#92 MILLION FOR TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL DEVLOPMENT LAUNCHED - MORRIS

1 Mar 2001 12:00 AM

A #92 million programme of measures to develop training opportunities for serving teachers was launched today by School Standards Minister Estelle Morris. In addition to this over #100m will be available for literacy and numeracy training in 2001-02.

Seventy thousand teachers will benefit from the schemes over the next three years.

Addressing a major national Conference, Ms Morris launched the new key strategy document for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), ''Learning and teaching'' a strategy for professional development'', which pulls together the full range of measures to improve professional development.

Some of the measures to include:

- Early professional development for teachers in their second and third years of teaching.

- Sabbaticals'' a scheme to provide teachers who work in challenging schools with the opportunity to undertake short sabbaticals out of the classroom specifically for their personal and professional development activity and research.

- Teachers'' International Professional Development '' allowing teachers to gain opportunities to look at best practice activities internationally.

- Professional Bursaries'' a pilot programme giving teachers up to #700 to support their own professional development.

- Best Practice Research scholarships ''scholarships of up to #3000 supporting teacher enquiry and classroom based research for 1000 teachers. After a very successful first year this programme will commence its second year in the spring.

- A new CPD website as part of TeacherNet www.dfee.gov.uk/teachers/cpd.

Ms Morris commented:

''If we are going to attract and retain the best teachers it is essential that we offer them a comprehensive package of development and training opportunities. There are already a lot of exciting and innovative things going on in schools, which are not expensive or hugely time- consuming, but which could be happening much more widely.

''Our strategy today outlines new measures and builds on existing good practice in this area. I want to see more schools putting the professional development of all their staff'' teachers and support staff'' at the heart of their approach to school improvement. The goals set out in the recent Green Paper '' Building On Success '' depend on teachers doing well in the classroom.

''Today''s strategy will be backed up by #92m available over three years. This includes #25m to fund sabbaticals, #25m for early professional development and an additional #30m for the professional bursaries programme.''

By 2003-04 there will be nearly a four fold increase in the funding available to support individual teachers'' professional development, compared to the current year. Over the next three years this additional funding could provide training opportunities for over 70,000 teachers. Over #100m of funding will also enable 100,000 primary teachers and headteachers to update their literacy and numeracy skills this year.

Ms Morris stressed:

''Spreading best practice is a key part of today''s strategy. There is a Iot of good work already happening that not enough people know about. It is also important that Heads be more accountable for the quality of professional development in their schools. Our strategy should make it easier for them to do this.

''The best professional development often comes through learning from other good teachers. Our international professional development opportunities will allow teachers to learn from each other in a much wider context. I am sure teachers will benefit from looking at research evidence or best practice from other countries, and be able to adapt ideas from elsewhere to their classrooms.''

The strategy has received widespread support. Commenting on the importance of professional development for teachers, Lord Puttnam Chairman of the General Teaching Council said:

''Professional development is the make or break issue for many of the current education reforms. The majority of the proposals outlined for the next decade rely crucially upon the existence of a strong and motivated teaching workforce. If we want a first class education for our children and young people, we need to give teachers every opportunity to grow and develop as professionals.''

John Bangs from the National Union for Teachers (NUT) added:

''I welcome the Government''s strategy. Professional development should be an entitlement for all teachers. It can''t just be bolted on; It has got to be part and parcel of every school''s activities and importantly of what teachers do in the classroom. CPD is something that is enormously empowering for teachers. For this reason the NUT is running its own professional development programme.''

Attached at Annex A are case studies illustrating existing CPD initiatives and statements of support from teachers from across the country who are supportive of the CPD strategy.

NOTES TO EDITORS

This press notice relates to England

1. The Green Paper, Teachers: meeting the challenge of change recognised the importance of continuing professional development for teachers. A major consultation exercise was undertaken and this strategy builds on that consultation. It aims to increase professional development opportunities for teachers and to put CPD at the heart of school improvement.

2. Over the last three years the Government has made around #1 billion available to support teachers'' professional development:

- Through national initiatives such as the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, Excellence in Cities and Education Action Zones, Beacon and Specialist Schools, the Headship training programmes, and the training in ICT skills supported from the New Opportunities Fund. There is growing evidence of the impact funding of this sort has already had in developing the skills of large numbers of teachers and the achievements of their pupils'' most sharply, of course, in the proportions of Key Stage 2 pupils reaching the expected levels for their age in literacy and numeracy

- Through the money going direct to schools, such as the Standards Fund and the general grants to schools, which they can choose to spend on professional development.

