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TWS Professional Learning and Development Policy

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In order to meet the diverse and changing needs of its students and staff, TWS constantly reviews and evaluates its provision and development needs The school, therefore provides a comprehensive  programme  of guidance, training and professional development for all staff to enhance students’ achievement and the efficient leadership of the school

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Light bulb on yellow background with sketched light beams and cord

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The Westminster School is committed to fostering a positive climate for continuous learning.  Professional Learning and Development is the means by which the school can motivate and develop its teaching and learning community.    All staff have opportunities to discuss their professional needs through performance management / appraisal as well as other professional dialogues.  TWS’ PLD provision will allow staff to develop skills and competencies progressively allowing them to build on and reinforce skills, particularly across the key areas identified in the appropriate standards frameworks and PLD training at TWS addresses and supports the school vision and needs.  It does so at a variety of levels - individual, team, whole school and through wider networks. The school is committed to provide appropriate and personalised opportunities for staff development. We aspire to improve standards and raise morale through personal and professional fulfilment.  High-quality induction and continuing support and development is crucial for a consistent and personalised approach to PLD.

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To help put student learning and attainment at the heart of our work   · To ensure that staff are provided with opportunities for professional and personal development which is underpinned by the National Curriculum Framework.   · To provide members of staff with the skills to prepare themselves for increased responsibility and career advancement.   · To ensure that faculty and staff are valued and recognized as the school’s most important resource and asset   · To ensure that the Professional Learning and Development Policy facilitates school improvement, by supporting the School Improvement Plan.   · To monitor and quality assure that priorities are being addressed through high quality PLD sessions.   · To equip staff to be able to respond to curriculum and institutional change.   · To encourage satisfaction, personal achievement, individual and team effort.

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Performance Development Managers, Subject Leaders, Heads of Teaching, Learning and Assessments and the Senior Leadership Team identify training and development priorities Opportunities are also offered to staff on a voluntary basis – this may provide individuals for the opportunities to address areas related to career progression or leadership progression or succession Individual CPD needs can also be identified through the lesson observation process The ‘in-house’ PLD programme has been developed to meet the needs of staff External course bookings also support the introduction of new initiatives, curriculum and specification changes On completion of training staff are required to share resources or outcomes at department meetings or at regular training sessions. The impact of the PLD sessions is monitored consistently, by the leaders to evaluate progress and plan future training needs.

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All new staff at The Westminster School take part in a full week induction programme. The new staff days seeks to balance the specific role training required coupled with the opportunity to meet new people and be welcomed to the community. This consists of sessions which support the new staff with the procedures, ethos and good practice identified by the school prior to starting their new role  For individuals promoted internally or changing posts, support is offered between the appointed person and the line manager  New Teachers are supported with a full and comprehensive induction  programme  which features regular mentoring and support, lesson observations and feedback, and access to the school in-house PLD  programme  For appointment of Learning Support Teachers / Assistants, they are inducted by the SENCO and Pastoral Head.

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The school intends to start a teaching and learning community route for their disaggregated PLD routes within the school The teaching and learning communities shall have an agreed focus for the year, which they will meet regularly to concentrate on, by combining a mixture of taught sessions and reflective practice

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To meet the global standards of providing quality teaching and learning, PLD sessions are disaggregated into Training sessions/ workshops, Staff Meetings by Principal and Asst In an effort to provide continuous improvement, expand potential and energise learning, the internal PLD program comprises a blend of both face-to-face and online training as well All teachers undergo a week long induction module at the start of the academic year which highlights the focus for the year. This module comprises sessions on curriculum, pastoral and well-being.

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New Staff and Early Career Teachers Pathways Intermediate Level Pathways Advanced Level Leadership Development  Programme

PLD’s will be designed for Staff based on their relative starting points or their role .

