Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru | National Assembly for Wales
Y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg | Children, Young People and Education Committee
Ymchwiliad i Addysg a Dysgu Proffesiynol Athrawon | Inquiry into Teachers' Professional Learning and Education

TT 21
Ymateb gan : Gwasanaeth Effeithiolrwydd (GwE)
Response from : Gwasanaeth Effeithiolrwydd (GwE)

Report by:      GwE Managing Director

• Please note that the 4 Consortia are submitting a joint response to the Wales’ Children, Young People and Education Committee regarding the above

1.0          Purpose of the Report

1.1       Update regarding Professional Learning

2.0 Background

2.1       Following an initial review (2014) of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities offered to practitioners across North Wales it was evident that GwE needed to develop a range of CPD programmes across all key stages and across all sectors.  The GwE Development Programme (GDP) was established focusing on providing effective professional development on a number of levels.

2.2       GwE now has development programmes operational for practitioners ranging from Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTA) to experienced Headteachers (Headteacher Development Programme - HDP)

3.0       GwE’s Development Programmes (to be renamed – GwE’s Professional Learning Programmes)

3.1       GwE’s Professional Learning Programmes aim to:

• embrace and action the Wales’ Career Development Pathway
• ensure effective and varied professional learning opportunities are available for all practitioners at all levels
• build the capacity to develop leadership skills at all levels within all of our schools – develop the mind-set that all practitioners are leaders.)
• improve and advance teacher’s pedagogy and leadership skills
• grow and develop pedagogical skills and leadership practices for all staff in primary, secondary and special schools
• encourage, facilitate and provide opportunities for school to school collaboration

• contribute to the development of a self-improving system
• ensure effective workforce development

3.2       Current GwE Professional Learning Programmes:

• Higher Level Teaching Assistant Development Programme  (HLTADP)
• Newly Qualified Teacher Development Programme  (NQTDP)
• Literacy Development Programme (LDP)
• Numeracy Development Programme (NDP)
• Shirley Clarke regional project developing pedagogy / formative assessment skills
• Curee - Phillipa Cordingley regional project developing pedagogy skills with a focus on action research
• Aspiring Leaders Development Programme (ALDP)
• Middle Leadership Development Programme (MLDP)
• Information Communication & Technology  (ICT) Middle Leadership Development Programme

· Physical Literacy Programme for Schools (PLPS) Middle Leadership Development Programme

· Bespoke Middle / Senior Leadership Development Programme for the Special sector

· Senior Leadership Development Programme  (SLDP)

• Aspiring Headteacher / National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) Development Programme  (AHDP)

The following are specifically for Headteachers:

• New Headteacher / Acting Headteacher Development Programme  (NHDP)
• Headteacher Development Programme  (HDP)

Information regarding the above on our website: http://www.gwegogledd.cymru/information-centre/gwe-development-programme

3.3       Individual schools, and/or clusters of schools are also developing specific programmes in collaboration with GwE, e.g.  

• the Improving Teacher Programme (ITP)
• the Outstanding Teacher Programme (OTP)
• the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Programme (OTAP)}
• the Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Programme (TEEP)
• the Toyota Leadership Programme – “Lean Management in Schools”

4.0       Wider Professional Learning support offered aside from formal programmes

4.1       Further bespoke programmes are offered on a Hub / LA / individual school basis depending on the specific needs, e.g.

• Middle Leadership Programmes focusing on developing effective practices of leadership from adequate to good
• New GCSE development workshops
• Specific aftercare programmes for secondary schools
• Specific work with Governing Bodies on a bespoke basis
• Workshops focusing on effective self-evaluation and planning for improvement 
• Workshops developing effective teaching and learning techniques
• Several examples of commissioning individual schools / Headteachers to support / mentor senior management teams of other schools

4.2       Specific work focusing on developing coaching skills, e.g.

· 3 day development coaching programme for Headteachers

· One to one coaching sessions for individual Headteachers

· Leadership Coaches (experienced Headteachers) provided for NPQH candidates

· Middle leaders working as NQT Mentors supporting individuals in other schools

4.3       Effective generic and tailored professional learning support programmes have been provided for GwE staff.  The development programmes include:

• A whole team approach, e.g. a programme for developing the coaching and mentoring skills of all challenge advisers
• Extensive support for new challenge advisers
• Training and development for external consultants who are deployed as challenge advisers
• Training and development for subject challenge advisers

As a result, the consistency and quality of challenge and support to schools has considerably improved and there have been measureable improvements in individual challenge adviser’s work.

5.0       Summary

5.1       All the above Professional Learning Programmes focus on the school to school collaboration mind set, with effective practitioners from schools co-delivering sessions with GwE staff, or on occasions, with external consultants.  This further develops the notion of developing a self-improving system across North Wales.

5.2       To date over 1000 practitioners across North Wales have participated in GwE Professional Learning Programmes, with further practitioners benefiting form the bespoke work at individual Hub, LA or school level.  Impact can be seen at individual, school and system levels.  Ultimately all programmes focus on developing individuals in order to ensure the best possible education and opportunities for children and young people, and therefore raise standards across each key stage.

5.3       GwE has collaborated with Welsh Government and the other consortia whilst developing the Professional Learning Programmes.  Following a request form the National Leadership Development Board (NLDB) for consortia to lead on developing specific areas of the Career Development Pathway, GwE took the lead on developing effective professional development for middle leaders and Heateachers in post.  An external consultant evaluated the middle leadership and Headteacher development programmes and progress and lessons learnt have been shared nationally.  Interest from other consortia resulted in 9 practitioners from ERW attending the GwE Middle Leadership Development Programme, and ERW adopting elements of the GwE 2016 / 2017 NPQH Development Programme.

6.0 Considerations

6.1       A more effective link and integration of national priorities to support local developments is needed.

6.2       Further consideration needs to be give to investigate the possibility of accreditation of the Professional Learning Programmes working in collaboration with Bangor and Glyndwr Universities.

6.3       Work regarding initial teacher education needs to be developed further, with GwE playing a key role with both Universities regarding the Initial Teacher Education Reform and future ITE programmes.

6.4       Future Professional Learning Developments need to address the five improvement objectives noted in Welsh Government’s Qualified for Life 2:

i. Wellbeing

ii. Teaching and Learning (Pedagogy)

iii. Curriculum and Assessment which is underpinned by the Four Purposes described in Successful Futures.

iv. Leadership

v. A Self Improving system

6.5       Be aware of the need to provide effective professional learning to all practitioners now, but also be aware of the need as we progress to take into consideration the developments of the new curriculum (the Successful Futures report and the work of the Pioneer Schools) and the emerging standards for professional practice.

6.6       Further work is ongoing regarding the need to target resources and ensure that bespoke Professional Learning Programmes address the needs of individual or groups of schools, especially in the secondary sector.

6.7       Regarding the GwE Staff Professional Learning Programme – the capacity for challenging and supporting secondary schools and the role of the secondary challenge adviser is currently being reviewed in order to reflect the priorities of the service.

7.0       Consultation Undertaken

7.1       A wide range of stakeholders have been consulted regarding the development of all Professional Learning Programmes, including practitioners, Headteachers, LA representatives, external consultants, other consortia and Welsh Government; with future programmes taking into consideration the lessons learnt and improvement comments noted in the evaluations received.