5 Powerful Benefits of CPD in Schools

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, where pedagogies, technologies, and student needs shape a dynamic learning environment, educators grapple with a challenging yet crucial task – staying ahead of the curve. In this rapidly changing scenario, Continuous Professional Development (CPD) solutions have emerged as indispensable tools.

But how precisely does CPD benefit educators?

In this article, we will delve into 5 unique benefits of CPD in schools, illustrating the pivotal role it plays in supporting a responsive and empowered future for education.

CPD in Schools Broadens Teacher Knowledge

In recent years, the role of CPD in schools has expanded beyond traditional teaching and learning (T&L) support. Merely teaching curriculum content is no longer sufficient; there’s an increasing expectation to develop students’ broader emotional and interpersonal skills.

This includes a deeper understanding of areas like students’ emotional health and well-being, safeguarding, and supporting learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), as well as the ability to teach wider skills, such as teamwork, leadership, resilience, adaptability, flexibility, and critical thinking.

As a result, EdTech solutions for CPD in schools have become invaluable resources, helping teachers acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to integrate new dimensions into their teaching practices.

“With heightened demands on behaviour management, effective classroom strategies, positive learning environments, and addressing evolving socio-emotional needs, CPD becomes indispensable.” – Honeyguide School Leader Support

CPD Training for Teachers Enhances Wellbeing

For teachers, an already taxing profession is only becoming increasingly more demanding – and not only does this relate to classroom matters, but it also relates to duties outside the classroom.

As a result, this can often mean that schools are too side-tracked to afford CPD training for teachers the highest priority.

Yet, this is precisely where EdTech CPD solutions shine. To support the emotional toll of modern educational demands, EdTech CPD tools are often dynamic reporting tools, allowing schools to pinpoint areas for improvement, and will usually have timely library repositories with “easy-to-use resources that can be customised to address the specific needs of their school and staff team” (Honeyguide).

In essence, EdTech CPD solutions work to mitigate today’s challenges, providing a reflective and uplifting environment for educators to boost confidence through learning:

On top of this, EdTech CPD solutions often include dedicated mental health resources, empowering educators to manage their personal well-being.

Ultimately, when implemented school-wide, EdTech CPD in schools can foster a holistic sense of well-being, reducing isolation and creating a supportive educational community.

CPD in Education Fosters Collective Advancement and Innovation

Often, when we think of CPD for teachers, our minds often gravitate towards individual completion of formal training and qualifications. To illustrate, let’s contemplate a real-life scenario:

When we think of CPD for teachers, our minds often gravitate towards individual completion of formal training and qualifications. Consider this real-life scenario:

“Recently, I stood next to a Primary Headteacher who asked her 17 teaching staff how many had received CPD in the last three months. Only 3 put their hands up, and each could name the course they had been on. When she re-phrased the question, instead asking how many had regularly engaged in professional learning and providing a broader range of examples (e.g. self-reflection tools, mentoring, alternative curriculum exploration, observations, and best practice sharing), all the hands quickly went up.” – Ronnie Heath, CEO at real PE:

However, while formal skill development is crucial, this narrow conceptualisation tends to undervalue the broader role of CPD in education, leading to perceptions as a mere box-ticking exercise.

Effective professional development goes beyond individual growth; it contributes to the collective advancement of educational practices. Through consistent exposure to new methodologies, technologies, and ideas, CPD in education fosters shared innovation and creativity in the classroom.

This involves virtual gatherings, such as professional workshops, seminars, and industry events, peer-to-peer learning, including lesson observations, peer coaching, and collaborative planning, and even self-directed learning, involving reading professional literature, conducting research, and reflecting on teaching practices at one’s own pace. Ongoing participation in professional development, both collectively and individually, facilitates the sharing of new ideas and the evaluation of existing practices.

EdTech CPD solutions that focus on video-capture, such as GoReact and ONVU Learning, can be enormously beneficial for peer-to-peer learning and reflection.

