Teacher Development Trust
| Founder | Mark McCourt, Martin Post, Robin Shlinklert, David Weston |
|---|---|
| Type | Registered Charity |
| Registration no. | Charity ref 1147447 |
| Focus | Education |
| Location | |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people |
David Weston, Chief Executive Sir John Holman, Chair of Trustees Lord Andrew Adonis, Honorary President |
| Website | http://www.TDTrust.org/ |
The Teacher Development Trust is a UK charity which works to raise awareness of the importance of professional development for teachers and other education professionals.
Founded by teachers in London in March 2012, the Trust promotes access to evidence-based, high quality training through its nationwide programmes.
Mission
Teacher Development Trust mission statement:
- "The Teacher Development Trust is an independent charity, founded by teachers, dedicated to improving the educational outcomes of children by ensuring they experience the most effective learning. We are raising awareness of the importance of professional development and building tools to help teachers to transform their practice and achieve success for all their pupils.
- "The Trust believes that demand for professional learning should be driven by the aspiration teachers have for the children they teach and the passion they bring to their work.
- "We are determined to bring about radical improvement in the quality of the ongoing training that teachers receive based on the evidence of what creates effective learning."
The Trust also states that it aims to promote types and characteristics of teacher professional development proved successful by "strong international research".[1]
Chief executive David Weston has said:
- "Our ultimate vision is that in five years, England stands out above other nations in the developed world in the value and priority it gives to CPD. We can do this if we grow what we have achieved so far, rather than starting from scratch."
Origins
In April 2012 the British government closed the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA), the national body formerly responsible for teachers’ training and professional development.[2]
In response to the planned closure, Teacher Development Trust was founded by teachers as a new agency aiming to support teachers’ professional learning.
Programmes
Teacher Development Trust currently runs two nationwide programmes alongside its ad hoc consultancy services.
TDT Advisor
TDT Advisor is the Trust’s professional development database. It provides listings and ratings for professional development training courses, consultancy, and other services.
TDT Advisor was launched in 2012 and is free of charge to providers and users.
Users are able to review courses and resources they have used. This has been compared to the "TripAdvisor" style of rating, referring to the popular site’s effective use of user generated content.[3]
In January 2013, a partnership was set up between Teacher Development Trust, Education Endowment Foundation and Sutton Trust. As part of this partnership, GoodCPDGuide professional development listings are aligned with the topics listed in the EEF-Sutton Trust Teaching and Learning Toolkit. This Toolkit summarises research to provide "guidance to teachers and schools on how to use their resources to improve the attainment of disadvantaged pupils."[4]
All TDT Advisor users must agree to the site’s Code of Practice.[5] Teacher Development Trust, EEF and Sutton Trust, undertake joint random quality sampling.
Teacher Development Trust Network
In July 2013, Teacher Development Trust launched the Network (formerly known as the National Teacher Enquiry Network (NTEN)).[6]
TDT Network is an opt-in UK school network whose member organisations will share and develop evidence-based professional development practice.[7]
TDT Network members by region as of 23 March 2015:[8]
- James Calvert Spence College
- The Northumberland Church of England Academy
- Cramlington Learning Village
- Percy Hedley Upper School
- Walbottle Campus
- Bexhill Academy
- Belmont Community School
- Macmillan Academy
- Robert Ferguson Primary School
- Sir John Thursby Community College (Secondary School)
- Ripley Saint Thomas Church of England High School
- St. Mary's Catholic College
- Meols Cop High School
- Manchester Enterprise Academy
- The Grange School
- The Winsford Academy
- Kelsall Community Primary School
- Huntington School
- Withernsea High School
- Goxhill Primary School
- Ulceby St Nicholas C Of E Primary School
- Wrawby St Mary's Church of England Primary School
- Frodingham Infant School
- Bottesford Infant School
- Minsthorpe Community College
- Saint Bernard's Catholic High School
- Skipton Girls' High School
- Lincoln UTC
- Bishop King Church of England Primary School
- Robin Hood Primary School
- Bluecoat Academy
- Hodge Hill Primary School
- Park View School
