The undergraduate students of the higher institutions of learning in southern state of Malaysia are ...

This research aimed to identify the activities needed by teachers in holding the Continuing Professional Development Program. This research employed survey type of non-experimental quantitative research method. This type of research was used when the author wants to find out the population’s opinion by conducting a study on the sample of population. The population of research consisted of all teachers of Vocational High School in Business and Management field in Surakarta City Residency. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling. Techniques of collecting data were observation, interview, documentation, and questionnaire. Quantitative data obtained was the one processed using Microsoft Excel with the scale specified by the author, while qualitative data was analyzed using triangulation technique. The result of research showed that Program Continuing Professional Development had been conducted despite different proportion for self-development, scientific publication, and inno...

This paper derives from a National College of School Leadership sponsored study conducted within schools in three English local authorities exploring what distributed leadership looked like in practice and how it was seen by headteachers and teachers in the 11 participating schools. On the basis of questionnaires, shadowing and workshops with representatives from the schools, six models of distribution were derived. In the final stages of the project these were tested with teachers and headteachers and further refined and published by the National College as a professional development activity. These six models from 'formal' to 'cultural' distribution may, it is argued, be seen as a developmental sequence, adapted to the context and stage of development of a school.

If we are to create learning communities within our schools that encourage and value thinking, then it is vital that teachers themselves have experience of such a community. This article examines how one particular programme offered by the University of Glasgow seeks to model and create conditions in which teachers are exposed to a pedagogy that promotes thinking as an essential element of the learning experience. This programme offers teachers an opportunity to encounter learning contexts that encourage and acknowledge the importance of thinking time and highlight the centrality of social interaction in the thinking process. It is postulated that without having experienced such a context in the role of learner, teachers may find it difficult to create a community of learners within their own classrooms.

This paper examines some of the key aspects of successful leadership practices for schools in challenging urban context. The research question for this paper is: “What are the key aspects of successful leadership practices used by headteachers in schools in a highly disadvantaged urban context?” The study is based on a qualitative case study approach with a comparative perspective. In the study a purposeful sampling approach was adopted. In order to answer the research question multiple methods of data collection were used. The research findings show three following development phases common to the studied schools and successful leadership practices corresponding to those phases: (i) Creation of reliable foundations: toward new qualities; (ii) Building a culture of concern and achievement; and (iii) Searching for synergy: stabilization and consolidation. Teachers’ leadership and building the educational partnerships are especially important practices within the phase: “Searching for...

Introduction 2 Literature Review Setting up the first supplementary schools 4 Types of supplementary school 5 Community languages Supplementary school teachers 8 Financial support for supplementary schools 8 3 Methodology 4 Findings from the Research Schools and their communities 17 Teachers and their qualifications Language and capacity 29 Issues around obtaining QTS

This article considers how digital spaces focused on whole school improvement combined with supportive leadership may be mobilised towards building collective capacity for evidence-informed practice and organisational learning. This topic originated from a qualitative, multi-method design-based research (DBR) project that studied practitioners’ use of an online resource for primary school practitioners called Pathways for school improvement, designed by Oxford University Press (OUP). Semi-structured interviews, participant observations and a documentary analysis were conducted with teachers and senior leaders in five primary schools across England between 2014 and 2016. Connections were made with the dynamic approach to school improvement (DASI) that encourages practitioners to systematically engage with a variety of evidence in their reflections and efforts to design school and classroom improvement strategies. Pathways’ four-step system and series of systematised tasks under each step seemed to provide opportunities for practitioners to explore elements of theory and practice in conjunction with empirical and pupil performance data, and potentially guide them through how to collaborate with others in developing specific whole school approaches to improvement. Opportunities and challenges in developing collective capacity for improvement are also explored.