Then, to truly embed collaboration and integrate a coaching culture, an effective CPD management system, such as TrainingSchoolz and SchooliP, enables schools to observe and evaluate their existing strategies.

Ultimately, effective CPD in education means cultivating a culture that promotes the professional growth of both a school and its staff, nurturing a collective journey towards excellence in education.

“CPD solutions are not just about fulfilling obligations; they are about enhancing the overall educational experience and fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement in schools” – SISRA Observe

CPD in Schools Keeps Educators Current

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, EdTech CPD solutions play a vital role in ensuring that teachers stay ahead and adapt to changes in technology, pedagogy, and curriculum.

Investing in teacher CPD courses helps educators remain effective and relevant, which ensures that students are given up-to-date and engaging educational experiences. It fosters a culture of continuous learning where staying informed is synonymous with professional growth.

Moreover, the implementation of EdTech CPD in schools ensures that all staff members are in sync with the guidance of the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted. This is particularly crucial as statutory demands on schools continue to rapidly evolve, highlighting the growing importance of EdTech CPD as a resource for maintaining legislative compliance.

“Given the pressures on schools, CPD is especially relevant today. In areas of recruitment and retention, research shows that those regularly engaged with CPD training are far likelier to be teaching a year later than those who aren’t.” – BlueSky Education

CPD for teachers equips staff with the skills to design and deliver effective and interactive learning experiences. Explore the diverse CPD solutions available on our marketplace to delver deeper into these opportunities.

EdTech CPD Solutions Can Unlock Career Pathways

Teaching professionals often embark on a continuous journey of learning and growth, and effectively embedded CPD in schools serves as a gateway to unlocking new career pathways. 

Through specialised training and expanded expertise, CPD for teachers enables exploration of diverse career possibilities within the education sector. 

Engaging in regular CPD training is both practical and a great way to adopt the mindset of lifelong learning and continuous improvement – an attitude crucial in any sector, but especially the dynamic educational landscape.

The Best CPD Solutions in Education, According to EdTech Impact Users

	BlueSky Education Award-winning appraisal and performance review processes, allowing school leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of CPD on classroom practice and school improvement.
	GoReact Enhanced opportunities for practice, self-reflection, and collaboration through a proven combination of video and feedback.
	Iris Connect Video-based CPD for teachers to reflect on practices, collaborate with colleagues, and share expertise that furthers teaching quality and improves pupil learning outcomes.
	Kapow Primary Carefully sequenced and updated curriculums and lesson plans, including CPD videos and materials that are tailored to each school’s unique needs and ensure ongoing statutory compliance.
	ONVU Learning Lesson capture solution that enables educators to reflect, collaborate, and analyse the entire T&L process, removing the stigma associated with current lesson observation techniques.
	real PE An interactive teaching platform with on-demand CPD resources designed to support the delivery of an outstanding PE curriculum that includes, challenges, and supports every child.
	Schoolaspect Web-based monitoring solution that enables schools to deliver a whole-school CPD approach devoted to all aspects of institutional improvement.
	SchooliP A single, easy, and cost-effective platform for managing every aspect of school improvement, allowing schools to foster collaboration and an institution-wide coaching culture.
	Spongy Elephant Offers educators structured training content in the form of bite-size videos, quizzes, printable resources, and certificates to gamify and support CPD training.
	The National College A single, multi-purpose CPD platform, featuring an up-to-date library of materials, as well as software for schools to plan, direct, monitor, and report on their whole setting.

Final Advice and Next Steps

So, now that you know why CPD is becoming increasingly popular as an EdTech solution, why not explore the wealth of CPD solutions available on EdTech Impact?

Remember to stay organised as you compare solutions by making notes and scoring each solution in a spreadsheet. Best of luck!

EdTech Impact aims to meet school buyer needs by connecting them with the world’s leading EdTech companies. Additionally, we set industry standards through our quality framework, and offer regular news content to assist school leaders in making informed decisions about their purchases.