Teachers’ Professional Development Expert Group

An independent group of teachers, headteachers, academics and education experts working to define a new standard for teachers’ professional development.

Output of the group

The new standard published on 12 July 2016 sets out a clear description of effective practice in professional development for teachers.

The standard:

  • helps teachers and providers of teacher training to understand aspects of good-quality professional development
  • clarifies some common misconceptions
  • complements the existing teachers’ standards

The standard is non-statutory. Schools will still be able to define their approach to professional development according to their own needs.

Conduct of the group

The group considered evidence from England and internationally. The group:

  • called for expert advice and evidence
  • published recommendations responding to its call for evidence on GOV.UK
  • provided opportunities for the teaching profession and its representatives to engage with the development of the standard

Membership

The members of the independent expert group were:

David Weston (Chair): CEO, Teacher Development Trust (TDT), a former physics and maths secondary teacher, and governor at a primary and a secondary school

Professor Rob Coe: Professor of Education and Director, CEM Centre, Durham, and one of the authors of the TDT’s systematic review into effective teacher development

Philippa Cordingley: founder and CEO, Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Education (CUREE), and one of the authors of the TDT’s systematic review into effective teacher development

Hélène Galdin-O’Shea: Research Advocate, Park High School, Harrow, London, and co-founder of ResearchED

Simon Knight: Special School Deputy Head, Frank Wise School, Oxfordshire; Associate Director, National Education Trust; and Director of Teaching School at the Oxfordshire Teaching Schools Alliance

Stéphanie Lefort: Head of Teaching and Learning Development, Aylsham School, Norfolk

Micon Metcalfe: Specialist Leader of Education in School Business Management, Dunraven School, Streatham, London

Cat Scutt: Director of Education and Research at the Chartered College of Teaching

Alex Quigley: Curriculum Deputy, Director of Learning and Research, and English teacher, Huntington School, York

The following guest members advised the group:

Jonathan Sharples: Senior Researcher, Education Endowment Foundation, and Partnerships Manager, Institute for Effective Education, University of York

Professor Jonathan Shepherd: Honorary Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons; commission member, Royal College of Teaching, The Prince’s Teaching Institute Commission; College of Policing proposer; council member, Academy of Medical Sciences; and member of the Home Office Science Advisory Council

Observer:

Sean Harford: His Majesty’s Inspector and National Director, Schools Policy, Ofsted

Contact details

PD.EXPERTGROUP@education.gov.uk