Continuing professional development (CPD) policies

Example from a primary school

In its CPD statement, North Ealing Primary School says that CPD:

• Promotes high morale and motivation among staff
• Aims to balance individual and school priorities 
• Will primarily focus on improving standards and the quality of teaching and learning

It lists CPD activities for different school roles and governors. For example, support staff development activities include:

• Team building
• Exchange of ideas and advice on teaching and learning
• Observations of good practice
• Discussion on behaviour management and pastoral issues
• Collaborative planning

All support staff are encouraged to participate in the local authority CPD opportunities as part of their career progression, such as achieving national qualifications.

Example from a secondary school

The Crypt School in Gloucestershire, has a Continuing Professional Development policy that states CPD will:

• Support the school in achieving its developmental aims each year
• Likely lead to enhanced professional opportunities outside of the school 
• Take into account the needs of individuals seeking CPD support (as identified through, for example, the school's performance management or other processes)  

A dedicated CPD co-ordinator distributes application forms for courses identified as necessary. 

Staff are expected to seek management training when this is relevant to their future careers. Any CPD requests that require cover to be arranged must be initiated at least 2 weeks in advance of the date cover is required.

Example from a special school

Riverside School in Haringey, has a CPD policy that outlines:

• What makes CPD effective
• Why the school values CPD
• How the school links CPD to school improvement planning
• The different CPD approaches available to staff, based on their needs

Find the CPD policy by hovering over the 'Learning' tab in the bar at the top.

Guidance on writing a CPD policy

Any CPD policy should be based on the specific needs of the school and of the staff. You can identify these through information such as:

• Ofsted inspection reports
• Test results
• Skill audits of staff
• Staff wellbeing questionnaires
• The school ethos

You should have protocols in the policy to measure the success and cost of CPD provision. This should make sure spending on provision is appropriate and reflects value for money.

Make it clear in your policy that any CPD provision should be linked to efforts to improve your school's performance in areas such as teaching and learning.

Including personal development

There's scope to consider personal development outside of job performance in a CPD policy, as it can improve staff performance through increased confidence and job satisfaction. You can then link this to improved school performance.

You don't need a separate policy for this, as the roles and procedures in place for CPD provision may be extended to cover personal development.

A focus on personal development can aid staff recruitment and retention, which can be beneficial to the school, as well as individuals.

Be sure to manage expectations around time off

However, if you're to take this holistic approach by including wider personal development in a CPD policy, you should manage expectations about what the school can provide to staff.

For example, if your school grants time off for PhD study, to attend religious retreats or for international travel, you should specify how many staff can be on leave for such occasions at any given time, and ask staff to set out how the time off will ultimately benefit the school.

Tony Cook and Trevor Bailey, two of our associate education experts, gave us this advice.