- Aston University Engineering Academy
- Baverstock School
- Heart of England School
- Sidney Stringer Academy
- Bilton School
- Ysgol Tudno
- Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn
- Ysgol John Bright
- Blessed William Davies Catholic Primary School
- Ysgol Sant Elfod Junior School
- Ysgol Glan Gele
- Ysgol Llanddulas
- Tan Y Marian School
- Ysgol Porth Y Felin
- Pant Y Rhedyn Primary School
- Ysgol Bro Gwydir
- Smithdon High School
- Aylsham High School
- Dereham Neatherd High School
- Samuel Ward Academy
- Oakwood County Infant School
- St Georges C Of E School
- Saint John's Green County Primary School
- Saffron Walden County High School
- Knights Templar School
- Kings Road Primary School
- King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
- The Cathedral Primary School
- Mildmay Junior School
- Riverside Primary School
- Waterman Primary School
- Grove Wood Primary School
- Cherry Tree Primary School and Nursery
- Shenfield High School
- Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred
- Roding Valley High School
- Berkhamsted School
- Coopers' Company & Coborn School
- Robert Clack School (Lower Site)
- Cleveland Infants' and Junior Schools
- Rush Croft Sports College
- Walthamstow Academy
- Marner Primary School
- Cardinal Pole Catholic School
- Bethnal Green Academy
- Highbury Grove School
- The King Alfred School
- The UCL Academy
- Quintin Kynaston School
- Paddington Academy
- ARK Conway Primary Academy
- ARK Bentworth Primary Academy
- Brentside High School
- Elthorne Park High School
- Sydenham School
- Harris Academy
- Greenshaw High School
- The Avenue Primary School
- Wallington High School for Girls
- Wells Cathedral School
- Shenley Brook End School
- Holmesdale Technology College
- Oakwood Park Grammar School
- Uplands Community Technology College
- Oriel High School
- St Josephs Specialist School and College
- St Bernadette's R C Primary School
- Cottesmore St. Mary's Catholic Primary School
- West Blatchington Primary and Nursery School
- Blatchington Mill School & Sixth Form College
- West Hove Infant School
- The Regis School
- John Madejski Academy
- Wellington College
- The Henry Box School
- Wells Cathedral School
- Farmor's School
Services offered to members of the network include:
- A peer-audit scheme, whereby members are trained to review provisions for professional development in other member organisations.
- Support to implement NTEN Lesson Study, a process of practitioner-led enquiry.
- Networking opportunities and events
- Advice on optimising professional development in schools
TDT Lesson Study is based on the theory and practice of Lesson Study, a teaching improvement process originating from Japan. In Lesson Study, teachers work in a small group to discuss their learning goals, create a "research lesson", then observe this lesson to revise and report on results. Groups finish by writing and disseminating their findings to assist colleagues and other teachers.
Lesson Study has been credited as enabling "better understanding of student thinking in order to develop lessons that advance student learning".[9] Pilot Lesson Study schemes in England in 2003-2005 have also shown that the process allows for "increased risk-taking […] through sharing the ownership of the lesson and its outcomes – which contrasts sharply with much of the effects of inspection and performance management oriented observation which can lead teachers to play safe".[10]
Other work
Teacher Development Trust provides free advice for teachers and schools and offers support and consultancy for training providers.[11]
The Trust runs a frequent blog on professional development and contributes each month to SecEd, a weekly magazine for secondary education.[12]
The Trust was represented at the Education Innovation conference in Manchester in March 2013[13] and at the Research ED Conference 2013 where chief executive David Weston spoke on Bridging the Chasm Between Practitioners and Researchers.[14][15][16][17]
David Weston is also a regular contributor to the Guardian newspaper’s Teacher network.[18][19][20]
Response
The Department for Education, the Teaching Agency and the National College for School Leadership have all expressed support for the Teacher Development Trust.[3]
In a speech to teachers and headteachers at the National College for Teaching and Leadership on 25 April 2013, Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove said of the Trust’s chief executive David Weston:
"I’m […] indebted to David Weston, Chief Executive of the Teacher Development Trust - who is a principled and non-partisan voice for reform"[21]
In its September 2013 report on the causes of educational failure, Requires Improvement, the Centre for Social Justice used Teacher Development Trust research and reports to demonstrate the importance of professional standards in teacher development.
