The importance of staff development

Staff development is vital for the future of any school. An effective staff development policy will be linked to the school
improvement plan. Remember that this includes all staff both teaching and support staff. The profile of staff
development has been raised in recent years by reforms in schools' workforces and the greater emphasis on
continuing professional development.
It would be simplistic to assume that staff development equals training and that the identification of the need for it
comes solely from the appraisal or performance management process. However, the existence of a formal appraisal,
performance management or review process is fundamental to staff development as it provides a major source of the
individual's needs assessment.
Along with the school's assessment of present and future skills requirements, the performance reviews form the basis
of the overall staff development plan. This will also be increasingly reflected in personal development planning.
Many schools have staff development managers who fulfil a cross-school role in aiding and supporting staff and line
managers. As emphasis has moved towards the individual being responsible for their own development, the role of
the staff development manager has evolved from the allocation of training courses to a truly developmental role,
planning and offering individually tailored schemes for all staff.
Staff development managers draw on a mixture of methods:

training courses, external and internal

action learning

coaching

work shadowing

mentoring

In your role as SBM, you may be responsible for the staff development of a range of support staff. A key aspect of this
role is choosing the most appropriate training for staff and ensuring that it is focused on their personal needs.
In the following scenario, you are provided with profiles for four support staff members and asked to determine which
type of professional development activity each should undertake.

Scenario: Meeting professional development needs

Staff development involves planning for both short-term needs and planning for continuing professional development
(CPD) over a person's career. Whenever you're working on a development plan, you will be thinking about short- and
long-term needs at the same time.
CPD activities for school staff are usually provided from three sources:

other external expertise: for example external courses or further study or advice offered by local authorities,
further education colleges, universities, subject associations and private providers

school networks, for example cross-school and virtual networks

within school for example induction, coaching and mentoring, lesson observation and feedback,
collaborative planning, shadowing, sharing good practice, whole-school development events

What is good CPD?

Continuing professional development is a reflective activity that helps people to improve their knowledge,
understanding and skills. It supports people's needs and improves professional practice.
To be effective, CPD needs to:

relate directly to people's needs

identify learning outcomes clearly

take previous knowledge and expertise into account

include impact evaluation as part of the activity

Examples of CPD activities

Work shadowing accompanying a colleague as an observer.

Coaching and mentoring meeting regularly with an experienced

colleague to discuss your development, set targets and so on.

Peer working working alongside someone who does the same

job as you.

E-networking and e-learning going online to learn from and with

colleagues doing the same work as you in other locations.

Involvement in networks, development groups or projects (local, regional or national) that provide
opportunities for professional development.

Attending external conferences and courses.

Professional dialogue as part of the performance management process.

Discussions with colleagues to reflect on work practice.

Skills-based training designed to improve performance in a specific, technical aspect of a job.

Here, we describe four people at different schools. Think about appropriate CPD activities for each of them.
You will need to think about their personal needs as well as the needs of their schools.

 Ruth

Ruth is a newly appointed midday supervisor in a small primary school. She has never previously
undertaken any training and is very nervous about her new role; she is particularly concerned about her
ability to manage naughty boys in the playground.

Ahmed

Ahmed is the facilities manager in a medium-sized primary school. He has grown into this role, having
initially been appointed as an assistant caretaker. He would now like to develop his technical expertise and
to learn more about current developments in facilities management.

Jenny
Jenny is a finance assistant in a large secondary school. She hopes to become an SBM but isn't sure if she will enjoy
the role, nor is she entirely clear what the role involves in practice. She is very enthusiastic, however, and is quite
happy to do things outside of her normal duties.

Simon
Simon is an IT technician who is underperforming. He works in a large secondary school. Simon's line manager has
serious concerns about his level of technical competence and his ability to interact constructively with teaching staff.
He often finds himself in conflict with the staff over minor issues, which is unusual in this school. The rest of the team
generally experience effective, positive relationships with teachers.

Question 1: Simon
If you were Simons line manager, with your serious concerns with his technical competency and relationships with
colleagues what three types of CPD would you advise for him?
Make your notes before looking at our suggestions for Simon.

Suggestions for Simon

Simon would benefit from a variety of activities. The top three we suggest are:

Skills-based, technical training to improve his level of technical knowledge and skills (some of these
courses might be e-learning).

Coaching and mentoring this could address the communication and technical issues he is currently
experiencing. For his credibility, working relationships and effectiveness it will be important to set this up as
soon as possible.

Peer working seeing how colleagues manage situations could be of great benefit to Simon. He may be
able to mirror their healthy relationships and effective ways of solving technical problems

Question 2: Jenny
We have seen that Jenny is enthusiastic and wants to progress from her present role as a Finance Assistant to
becoming an SBM. What three types of CPD might be best for her?
Make your notes before looking at our suggestions for Jenny.

Suggestions for Jenny

Jenny needs guidance from more experienced colleagues. She also needs to know more about what SBMs do. We
suggest the following:

Work shadowing this will allow her to experience the SBM role with its daily tasks and challenges.

