CPD
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) refers to the ongoing learning undertaken by professionals after their initial qualification. We expect all individuals to further their knowledge and capabilities within their field, aligning with both immediate job requirements and long-term career aspirations. CPD is crucial for maintaining relevance and effectiveness in a role.
Whatever your role in The Good Shepherd Trust, we offer a range of professional development. This takes the form of:
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Online training that is essential for compliance
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Additional online training specific to your role, both mandatory and optional
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Courses provided by experts within GST, both online and in-person
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Opportunities provided externally
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Networks for various curriculum subjects or aspects of education, finance, premises and human resources
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In-service training (INSET) school-led, within hubs and trust-wide over eight school days each year
Trust provided professional learning
Our professional learning schedule for 2024-25
This document, published annually, allows for individuals and schools to plan their professional learning journey over the year. It includes all of our online training, available through our HR system, Every.
External professional learning
None of our staff is restricted to GST opportunities. We partner with a number of organisations and encourage staff to take up these opportunities.
Teachers in our schools are able to access the full suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs). Whilst individual schools may use other providers, our preferred providers are GLF, and the Church of England and Catholic Education Service.
NPQs from 2024/25
We are continuing with our current cohorts of NPQs, but new applications for Autumn 24 will have different funding arrangements.
On 21 March, DfE released NPQ funding information for new participants starting in Autumn 2024.
The bursary funding is capped at 10,800 places nationally, and lead providers will be given bursary allocations, which they will then share with their delivery partners.
Further details from the DfE can be found here.
From September, there will be scholarship funding for all teachers from publicly funded schools and 16-19 educational organisations up to the cap of 10,800 places in the following NPQs:
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NPQLPM- Leading Primary Mathematics
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NPQSEN – NPQ for those leading on SEND**
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NPQH - Headship
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NPQLTD – Leading Teacher Development (only for Lead Mentors working with an accredited ITT provider in 24-25)
In addition, funding is also available for:
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The Early Headship Coaching Offer, if you are in the first 5 years of headship; those heads will also need to be doing, or have done, the Headship NPQ
For all other NPQs, scholarship funding to cover the full NPQ course cost will be available to selected schools based on certain criteria. Headteacher of those school have been contacted to offer places.
Please read the offers from both providers on their websites. Application dates and the length of programme varies between providers. There are normally two cohorts per year, with application deadlines around September and January.