‘Schools and Continuing Professional Development in England – State of the Nation’ research study: policy context, aims and design

Abstract

This article introduces the Schools and Continuing Professional Development State of the Nation study (SoNS). Discussion of English policy together with an account of the study's aims and research design provide a context for the other articles included in this special issue. A key assumption behind the research, and the prevailing CPD policy context in England, is that organisational conditions in schools are highly influential in the development of sustained and effective classroom‐based, collaborative, inquiry‐oriented CPD. Therefore, the aims of the study investigated the range and kinds of support that schools in England provide as well as the range and kinds of CPD activities in which teachers were able to participate. Teachers’ professional learning practices and perspectives were researched in relation to three main themes: (a) the benefits, status and effectiveness of CPD; (b) the planning and organisation of CPD; and (c) access to CPD. These questions were explored through a mixed methods design consisting of three strands: (a) literature review; (b) qualitative research (school snapshots); and (c) a national survey of primary and secondary teachers in England. Discussion of processes and procedures of data analysis is followed by a summary of our conceptual model of schools and teachers’ CPD.

The lost promise of teacher professional development in England

“…We see little differentiation between primary schools with middling achievement and those with low achievement. This supports the overall finding from the Schools and continuing professional development (CPD) in England -State of the nation research project (Pedder et al 2009) that schools tend to have low levels of support for the professional learning of teachers. In this instance, only high performing primary schools appear to have the kinds of school influences most associated with continuous teacher professional learning.…”

“…That is, teachers in the middling to the lowest performing secondary schools reported very similar, low levels of learning activity effectiveness. Again, this is consistent with the general pattern found in the Schools and continuing professional development (CPD) in England -State of the nation research project (Pedder et al 2009) showing that teachers engage in very little professional development that could be considered effective at improving teaching and learning. …”

The power of one? Conditions which challenge managerial professional development practices

“…A recent large-scale study into the nature of CPD practices in schools in England (which had 1126 responses) found individual, isolated workshop approaches typify teachers' learning practices, many of which were associated with compliance with specific government priorities (Pedder, Storey, & Opfer, 2008). Similarly, Hustler, McNamara, Jarvis, Londra and Campbell (2003) reveal how 72% of 2259 survey respondents believed too many PD days in England were driven by national foci.…”

“…Such a stance reveals teachers also simultaneously engage in more ongoing, productive and substantive learning initiatives, thereby challenging narrower managerial approaches. In England, for example, a large scale review of relevant literature found that 11% of teachers undertook university accredited courses (Pedder et al, 2008). Pickering et al (2007) also reveal how teachers' collaboration in a Master's programme offered through the University of London led to teachers being more readily able to critique their own practices.…”

Perceptions of College Lecturers Regarding the Use of Performance Appraisal for Promoting Professional Development

“…The recommendation in their study is to link individuals' development to the analysis of needs through performance management and career development as well as self-evaluation and school improvement. Pedder, Storey and Opfer (2008) concur, arguing for a symbiotic approach that integrates strands of teachers' development, characterised by a strong correlation between performance management processes and opportunities for continuing professional development (in Walker, et al, 2011). However, Storey (2009) argues that the links between each of these strands are not yet fully understood and require further investigation.…”