KLA Vision for CPD

At King’s Lynn Academy, we believe that learning is an energising, joyful experience, which has no end point. We are all learning continuously. 

Our CPD looks to take evidential, research based theory and turn it into professional practice. This professional practice is supported and expertly challenged, to help colleagues to become even better.

CPD empowers us to know more and get better at what we love.  At the heart of this process are the students, and our CPD is about improving their learning and outcomes, to give them the best possible education. 

Our CPD Aims

Everyone is constantly learning in our academy.  Regardless of how long you have been teaching, or where you are in your career, you are guaranteed first class professional development at KLA.  We aim to support teachers in developing their subject knowledge as well as refining their teaching practice within their discipline.  Alongside this we develop colleagues’ understanding of wider teaching theory more generally - their pedagogical content knowledge.  Our aim is to put theory into practice, and our CPD programme looks to make tangible differences in the classroom. 

CPD Pillars

We want colleagues to continue to grow professionally, and we offer opportunities for colleagues to develop and share their own interests through high quality learning dialogue.  This involves weekly pedagogical “Developing Practice” sessions, our academy half-termly Learning Journal, the integration of the Early Careers Framework, as well as weekly co-planning sessions to develop our delivery of curriculum.  Colleagues also enjoy termly INSET opportunities to ensure our development integrates the latest thinking on our professional practice, developing on our staff Pedagogical Directory.

The six pillars of our CPD are:

Appraisal and Department reviews – to celebrate good practice and tailor CPD needs. 

We care passionately that our teaching facilitates the best learning experiences for our students, who deserve the best.  Time is given for meaningful, supportive appraisal, where colleagues reflect on their practice.  This is further quality assured through departmental reviews where we work in learning triads to review the whole department.  This provides a clear pathway for our future CPD work – as much by identifying areas of strength to work with their peers, as well as indicating developmental targets

KLA Pedagogical Development – Our umbrella CPD vehicle to deliver central teacher and learner expectations.  At KLA, colleagues are expected to be versed in essential learning theories and pedagogical developments.  Our Pedagogical Directory and Learning Journals.

KLA CPD Entitlement Framework – Individualised CPD delivery through the process of instructional coaching.  We sit alongside colleagues and reflect together on our teaching.  Teachers will be given the opportunity of bespoke individualised CPD related to our KLA 5 using Walkthrus – an online CPD app based provision – curated by leading experts in their field.

Subject Specific Development – Weekly co-planning session; subject specific CPD; Inter- department training across the Trust.  Colleagues at KLA enjoy a generous allocation of co-planning time.  This allows the sharing of expertise, and is is an opportunity to discuss the week’s podcast.  Collaborative planning not only shares the workload, but allows us to benefit from the knowledge and skills of others.

Norwich Research School CPD Events – internal or external CPD events; Training Courses; Conferences.  Benefiting from our work with Notre Dame high school in Norwich, colleagues have access to high quality training provision.

Ambition and Early Careers Framework – Supporting newer colleagues formative years.  All colleagues benefit from the exciting opportunity offered by the ECF.  Mentors receive training from Ambition to ensure that they can offer the best support possible to our NQTs.  NQTs in turn benefit from the structure and guidance offered by the ECF, ensuring that the early stages of their careers is fully supported in a cohesive structure.

How we deliver CPD

Our approach to CPD is a blending of valuing and sharing the expertise within the institution, as well as looking outward to the best practices in other academies. We encourage working across academies.

We allocate defined directed time for CPD.  Staff have two timetabled hour lessons a week for co-planning in departments, with a focus on learning and pedagogy.  Each week there is the centralised delivery of a key CPD theme through either KLA podcasts or articles.  Colleagues reflect on these in co-planning meetings and integrate these approaches into their lessons.

All staff engage in CPD.  Regardless of role or experience, all colleagues participate in our KLA CPD Entitlement Framework.  Walkthrus is one our vehicles for more individualised and bespoke CPD, supporting colleagues at whatever stage of their career.

We evaluate our CPD, and refine what we do, as shown by our prioritisation of co-planning lessons, from one lesson in 2019-2010 to two in 2020 – 2021.  We ensure that all staff focus on pedagogy put into practice through the Weekly podcast, through to co-planning, evidenced in lesson drop-ins and more formal review.

We recognise that all staff have an entitlement to CPD, including non-teaching staff and also Governors. 

Annex

The change to remote learning experiences related to COVID do not impact upon our CPD provision.  We use online platforms like Walkthrus, Adobe Spark, Teams and Zoom to deliver our CPD.