The benefits of peer mentoring in school settings are well-documented, however, the focus has been on the perceptions of teachers, as opposed to teaching assistants, who report distinct beliefs about their professional development. A mixed methodology was used in which 304 primary school teaching assistants completed questionnaires regarding their…

Background: Research evidence on what makes CPD effective is accumulating. Yet, fundamental questions about the specific features that lead to programme success. Furthermore, very little research investigates the nature and quality of CPD providers' (tutors) practices. Taking a closer look at how CPD providers support teachers to learn is…

This exploratory study investigated an educational psychologist's use of a strengths-based development tool with head teachers, in the context of influencing and supporting leaders in school organisations. Nine head teachers completed the "Realise2 Introductory Profile" online strengths assessment and then received a structured debrief…

This paper explores writing pedagogy in the primary classroom and connections between children thinking creatively and their achievement in writing. Initially 'continuing professional development' for teachers, I designed and facilitated a two-day writing workshop with a class of children around the theme of a Victorian murder mystery. This was…

This study looked at the impact of a precision teaching training programme which was delivered by the authors to primary school staff at a range of training settings. A questionnaire was used to gather information and data were interpreted using thematic analysis. Following training, a questionnaire was sent to all the primary schools that had…

Research on teacher professional development is extensive but there are fewer studies about the practitioners who facilitate professional development. Here we report on a pilot programme for professional development facilitators rooted in a cycle of action research. Informed by a categorisation of professional knowledge and skills of facilitators,…

Supporting pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mainstream schools is a challenging task. This article proposes a professional development framework for educational psychologists (EPs) to consider when supporting the development of specialist ASD staff. The framework focuses on training content, educator characteristics and organisational…

This study evaluated the impact and acceptability of a three-hour bespoke training workshop for sports coaches and teachers to subsequently deliver a sport-for-health smoking prevention intervention in primary schools. Questionnaires were completed pre- and post-training by both teachers (N = 24) and coaches (N = 8), and post-intervention by…

This article reports findings from the first year of a longitudinal, mixed-methods case study of a large teaching school alliance in England. This national initiative is intended to drive improvement at system level by grouping schools around formally designated teaching schools. These "alliances" work collaboratively to share learning,…

In this paper, the results of an investigation into the training needs and expectations of participants of professional development training for specialist teachers and assessors of learners with literacy difficulties and dyslexia are discussed and analysed. The methodology includes both qualitative and quantitative data which were collected over…

This research investigates aspirations for a master's-level teaching profession in England, providing key stakeholder perceptions in one densely populated region within a multiple case study. Although this intended move to a master's-level profession represented a major shift in teachers' professional development in England, only limited…

Evaluating the connections between the appraisal, or performance management, of different professional groups, and their subsequent uptake of continuing professional development (CPD), is valuable for both employees and managers. The linking of appraisal systems with professional/personal development plans amongst health professionals is now…

This paper reports research on effects on teachers' classroom practices resulting from their engagement in sustained professional development and classroom teaching of a resource that embeds carefully designed dynamic technology within middle school mathematics (11-14 years). The research investigated the self-reported evolution of teachers'…

European education agendas have emphasized the importance of early childhood education in providing the foundations for lifelong learning. Central to the success of early childhood education is the quality of provision, with the workforce being key. While qualifications levels are frequently cited as important for the quality of provision here we…

This small-scale quasi-experimental study set out to examine the effects of a brief training programme aiming to develop primary school teachers' knowledge, attitudes and confidence in recognising and responding to children who display sexual behaviours. Data on prevalence of sexual behaviours observed by teachers in the study, their level of…