Continuing Professional Development

Continuing Professional Development

The county is committed to the professional development of all staff and every school has a CPD leader who is responsible for the strategic development of CPD within their school.

The learning culture in your school should ensure that all staff benefit from sustained and effective professional development

To support this the Workforce Development team focuses on the following areas of work :

·CPD Leadership
·NQT Induction
·Succession Planning
·Advanced Skills Teachers
·Support staff training and development
·Initial Teacher Training (SCITT and GTP)

CPD Leadership

CPD Leaders are an integral part of making sure that CPD is at the heart of school development. The TDA has developed a three year strategy which identified three priorities for the professional development of the children’s workforce in schools and emphasises how children and young people will only meet their full potential if schools make informed decisions about how best to deploy and develop all staff. This starts with making the links between professional development, performance review and the school improvement plan.

For more information click on the link : www.tda.gov.uk

Click on : Strategy for the development of the children’s workforce in schools

NQT Induction

We place a high priority on support for our newly qualified teachers (NQTs) and offer a first class induction programme.

This programme:

  • recognises the importance of the role of the induction tutor and provides effective preparation and support for this role
  • is based on structured monitoring and support, including observation and review discussions with an induction tutor
  • builds on information in the Career Entry and Development Profile and is tailored to the newly qualified teacher's individual needs
  • relates to the specific teaching context
  • involves the setting of targets for professional development which will support the newly qualified teacher to meet the induction standards
  • provides a firm foundation for career-long professional development and
  • provides access to a core council induction programme and the opportunity to meet and network with other NQTs.

All NQTs will receive advice and guidance from a trained induction tutor in their own school. The induction tutor will also be involved in planning the school–based induction programme, which is negotiated between the NQT and the school, and is based on what is most appropriate to meet identified needs. The induction tutor will also have day-to-day responsibility for the monitoring and assessment of the NQT.


Suffolk has a dedicated website for NQTs at http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/EducationAndLearning/WorkBasedLearning/WorkingWithChildren/Schools/NewlyQualified/

Succession Planning – Growing School Leaders

Succession Planning is key to the success of the future of school leadership. There is a rich and varied programme of initiatives for all aspiring leaders, from those teachers in the early stages of their careers to Middle leaders, aspiring NPQH applicants and graduates. From June 2010 all governing bodies will need to have a Succession Planning policy in operation.

Please click on the link here for the comprehensive pages on all the Succession Planning opportunities

Support staff

Please click on the link here to access the relevant pages

Initial Teacher Training

Suffolk schools have established successful partnerships with a number of regional higher education institutions and other local providers of initial teacher training. In Suffolk we recognise the significant benefits that initial teacher training can bring to both schools and individual teachers. It can provide a unique opportunity for experienced teachers to develop key professional and personal skills, as well as helping to train the next generation of teachers. Newly qualified teachers will be able to benefit from schools that are used to mentoring and developing less experienced teachers.

We also work in partnership with Norfolk as an initial teacher training provider, through our successful Primary and Secondary School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) schemes and Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP).

To support the professional development of trainees, newly qualified teachers and teachers in their early years of teaching we also have a number of training schools, Leading Edge and specialist schools, all of which work collaboratively with us.

For more information click here

Further Study

Opportunities for further professional study, at graduate and postgraduate level, are provided by many of the region's universities, either through face-to-face or distance learning. Suffolk County Council has achieved partner college status with Anglia Polytechnic University and through Suffolk Anglia Ruskin University (SARU), teachers can participate in a range of credit bearing modules. These can contribute towards postgraduate certificate, diploma or masters level awards and qualifications. Opportunities for teachers to engage in supported school-based action research are also available.

For more details on the range of professional development opportunities in Suffolk , visit the CPD courses website at www.suffolkcpd.co.uk.



For a broader perspective on your own professional and career development visit www.teachernet.gov.uk/development


Teachers’ professional associations have information on CPD for their members – links to the associations’ websites are: