Greenford High School

 
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING SCHOOL STATUS:

One of the school’s most successful areas in recent years has been the continuing professional development of all members of the school community. This will continue to be an area that the school is fully committed to. The SLT’s belief is that a key means of improving standards of teaching and learning is through developing the skills and knowledge of all our staff, helping to enable both them and their students to reach their full potential. The following provides a brief summary of how we go about this:

Initial Teacher Training
GHS has a strong partnership with the Institute of Education, helping to develop cohorts of STs throughout the year, a number of whom go on to develop successful careers at the school. The programme is overseen by Joanne Leaver-Cole as the Professional Co-ordinating Mentor (PCM); Peter Mather and Jeremy Jones both contribute to the IOE Social Science Course. Our commitment to ITT extends to prospective STs from the local community, and some ex-pupils, who visit the school to observe lessons before undertaking their own courses. As a school, we also feel that the experience of working with STs helps our staff reflect and improve on their own practice in the classroom. We also work in partnership with the following institutions: St. Mary’s college (BA QTS PE), Brunel University, The Open University, (flexible PGCE programme) and other ITT institutions. In addition, the school also has members of staff undertaking the Graduate Training Programme in MFL, PE and English currently.

NQTs 
The school has a strong and well established programme for inducting NQTs, including a two day induction process early in July, strong departmental support, regular meetings and training sessions, a team of experienced mentors, a full programme of observations and feedback. Wherever possible, NQTs are employed by GHS from July, allowing NQTs 2-3 weeks induction in departments before each new academic year.

Weekly CPD programme
On most Wednesdays, a 45-60 minute training session is available for various cohorts. Sessions are open to all staff although directed to particular cohorts, e.g. NQTs/new staff; support staff; and Middle Leaders/Heads of Department. A calendar of events is available in early September, though inevitably it is subject to change. Click here for the current CPD training programme.

Residential Programme
Last year we organised a Middle Leaders Residential to launch our training programme for Heads of Department; this replaced our usual one taking place for NQT's/New Staff at the start of the academic year.

Observation and feedback
The school strongly believes that this is key area in enabling staff to improve on their own practice. Observations take place in many different forms at GHS: by Subject Leaders, NQT Mentors, SLT, peers, visitors to the school and LEA consultants. We also have a system of learning walks that provides us with an overview of learning and teaching practice in the school.

Training School Manager
Since our recognisiton as a training school, Peter Mather has held this position; responsible for ITT, NQT Induction, GTP's, CPD and related matters such as Investors in People and the incorpoaration of CPD into our Performance Management cycle. Peter also has responsibility for further degrees and qualifications (see below). Joanne Leaver-Cole works closely within the Training School remit; currently leading ITT but with a general overview of supporting staff development at all levels.

Inset
GHS has a full and varied programme of Inset days and evenings. More recent Inset has focussed on such issues as Assessment for Learning and Thinking Skills.

External training
The school has an outstanding record in encouraging and enabling staff to attend training outside of the institution itself, believing that this helps us to constantly improve our own practice. Within the limitations created by cover requirements and funding, the SLT believes that external courses and meetings help to continually bring in fresh ideas to the school.

Further degrees and qualifications
The school has an excellent record of funding/partially funding applications for further courses, including MA degrees, NPQH, NVQ’s, Leading from the Middle, Future Leaders and the teaching leaders programmes.