About two months ago, my teaching and learning colleague and I discussed the relative strengths and weaknesses of our professional development (PD) provision. We have established two PD cycles per academic year were staff are able to select from a menu of CPD focus groups, meeting twice a term for 45 minutes (half of the proscribed department time that week). With CPD focus groups led predominantly by our own staff (a powerful PD experience for the PD leads themselves) it has been both targeted and efficient. Moreover, as our first committed / compulsory PD offering to staff (in additional to INSET and attending Edfest) they have been relatively well received. Though it needs to be said, that our Curriculum Leaders do feel these two 45 minutes sessions full term have been “stolen” from the highly valued department time. We also support staff courses and PD where tied to the Curriculum or School Development Plans, and yet these three strands (INSET, CPD focus groups and external courses) still were not meeting our PD needs.
After much investment and heart ache leading an Academy only NPQML course (logistically complex and too insular) we considered regional NPQML and NPQSL cohorts. Frought with administration frustrations and inefficiencies (cost £1,050 plus £225 final assessment, travel and cover and senior leader coach time / meetings) we went back to the drawing board and consulted with staff.
What did THEY want? Yes, they valued the experience of the NPQML type course event (swanky venue, chunky chips and mini battered cod pieces served in a mini fryer basket, side of mushy peas, spaciously placed on a wooden chopping board). What they wanted was smaller, bite-sized professional development, and more than anything, the time (and thinking space) to complete it. They didn’t want to be away from their departments and their students for too long? They wished that they had experienced the learning before being thrown into the deep-end of middle leadership.
Our idea is simple. Professional development (PD) that is self-selected and self-paced. Peer coached from within your own school, peer supported and cross pollinated by fellow participants on the course from schools further afield. Finally we ask participants to secure and enrol a leadership coach, preferably an experienced middle or senior leader with expertise in the area of study. The leadership coach then, is considered the forth line of support, (after your peer coaches, your fellow course participants and the course tutor). The coaches role is considerably slimmed down when compared to the more formal “Middle Leader” programmes, of course it would be, it is more bitesized, more modular. The leadership coach is to provide ongoing support and to challenge the leadership thinking of the participants (how / if they do that, is down to the participant-coach partnership) and second to review participants assignments.
Professional development that is coached and assessed by experienced staff from your own school who know you and the context in which you work. Coached by peer participants and invigorated by new colleagues from other schools, interested in developing their leadership qualities, just like you. Well, that is the concept.
The professional development platform arose from the efforts to meet diverse Middle Leader professional development needs from our own staff and the almost impossible task of meeting these needs effectively. At the heart of this project is the drive to make professional development a professional and personal goal. It is very much early days, however if you are interesting in getting involved, enrol in one of the two open courses – don’t forget you will need a nominate coach.
I must thank Jill Berry (@JillBerry102) for taking the time to review the ideas and feedback. Not only did she review the course, she made recommendations, offered to lurk and support participants, and of course draw my attention to the importance of Quality Assurance (never far from the tip of my tongue these days).
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