The Trust has also gained support from major education organisations Iris Connect for its "rigid focus upon the quality of CPD provision"[22] and from Optimus Education, who described the Trust as a "grass-roots alternative in development, designed to support members of the profession at all stages of their careers."[3]
In May 2013, chief executive David Weston was appointed to the judging panel for the EducationInvestor awards.
Management
The Trust’s chief executive is David Weston, a former maths and physics teacher and Chair of the Department for Education's Teachers' Professional Development Expert Group.[23] The Trust’s work is supported by former and current teaching professionals and education experts.[24] Public Relations and communications for the Trust are run by Consilium Communications.
Trustees
The Trust’s board of trustees is made up[25] of:
- John Holman (Chair), President, Royal Society of Chemistry, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at the University of York and Senior Adviser in Education at the Wellcome Trust and the Gatsby Foundation, Chair of the Salters Institute, Former Headteacher. Former Headteacher.
- Mark McCourt was the founding Chairman of the Teacher Development Trust. He is Chief Executive of La Salle Education and formerly senior director at Tribal, director at NCETM, a school leader, inspector and AST.
- Russell Hobby, General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers
- Andy Buck, Managing Director of Leadership Matters and Dean of the Leadership Faculty at Teaching Leaders. Former Director of Teaching Schools at the National College.
- Sam Freedman, Research, Evaluation and Impact Director at TeachFirst, formerly Policy Advisor to Michael Gove at the Department for Education
- Charlotte Leslie MP, representing the constituency of Bristol North West, member of the parliamentary Education Select Committee, former policy adviser to the Shadow Secretary for Education and Skills.
- Dame Alison Peacock, National Network Leader at the Cambridge Primary Review, Headteacher at the Wroxham School (a national teaching school)
- Anna Pedroza, an independent communications and marketing consultant who works with TeachersMedia, Edcomshttp://www.edcoms.com/, O2 Learn and Iris Connect. Formerly Director of Marketing and Communications at Teachers TV.
- Martin Post, Headmaster of Watford Grammar School for Boys and National Leader of Education
- Robin Schlinkert, Sales manager at Google, former Senior Associate at McKinsey
Advisory Board
The Trust's advisory board is made up of:
- Juliet Brookes, Senior Manager, Research and Development Networks at the National College
- Professor Robert Coe, Professor in the School of Education and Director of the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) at Durham University
- Philippa Cordingley, Chief Executive, Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Education (CUREE)
- Professor Pete Dudley, Professor of Education, University of Leicester, formerly Director of the Primary National Strategy
- Liz Francis, Deputy Director, Performance Unit, Department for Education. Formerly director of workforce strategy, standards and qualifications at TDA
- Dr Jonathan Sharples, Manager of Partnerships at the Institute for Effective Education
External links
References
- ↑ Teacher Development Trust. "Mission".
- ↑ "TDA announce CPD database closure".
- 1 2 3 Optimus Education. "The Teacher Development Trust".
- ↑ "About the Toolkit".
- ↑ "Code of Practice".
- ↑ "Introducing the National Teacher Enquiry Network".
- ↑ "Teacher Development Trust Network".
- ↑ "National Teacher Enquiry Network (NTEN)". Teacher Development Trust. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ↑ Wang-Iverson, Patsy. "Why Lesson Study?".
- ↑ Dudley, Pete. "The 'lesson study' model of classroom enquiry".
- ↑ Teacher Development Trust. "Services".
- ↑ SecEd. "Teacher Development Trust blog".
- ↑ Teacher Development Trust. "CPD for Innovation".
- ↑ Research ED 2013. "A Reading List".
- ↑ Sherrington, Tom. "Research ED 2013, What a day!".
- ↑ Bartle, Kevin. "Pedagogic Pluralism: An Antidote to Pathologisation and Hyper-Rationalisation?".
- ↑ Kelly, Fearghal. "#researched2013".
- ↑ Weston, David. "How effective is the professional development undertaken by teachers?".
- ↑ Weston, David. "The future of career progression in teaching".
- ↑ Weston, David. "Why are teachers leaving education?".
- ↑ Gove, Michael. "Michael Gove speech to teachers and headteachers at the National College for Teaching and Leadership".
- ↑ IRIS Connect. "A relentless focus upon higher quality CPD".
- ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/teachers-professional-development-expert-group
- ↑ Teacher Development Trust. "About".
- ↑ http://tdtrust.org/about/our-team