Policy for Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

1. Vision

People are Kyson’s most important asset. Without the skills and knowledge of all our staff, our children would not enjoy and achieve, remain safe and healthy, have opportunities to contribute to the wider community or achieve economic wellbeing.

We believe that all staff and governors should have opportunities to continually develop and update their skills in order to meet the diverse and changing needs of pupils and should be pro active in both identifying and meeting their professional development needs.

CPD isanything that contributes to the development of an individual’s work. This includes coaching and mentoring, in-house training, formal courses, meetings, work shadowing, project management, on line learning, reading and keeping reflective learning journals.

2. Our CPD Aims:

  • To establish a learning community where both staff and pupils continually seek to improve their knowledge, skills and understanding;
  • To ensure that all staff have an entitlement to effective, sustained and relevant professional development

3. Our CPDPriorities:

  • Are informed by The School Development Plan, through the Performance Management process, local and national initiatives and changing school needs through the year.
  • Are funded to help meet these priorities. All CPD activities must be discussed with the Head and/or the appropriate Performance Manager

4.The role of the CPD Leaders (currently Head and Deputy)

  • To work with the SLT in identifying CPD priorities through the School Development Plan, Self Evaluation process, induction programmes and Performance Management;
  • To ensure that resources (funds/expertise) for CPD are utilised effectively, that learning is shared widely and the impact of CPD is both understood and maximised;
  • To develop partnerships with other schools, LA, providers of CPD and the local community to increase access to CPD opportunities;
  • To manage the CPD programme and budget in line with the CPD policy and school priorities.
  • To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of CPD

5. Induction

All new staff to the school are taken through a Health and Safety checklist (Appendix 1) by our School Administrator on arrival and within the first 2 weeks taken through the Kyson Staff Handbook by their mentor, who is also their line manager.

  • For newly qualified teachers the induction programme meets national and county standards, as well as introducing the school’s philosophy, ethos, policies and working environment. This is carried out by their NQT mentor, the Headteacher and others with relevant experience and expertise.
  • For qualified teaching staff new to the school, there is an induction period which familiarizes the person with school procedures, policies and the working environment. This is largely negotiated, and recognises the individual’s own requirements in needing to acquire the specialist knowledge required to work at this school.
  • For individuals promoted internally or changing posts, there is an agreed programme of induction between the appointed person and the line manager.
  • For classroom support staff appointed, they are taken through the Kyson Support Staff Handbook by their class teacher. This will familiarise the appointed person with school timetables, routines, expectations, procedures and policies.
  • Midday supervisory staff are supported in their introduction to school by the senior MDSA .
  • Administrative staff are given an induction programme by the School Administrator. This enables such staff to become accustomed to all the routines, their responsibilities, policies and procedures, as well as the use of available equipment.
  • New premises staff are given an induction programme by the site manager, who has responsibility for Premises and Health and Safety, to establish appropriate working practices for the maintenance of the buildings.
  • New Governors are given a login to the Governor section of our school Learning Platform and offered a mentor (a volunteer from the school’s Governing Body) to help familiarise themselves with the role which includes school policies, routines, procedures, school life and the range of LA Governor training.

6. Mentoring

  • Support and guidance for all staff is available and each staff member has a line manager to whom they should turn in the first instance for advice. Additionally, external mentoring support is available to NQT’s
  • It is recognised and expected that all staff in this school share expertise and contribute positively to the learning and well being of others.

7. Performance Management

  • The school follows the new statutory regulations for teachers and headteachers which came into force on 1st September 2007.
  • This CPD policy is linked to the school’s Performance Management Policy.

8. Teaching and learning

  • Observation is an important aspect of CPD. All those involved in teaching and learning activities are entitled to at least one classroom observation a year (but we aim for 2 observations) and to feedback on their strengths and areas for development in line with the performance management policy.

9. Meeting CPD Needs

The five statutory Professional Development Days are used specifically to address whole school development priorities wherever possible.

The CPD Leaders use the training and development needs identified during Performance Management and induction programmes, together with the development needs identified through the School Development Plan to arrange a training and development calendar and to allocate resources to meet individual needs.

Staff are encouraged to maintain a personal account of their qualifications and professional development but records are also kept by the Headteacher and School Administrator.

10. Professional Qualifications

  • All staff are encouraged to use professional development activities to maintain and gain professional qualifications where funding permits.
  • Qualifications related to the statutory requirements of the school are fully supported eg first aid, child protection, health & safety.
  • Where career development depends on the achievement of nationally recognized and centrally funded qualifications, full support is offered when funding available and when not, other possibilities will be explored.

