Professional Learning
Professional network groups operate across many different roles – teaching and non-teaching – enabling individuals to work together to grow, develop and share their knowledge and to positively impact beyond their own setting. Groups run both in person and online.
Continuous learning and development programmes also run for Headteachers, Deputy Headteachers and aspiring heads. These take place as face-to-face sessions throughout the year and are designed to equip leaders with a well-rounded knowledge and set of skills to face and embrace the opportunities as well as the challenges that come with education leadership.
Collaborative Opportunities
Schools regularly work together across the trust in a formal structured way but also in a more informal network of sharing. Whether that’s support between settings with curriculum, attendance or operational matters, where the knowledge and expertise exists we share them. That doesn’t stop within our Trust – sharing externally and learning from those beyond our Trust settings is equally valued and we believe part of our moral duty to raise standards and provide opportunities for learning wherever possible.
Annual Staff Conference
Every year we come together for our Annual Staff Conference. This includes all staff and provides opportunities to learn from keynote speakers as well as colleagues. Our most recent conference included workshops on Attachment Theory and Artificial Intelligence, while keynote speeches covered topics such as behaviour management and building our personal resilience. The structure and focus of the conference are always informed by the priorities identified by our staff so that they really benefit from the day.
This opportunity is open to all and offers staff the chance for a slightly earlier finish. As the conference takes place in early December a chance to catch up on some pre-Christmas activities (including shopping!) is often popular!
Performance Development – Not Appraisal
As a Trust our focus is to enable and develop individuals to be the very best they can be. Our Performance Development approach is part of our commitment to regular and meaningful engagement with every member of staff to ensure that aspirations and opportunities for development are explored, and all staff are supported to meet, and exceed, the expectations of their role.
Apprenticeships
Across our Trust we identify opportunities for formal development through an apprenticeship route. This includes roles which recruit new members of staff directly to an apprenticeship opportunity as well as using the apprenticeship scheme to formally develop existing members of staff in teaching and non-teaching roles up to Level 7 (master’s qualification).