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Each teacher is permitted to attend at least one external PLD sessions per term, the impact of which must be evidenced in classroom practices.  Courses for each member of staff are selected from the TELLAL PD Calendar, logged and tracked in the TWS PLD Roster to ensure a fair approach for all. The Academic team with the approval of the respective Assistant Principals, nominates teachers based on their individual needs and department requirements. The teachers then register through PHOENIX and the final approval is done by the PLD Coordinator. (More information about TELLAL courses can be explored at  https://www.tellalinstitute.com /)  Registration must be done at least 10 days prior to the PLD session so that there is ample time for approvals. It is the sole responsibility of the teacher going for PLD to submit the transport request five (5) days in advance with the approval of the HTLA (Primary/Secondary)

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A facilitator should be an expert in the subject, should have personally implemented his/her strategy/tool/technique which is being shared, in his/her own lessons and should be able to testify its success during the PLD session/ must create an advert and invite teachers to sign up/give a personal feedback and get the attendees also to give a feedback The content to be delivered and resources used must be quality checked by the respective Assistant Principals & HTLAs & DHTLA

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Being  a  Coachee :  Each of the new and acceptable teachers are the  Coachee . The  Coachee  goes through the coaching  programme  cycles with their respective coaches. If the teacher demonstrates Good teaching standards over time, then he/she is weaned off from the coaching  programme .  Being a Coach:  A coach is usually appointed only by the Academic Team. All coaches will be formally inducted into the program and in house training will be provided.   The Coaching Cycle:   The First Cycle must be completed by December (end of Term 1); the Second Cycle by March (Mid-Term) and the Third Cycle by May (end of Term 2).  ol

A coaching programme is usually run every academic year to help upskill new and acceptable teachers to achieve professional expertise and excellence, using the GROW model approach, that is  designed across three coaching cycles.

All coaches are formally inducted into the program through in-house training; and will feed back (with all documents) to the HTLA (the Lead Learning Coach).  Coaching is carried out through a series of meetings & discussions, where the focus is mutually identified, followed by observations for development and feedback.  The above procedure can be repeated, the focus being the same in most cases, but with further expansion. The program will be shared with all coaches and  coachees

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TWS is also involved in training teacher trainees from TELLAL. A TWS teacher acts as a mentor to the teacher trainee, to support the learning in all key set of teaching competencies. All mentors are appointed by the HTLA & DHTLA (Primary/Secondary) approved by the Asst. Principals.  Teachers with expertise, at TWS have been providing instructional coaching as mentors, to trainee/in-service teachers at TELLAL. For a few specific Online TELLAL training sessions like HLTPs, a mentor is required within the school.

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To increase leadership capacity in the school to have an immediate impact on the quality of teaching and learning, leading to improved attainment To provide future leaders for TWS and other schools as part of succession planning for the school and for GEMS Education To provide improved promotion opportunities for staff at The Westminster School

The Leadership Development Programme at TWS is a new initiative  that is yet in its first year of inception. Designed to identify and develop leadership potential within TWS,      The aims of the  programme  are:

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External course attendance -TELLAL Training Institute/ What Works/ GEMS U In-house CPD programme Involvement in Department Teams Action Research Projects CAIE / Pearson Edexcel / Oxford AQA - Exam marking and Curriculum Development Training Membership of GEMS Network Leader Groups Formal and informal Lesson Observations Mentoring of new staff/Trainee teachers

Further development activities for staff are both for groups and  personalised  to meet individual need. All contribute to the school direction and vision

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7. Evaluating Impact and Disseminating Good Practice

All staff are responsible for evaluating and disseminating PLD (where appropriate).   The Academic   Team with the PLD Coordinator co-ordinates this evaluation and provides a framework for rigorous  quality assurance; ensuring that PLD is of the highest quality and meets school and individual need.

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Professional Learning and Development Policy

Heads of Teaching, Learning and Assessments

Career Teachers
Pathways Intermediate Level
Pathways

Advanced Level
Leadership Development Programme

Leadership Development Program
The Leadership Development Programme

Department Teams
Action Research Projects
CAIE

Curriculum Development Training
Membership