3. This funding is a sharp increase on what was previously available. Further expansion of these funding routes is planned over the next three years including, for example, on the Key Stage 3 Strategy. Moreover, from this April schools will have much more flexibility in how they can use the Standards Fund, which will help them to pursue their school development priorities and support the performance management process. Heads have been strongly encouraged to make professional development a priority in using this flexibility. In addition teachers'' contracts provide for five non-contact days, which schools use for in- service training.

4. Copies of the following documents are available free from the DfEE mailing house: 0845 60 222 60 or email dfee@prolog.uk.com quoting the publication numbers

- Learning and Teaching DfEE/0071/2001

- Good Value CPD DfEE/0059/2001 Details of the existing DfEE-funded opportunities can be found on the following websites:

- Professional Bursaries www.dfee.gov.uk/teachingreforms/training/cpd/pilot

- Best Practice Research Scholarships www.dfee.gov.uk/bprs

- Teachers'' International Professional Development www.dfee.gov.uk/tipd

- Individual Learning Accounts www.dfee.gov.uk/ila

Annex A - Case studies

Hotwells Primary School, Bristol

Hotwells Primary School is a small school in the centre of Bristol which has made professional development the key to its approach to school improvement, based on the Investors in People framework. Trish Franey, the Head, has established an inclusive approach to CPD '' teachers, support and admin staff all understand the importance of their development to the improvement of the school. She says'' I see myself as the lead learner in a school which aims to be a learning organisation''.

The school has a real ''buzz'' Nicola Wellman is a Newly Qualified Teacher: '' I enjoy being in a school where the professional development of all staff is valued and understood to be a significant feature in its success.'''' Mandy Dalton is one of the lunchtime assistants who have ongoing training in sports coaching and operate a rota of activities linked to the P.E. curriculum: ''''Being in a learning school is highly infectious - everyone is inspired by the optimism and collective investment in learning.''''

The school puts great emphasis on understanding different learning styles. Within a wide range of pupil achievements, attainment has risen sharply in 4 years from 56% to 98% at KS2. Hotwells is now recognised as an Investor in People, a School for Health and has become a Beacon School.

Trish Franey, Headteacher at Hotwells can be contacted to discuss this further on 0117 9030044.

Vandyke Upper School, Bedfordshire

Mike Simpson is Head of Modern Foreign Languages at Vandyke Upper School and he says, ''I wanted to think more about what I do and how I do it. I heard about the Best Practice Research Scholarships through the Bedfordshire Upper Schools Improvement Partnership. A lot of research has been done in maths, geography and science, in applying thinking skills to students and their learning but there hasn''t been much work done on languages. I''m interested in seeing if improving thinking skills can help improve the cognitive and communicative ability of my students. I have found that what I have learnt is already starting to have some impact in the classroom. I have received #3,350 over a year to do this and have attended sessions on visible thinking and mind mapping.

It has been brilliant for my professional development, and has been a fantastic opportunity for me to improve my learning. It has been particularly good that I have been able to apply what I have learnt to the classroom and that I have been able to develop networks outside of my own school environment.'' Mike Simpson can be contacted for further information on 01525 376838.

Bedgrove Infants School, Aylesbury

Judy Gurney is an Advanced Skills Teacher at Bedgrove Infants School in Aylesbury. Judy comments, ''I was a senior management group leader but didn''t want to become Deputy Head or Head. The title of Advanced Skills Teacher almost described what I had been doing but it formalised it and allowed me to do it both within my own school and elsewhere. I can now work alongside other teachers helping to raise standards. I get Thursdays off every week to work in my own school or to do outreach work and supply cover allows me to do this. ASTs are unique. We are the only group who go into another school to offer advice and guidance rather than critical observation. We help teachers and are not a threat. Teachers have told me how much they like having somebody to listen to them and that they respect somebody who like them, works in a classroom 4 or 5 days a week. ASTs have credibility. We can really get our messages across to teachers. By getting out and visiting other schools I am also developing my knowledge and skills as a teacher. When you are a classroom teacher you don''t get to know what others are doing and there are huge advantages in seeing what goes on elsewhere. The AST scheme is allowing me to do what I like best. I can remain a classroom teacher, help improve the skills of others, and expand my own experiences.''

Judy Gurney can be contacted for further information on 01296 481353.

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