Playing for Success offers an excellent range of high quality professional development experiences for all staff. Informal learning experiences include visits to other PfS centres to observe good practice, while more formal opportunities include regional network meetings, conferences and training events. Training events include leadership development for centre managers as well as training to develop and validate the skills of support staff. Workshops to help centres with evaluation and development planning as well as preparation for QiSS are a regular feature of the PfS professional development calendar.

The focus is on helping all PfS staff to acquire and develop the skills, knowledge, attitudes and emotional intelligence that supports their individual needs and improves their professional practice as well as supporting career development.

Why is CPD important in PfS?

“Teachers who are provided regularly and appropriately with opportunities for self-renewal of vision and purpose, and who are helped to acquire new habits and review existing habits of thought, disposition and practice, will, it seems, develop their capacity to contribute to the task of enhancing the quality of student’s learning opportunities and to the development of their colleagues’ thinking practices.”

Professor Chris Day 2003

Professional development in PfS aims to:

Ø share the best practice which is a key feature of PfS and to deepen knowledge and strengthen practice for all staff

Ø continually strive to improve the quality of teaching and learning, in line with guidance from QCA and in so doing, enhance the learning experience for all students

Ø equip staff with the skills needed to build effective partnerships with the host club, LA, schools and other partners

The model represents the various networks that are available to support the professional development of PfS staff.

ACTIVITIES AND LINKS

Professional development activities include:

Ø professional development items in staff and team meetings

Ø conferences, courses and professional development events; these are offered by the LA, Rex Hall Associates as well as other relevant organisations

Ø running workshops at conferences

Ø coaching and mentoring, shadowing and peer support, participating in networks or projects providing opportunities for professional development. For example, regional meetings, QiSS workshops.

Ø Involvement in peer networks within the LA, including other LA PfS centres

Ø exchanges with other PfS centres outside the LA. In the South West region staff often work in other centres across the region to broaden experience

Ø participating in training offered by the club

Ø delivering training for club staff

Ø working with schools to share experience and good practice

Ø business placements and exchanges – working with partners

Ø international visits and exchanges. Reducate, the Liverpool PfS centre has developed strong links with Barcelona which have impacted directly on the programme delivered within the centre.

Related sites

Ø GTC Teacher Learning Academy – www.gtce.org.uk/tla

Ø TDA Standards – www.tda.gov.uk

Ø Teachernet. – www.teachernet.gov.uk

Ø National College for School Leadership - www.ncsl.org.uk

Ø Teacher’s TV

Ø NAPTA – National Association of professional teaching assistants- www.napta.org.uk

Ø Skills4schools Unison - www.skills4schools.co.uk

Ø Learning and Skills councils

Ø CUREE – Centre for the use of research and evidence in education

Ø London Institute of Education

Ø Recommended reading:  ‘The New Leaders’ Daniel Goleman 

IMPACT

All training offered through RHA is rigorously evaluated to assess impact.  Questionnaires are completed by all participants at the end of each training event, followed by telephone surveys within six months of any training to identify the impact the training is having on practice. The critical friend visit also provides an opportunity to identify the changes being made to PfS programmes as a result of the training as well as the application of knowledge and skills.