Coaching and mentoring this will provide ongoing advice and support towards developing her knowledge
and skills, as she considers whether to become an SBM.

Discussions with colleagues to reflect on work practice this will also enable Jenny to develop her
skills and to find out more about school business management

Question 3: Ahmed
How can Ahmed progress his ambition of a career in facilities management through the development of his technical
skills? Suggest three possible development activities and jot down why these would be appropriate.
Make your notes before looking at our suggestions for Ahmed

Suggestions for Ahmed

Ahmed is doing a good job, but he needs exposure to the latest developments in his field. We suggest the following:

Skills-based training courses in facilities management will give him the up-to-date knowledge and skills
he needs.

Attending external conferences and courses this will expose him to new ideas and help him develop a
much broader understanding of his role.

Peer working comparing notes with colleagues on the job can be a very rich learning experience

Question 4: Ruth
What advice would you offer Ruth on overcoming her nervousness about being a midday supervisor? Identify three
types of professional development that would be appropriate to her needs.
Make your notes before looking at our suggestions for Ruth

Suggestions for Ruth

Ruth needs activities that will be confidence and skill building. We suggest the following:

Work shadowing following an experienced colleague will help Ruth understand how best to deal with the
situations she is faced with.

Coaching and mentoring this will allow her to discuss any areas of difficulty and will give her mentor an
opportunity to build her confidence by letting her know what she is doing well.

Peer working this is another great way to pick up practical training on the job. Ruth would also benefit
from formal skills-based training however. Courses such as Introduction to Behaviour Management and
NCFE Certificate for Midday Supervisors would give her the up-to-date knowledge and skills she needs, but
this should only be with her agreement because she feels apprehensive about taking formal training

Staff development process

The staff development process is as follows:

identify needs

identify means of meeting these needs in-service training (INSET) course, consultancy INSET, in-house
INSET, national training programme, work shadowing, mentoring and so on

develop a programme to accommodate the needs

monitor the programme

evaluate the programme

appraise the developments against the school improvement plan

Identifying development needs

Identifying development needs should be seen as a positive way of planning for individual professional development
requirements. The process needs to identify skills that people already possess and to plan for the development of
these skills and the acquisition of new ones. A variety of techniques should be used to identify training needs and a
selection is provided below.

Identifying training needs

Individual

self-review using prepared checklist

questionnaire returned to staff development manager

discussion with line manager

request for developmental training

formal appraisal or performance management interview

leadership learning portfolios

collation of individual self-review checklists

collation of questionnaires

school improvement plans

formal system of appraisal or performance management interviews

consultant using training needs audit

staff development committee recommendation

analysis of government policy

School

There is a great danger that those responsible for organising and co-ordinating staff development feel that they have
to design the perfect system from the start. Those who have been involved in identifying individual needs in schools
have experienced this pressure and may also have been disappointed at the extent of criticism received. A great deal
of effort can be put into designing the wrong system.
Staff development must have a purpose and that purpose can be defined only if the training needs of the school, and
the groups and individuals within it, have been identified and analysed. Training needs analysis is partly concerned
with defining the gap between what is happening and what should happen. It is this gap that has to be filled by
training and development. But it is necessary to avoid falling into the trap of adopting the deficiency model approach,
which implies that training is only about putting right things that have gone wrong. Training is much more positive than
that. It is, or should be, more concerned with identifying and satisfying development needs: multi-skilling, enabling
people to take on extra responsibilities and increasing all-round competence.
The four methods of training needs analysis are as follows:

Analysis of human resources plans: the staff development strategy of a school should largely be determined
by its human resources plans, which in turn are derived from its overall school development plan.

Job analysis: for training purposes this means examining in detail the content of jobs, the performance
standards required in terms of quality and output, and the knowledge and skills needed to perform the job
competently and thus meet the performance standards.

Analysis of performance reviews: a performance management or appraisal system should be the prime
source of information about individual training and development needs. The performance management
system is based on agreed objectives that are related to each of the key task areas in the employee's job.
Performance reviews will also help in evaluating staff development and training completed since the last
review.

Training surveys: Training surveys assemble all the information obtained from the other methods of analysis
in order to provide a comprehensive basis for the development of a training strategy and its implementation.
A training survey pays particular attention to the extent to which existing training arrangements are meeting
training needs.

Activity
2.3: Identifying professional development needs

How does your school identify and analyse staff development needs and how does this relate to the overall
skill needs of the support team and other school teams?

How do training needs relate back to the schools budget and other longer-term plans?

How could these processes be improved?

