Maximising the impact of external CPD

The use of external consultants, courses, and resources to support teachers’ CPD can, for some school leaders, be a cause for concern. Many school leaders grapple with worries around the time, cost, impact and prospective value for money represented by the providers and opportunities with which they and their staff members engage. Some have made the decision to begin limiting their engagement with external providers.

This is a worrying development. As our recent review of the international research into effective teacher development showed, external input is a common element across the most effective programmes of professional development for staff.

It is important for a number of reasons. External input offers not only constructive support but also important challenge – helping teachers and leaders to identify the approaches, habits and perhaps preconceptions that exist within their own practice or across the school and develop upon these where necessary.