Evaluation of professional development programme for early career teachers (ECTs) who are teaching key stage 1 (KS1) pupils in schools in disadvantaged areas cvonducted for the Education endowment Foundation (EEF), which aimed to enhance ECTs' knowledge and use of evidence-informed practices and to retain ECTs in the profession. The mixed methods theory-based evaluation gathered data from interviews, focus groups and surveys of participants and stakeholders to examine evidence of promise and the plausibility of the theory of change. ECTs' knowledge and understanding of approaches to teaching disadvantaged students, self-efficacy, confidence and research-use increased and they made changes in their classroom practice. The absence of a comparison group means that it is not possible to estimate the level of improvement that may have occurred without the programme. Most ECTs perceived that RETAIN was beneficial to their professional and career development and none left the profe...

Teacher competence is central factor that influencing teacher performance to create human resources with certain quality. Teacher competence influenced by many factors, such as educational background and teaching experience for his specific subject. This study aims to: 1) map the competence of primary school teachers in Tanah Bumbu Regency, and 2) analyze the effect of educational background and teaching experience to teacher competence. This study used quantitative approach. Population of this research is all primary school teachers in Tanah Bumbu regency which already followed Online Test of Teacher Competence (UKG Online) as many as 1,106 teachers. Samples were taken by using purposive random sampling as much as 20% of the total population that numbered 160 people. Variables of this study are: 1) Teacher Competence, 2) Educational Background and 3) Teaching Experience. This study used quantitative analysis includes percentage technique and multiple linear regressions. The results showed: 1) Primary school teacher competence in Tanah Bumbu Regency is above the national average score of 53.05, but still below the Minimum Competence Standards (SKM) of 55. The average score of pedagogic competence is 48.15 and professional competence is 55.91. 2) There is a significant simultaneous effect of educational background and teaching experience to teacher performance. Partially, only teacher experience variable that that significantly influence the teacher competence.

This is a report on research funded by Plan International on the impact of Learning Assistant (LA) component of Girls Education Challenge Sierra Leone. The LA programme has enabled nearly 500 young women to train as teachers in remote rural areas where schools are understaffed and there are few female teachers. The LA programme provides a pathway to teaching through guided distance study and in-school work experience. This research examines empowering and constraining factors of the LA programme. The research draws on interviews in two rural locations with 18 participants: Learning Assistants themselves, and those who work alongside and support them: headteachers, class teachers, subject tutors, community leaders, family members and programme staff.

Acknowledgements i Executive summary iii • Overall satisfaction. Over half of the schools surveyed (52 per cent) were 'very satisfied' with the inspection and more than a third (36 per cent) • Refining inspection recommendations. The vast majority of survey respondents agreed with the inspection recommendations, found them helpful, and felt that they were sufficiently specific. Only one in ten schools found the recommendations 'not at all helpful'. Where this latter view was present, the reasons were usually along the lines of: (1) the recommendations were not specific enough; or (2) the recommendations lacked practical guidance. It might be worth bearing these two points in mind when any further advice on drafting recommendations is given to inspectors. • to establish the differences, if any, in school effectiveness, including the range of pupil outcomes, resulting from s5 inspection • to identify the elements of the inspection process and contextual factors that affect the extent of difference made by inspection The methodology used for the evaluation is outlined below. 1.3 Methodology In order to achieve the aims of the evaluation a range of research methods were adopted, as outlined below: Desk-top review Analysis of the key documents for the 36 case-study schools was carried out. These documents included: • The s5 inspection report • The Performance and Assessment (PANDA) report (including Contextual Value Added data)

The Impact of a Community of Practice on Physical Education Teachers' Practices and Beliefs Marie Clonan Research on teacher continuing professional development focuses on how it can contribute to teacher and pupil learning (Teaching Council 2016). Teachers are envisioned as reflective practitioners and members of school based professional learning communities (Teaching Council 2012). This study examined how a community of practice (CoP), the Urban Schools Group (USG) changed their practices, understandings and beliefs. The USG is a CoP of physical education (PE) professionals who work in challenging circumstances. The main theory underpinning the research is Social Learning Theory (Lave and Wenger 1991, Wenger 1998) where learning, knowledge and context are mutually bound together. Knowledge from social learning takes two forms-knowing as practice and learning as a change in identity (Wenger 2009). The research found that prior to engagement with the USG, the teachers' negative experiences of continuing professional development caused them to question the validity of what they offered in school. Engagement with the USG helped them to articulate their priorities, clarify their goals and align practice changes with their priorities. It also led to improved teacher confidence as professionals that manifested itself in changed classroom practices and engagement with peers, both within the USG and in school. USG-teachers also brokered Irish access to a community of learners in the UK by successfully piloting a curriculum innovation-the 'Living-for-Sports Curricular Initiative'. Their conception of professional practice broadened beyond the classroom in acting as mentors and advocates for their profession.