Managing performance

How to manage performance

Managing staff performance is part of staff professional development. From September 2012, the Education (School
Teaching Appraisal) (England) Regulations 2012 replaced all other regulations. These regulations apply to the vast
majority of teachers in maintained schools regardless of their career stage; academies are free to establish their own
appraisal and capability procedures which should take account of the Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and
Grievance Procedures.
Under the regulations:

governing bodies and local authorities will have to have a written appraisal policy for their teachers

governing bodies will have to appoint an external adviser to advise them with appraising the head teacher

objectives will have to be set for each teacher which contribute to improving the education of pupils

schools will have to have an annual appraisal process for teachers

teachers will have to be given a written appraisal report which sets out:

an assessment of their performance

an assessment of their training and development needs

where relevant, a recommendation on pay progression.

Departmental advice on the interpretation of the regulations is available on the GOV.UK website.

Teacher appraisal and capability: model policyDepartmental advice for schools on revised appraisal
arrangements and teacher capability.View website

A clear performance management strategy within a school is an important way of developing the potential of all staff.
As a school business manager, you need to be aware of the Teachers Standards in England 2012, the current
training and development for headteachers (National Professional Qualification for Headteachers, NPQH), middle
management training and newly qualified teachers (NQTs).
Increasingly, it is recognised within the sector that it is good practice to include all staff in developing themselves
professionally.
Managing performance needs to be seen as a whole school policy with staff having an understanding of:

the school vision and culture

school policies and procedures

individual roles within the school

how professional development is linked to the school development plan

All staff should have the opportunity to discuss their work and their professional development. The GOV.UK website
will give you an overview of the process and ongoing developments, a model policy and a range of sample forms for
performance reviews. The performance management cycle has three stages.

Stage 1 planning: This is the time to agree objectives and develop an individual plan.

Stage 2 monitoring progress: This involves classroom observation and supportive action for professional
development.

Stage 3 review: This stage reviews the progress at the end of the year, and professional development
needs are discussed.

This process is for teaching staff only. It can, however, be easily translated into a development process for all staff.

Evaluation of training and development

It is at the planning stage that the basis upon which each category of training and development will be evaluated
should be determined. At the same time, it is necessary to consider how the information required to evaluate courses
should be obtained and analysed.
Evaluation is an integral feature of training and development. In its crudest form, it answers the question of how far
training has achieved its purpose. The setting of objectives and the establishment of methods of measuring results
are, or should be, an essential part of the planning stage of any training and development programme.
Evaluation is difficult because it is often hard to set measurable objectives and even harder to collect information on
the results or to decide on the level at which the evaluation should be made. The sources of information for training
and development evaluation are observation and individual judgements. The purpose of staff development is to bring
about improvements in children's learning, and this may be difficult to prove.
Therefore, the focus is often on how the skills of the individuals who have been on a development programme have
changed. The main methods used to collect this information are: objective tests, aptitude scales, rating scales,
attainment tests, questionnaires and interviews.

Activity
2.4: The impact of professional development activities

How does your school evaluate the benefits of staff development activities for teachers and support staff?
For example, do staff have to complete an evaluation form, does the school produce an annual report and
so on?

Next, reflect upon any professional development activity you have undertaken in the last two or three years.

How would you demonstrate whether or not it had any impact on your school?

Why Is Teacher Development Important?: Because Students Deserve the Best

Teacher-preparation programs provide educators-to-be with the tools, mentors, and
hands-on experience they'll need once they begin their career.

Great teachers help create great students. In fact, research shows that an inspiring and informed teacher
is the most important school-related factor influencing student achievement, so it is critical to pay close
attention to how we train and support both new and experienced educators.

VIDEO: Teacher-Preparation Overview: A Survey of Top Programs

Running Time: 9 min.

Teacher Preparation
The best teacher-preparation programs emphasize subject-matter mastery and provide many
opportunities for student teachers to spend time in real classrooms under the supervision of an
experienced mentor. Just as professionals in medicine, architecture, and law have opportunities to learn
through examining case studies, learning best practices, and participating in internships, exemplary
teacher-preparation programs allow teacher candidates the time to apply their learning of theory in the
context of teaching in a real classroom.
Many colleges and universities are revamping their education schools to include an emphasis on content
knowledge, increased use of educational technologies, creation of professional-development schools, and
innovative training programs aimed at career switchers and students who prefer to earn a degree online.

Teacher-Induction Programs
Support for beginning teachers is often uneven and inadequate. Even if well prepared, new teachers often
are assigned to the most challenging schools and classes with little supervision and support. Nearly half
of all teachers leave the profession in their first five years, so more attention must be paid to providing
them with early and adequate support, especially if they are assigned to demanding school environments.
Mentoring and coaching from veteran colleagues is critical to the successful development of a new
teacher. Great induction programs create opportunities for novice teachers to learn from best practices
and analyze and reflect on their teaching.

Ongoing Professional Development

It is critical for veteran teachers to have ongoing and regular opportunities to learn from each other.
Ongoing professional development keeps teachers up-to-date on new research on how children learn,
emerging technology tools for the classroom, new curriculum resources, and more. The best professional
development is ongoing, experiential, collaborative, and connected to and derived from working with
students and understanding their culture. Return to our Teacher Development page to learn more.