11. Secondments

Opportunities for extended professional development are considered in the best interests of the individual, pupils, and the school, including resource implications. Where possible, requests are supported.

12. Resourcing

  • Human, physical and financial resources are available to support professional development of allstaff and governors.
  • The school aims to use the best resources available for CPD including local, national and international expertise.
  • The main funding for development activities comes from delegated monies from the DfE Standards Fund, which are used to buy time and access to activities to support CPD to maximize the benefit to the school.
  • The school has access to the The Learning and Improvement Service (LIS) through their Core, Training and Consultancy Services. Access to these services is organized by the CPD Leaders in consultation with the SLT.

13. Reporting

  • Under the new statutory regulations for performance management for teachers, the head teacher must report annually (actually done termly through INSET list and staff and phase meeting content) to the governing body on teachers’ training and development needs and activities undertaken by all staff as identified in the performance management planning and review meetings.
  • The CPD Leaders and all school staff are responsible for evaluating professional development and its impact. This is monitored by through dialogues, reviews of the School Improvement Plan and Performance Management outcomes.
  • Any feedback from the governors is given to the Headteacher and subsequently shared with the SLT.

Reviewed Spring 2014

Links:

Equal Opportunities Policy

Performance Management Policy

Appendix 1

HEALTH AND SAFETY INDUCTION CHECKLIST FOR NEW EMPLOYEES
Name:______

Job Title:______

Date:______
Induction should be completed within one/two weeks of starting. Fire, Emergency and Safeguarding procedures should be covered in the first day. When induction health and safety training is completed, the relevant box/es should be ticked. For items not covered, comments should be recorded giving reasons and date for completion. The new starter and person providing the induction should both sign the form and keep a copy.
1. Essentials on commencement / Yes / No / Comments
Tour of the premises to include (as appropriate):
Cloakrooms, toilets
Work area
Location of classroom and office
Hot drinks, not to be carried around when chdn in building
Notice boards, including health and safety notice board
Staff room, lockers
Location of equipment
Security of building including codes, keys etc
Smoking restrictions
Vehicle and pedestrian access to school premises
Signature of employee
2. Emergencies and fire arrangements / Yes / No / Comments
Fire evacuation and emergency procedures to include:
What the alarm sounds like
Practice evacuation drills
What to do if a fire is discovered including fires which
start in class (science, design technology and art
teachers must pay particular attention to this risk)
What to do when alarm sounds
Location of nearest fire alarm call points
Location of nearest fire extinguisher (for information rather than use, unless trained)
Primary and secondary escape routes from area
Location of assembly point
Fire risk assessment and fire emergency written plan
Signature of employee
3. Safeguarding / Yes / No / Comments
Senior designated person and reserve
Incident and disclosure reporting
Copy of policy and signature of employee
4. First aid and incident reporting / Yes / No / Comments
Trained first aid personnel
First-aid facilities e.g. emergency/eyewash/shower
The use of the Incident Reporting form for incidents, hazards, work-related injuries and illnesses, fires and near misses
The use of the minor incident logs
Signature of employee
4. Communication and information management / Yes / No / Comments
General health and safety advice, including the schools own guidance and that from the LA
Employee problems and concerns - specific duties and responsibilities for the management of staff welfare
Access to well being advice, counselling and other staff support schemes
Grievance procedures (as they relate to health & safety)
Signature of employee
5. Risk assessments / Yes / No / Comments
One-on-one instruction and supervision of young and inexperienced workers (and work experience students)
Initial advice to women of child bearing age about the need for 'expectant and new mothers' risk assessment
Working at height, general advice and risk assessment
Arrangements for educational visits
For certain staff (head teacher, bursar, business manager, caretaker, etc) the arrangements for ensuring the duties relating to asbestos risk assessment management are fulfilled and that the asbestos survey report is available.
For certain staff (head teacher, bursar, business manager, caretaker, etc) the arrangements for ensuring the duties relating to the legionella risk assessment management are fulfilled, and water temperatures are monitored
Signature of employee
6. Hazard spotting and reporting
Reporting of hazards, the use of the hazard log
General housekeeping and maintenance of access and egress
Signature of employee
7. General workplace safety
Safety procedures for machines, including design technology equipment
Safe stacking of materials
Restricted areas and equipment
Portable appliance testing and use of own equipment
Preventing slips and trips guidance
Signature of employee
8. Training
Have the health and safety training needs of the new starter been identified?
List here and health and safety training needs identified and any additional health and safety information required by/ for the new starter

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