The focus on school improvement has been driven at a national level through Government initiatives and the increasingly high profile of the Ofsted Inspection frameworks and procedures. The latter, in particular, has made schools very accountable for pupil outcomes. This in turn has impacted on leaders in schools, who, as part of the Ofsted Inspection framework, are given a separate judgment for their performance (Ofsted 2015). Since 2012 middle leaders have featured in the Ofsted framework descriptors used to judge leadership and management in a school. This study explores the perceptions and development of middle leaders, in one North West London secondary school, regarding their development and contribution to whole school improvement. The research suggests that while the vast majority of middle leaders did not have a full understanding of distributed leadership as a construct, they did however, consider themselves to be drivers in the school, described by three as ‘the cogs in th...

Research aim This report presents the findings of an independent evaluation commissioned by the Department for Education into the effectiveness and impact of the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination ("the Award") on Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), school leaders, teachers, pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents/carers. Research design and data collection  The study was designed to access the maximum number of views on the National Award for SEN Coordination within the short project timeframe. To comply with survey distribution data protection requirements, which do not allow unsolicited approaches, invitations to complete the school survey were sent to 57,616 individuals who had subscribed to a database of school contacts set up by Achievement for All, and invitations to complete the parent/carer survey were sent to those who had given permission to be contacted in over 500 schools that were running the Achievement for All programme. The invitation was then publicised through social media, with a link to the survey. This means that the research does not claim to be representative of those groups, but reflects the views of those who were included in and/or motivated to respond to the survey invitation. Key findings: parents/carers  The majority of parents/carers who responded to the survey did not know if their child's school SENCO held the Award. Most parent interviewees reported that they had not heard of the Award before completing the survey.  The aspects of the SENCO role most often identified as helpful by parents/carers were related to their experiences of their child's SENCO organising review meetings, involving external agencies and organising classroom support. These mostly mirror those that were highly rated by school staff, namely 'ensuring school systems effectively support pupils with SEND', 'drawing on external sources of support' and 'coordinating provision for pupils with SEND'. There was less agreement over the SENCO's role in working with parents/carers;; while about a half of the parents/carers in our sample felt that they were considered an equal partner, over a third felt that they were 'hardly/not at all' considered as an equal partner in supporting their child's achievement or wellbeing. Key findings: pupils  Around half of the pupils in our sample felt that they were able to get help at least some of the time at school, and that this help came mainly from staff at school or from family.  The majority of responding pupils had some opportunity to talk about their learning and their plans. However, about a third of pupils in our sample did not feel supported, and did not have opportunities to have their voices heard. This was an aspect of the Award which was rated highly by relatively few Award holders and trainees. Award training and subsequent development of the SENCO role.  Adopting a professional enquiry approach that encourages regular reflection on the effectiveness of SEND provision in school.  Looking out for opportunities to network with other SENCOs and people from external agencies.

This article considers the experiences and perceptions of practising English headteachers and the tensions that they face when juggling government prescription and government initiatives, which may be antagonistic to their educational values and beliefs. Managerial control over teachers work has been particularly acute and destructive to ‘human flourishing’. Headteachers have a moral and ethical responsibility for the welfare and education of pupils. Such professional ethics oblige the professional to seek the good of the pupil and therefore good is viewed as intrinsic to the work of an educator. Thus headteachers are directly involved in negotiating between sometimes contradictory imperatives and drivers. How then does the headteacher cope with what Colley refers to as ‘situated ethics work’? This article presents data derived from written responses from 10 headteachers that begin to open up this question. I argue that it is not uncommon for people to weaken in their values-driven ...