Professional development for teachers: the benefits of and more

Professional development for teachers has never been more important with the emergence of new technologies and more students being diagnosed with neurological disorders.

There are numerous benefits of teacher professional development - and not just for the teachers!

However, with more and more demands being placed on teachers, do they have the time for CPD, and is it relevant to modern ways of working?

Is there a way to effectively ensure CPD for teachers is relevant and showcases competency in modern pedagogical practices, a changing landscape, and delivery practices?

Could ongoing assessment of professional competency for teachers be the answer?

In this blog, we will discuss why CPD for teachers is so important and how it can impact the whole school.

Reach out to our expert team to find out more about our professional development solutions.

What is continued professional development for teachers?

Before we begin, let’s make sure everyone understands what we mean by teacher professional development.

Teacher continual professional development is the ongoing development of skills and pedagogical practices.

It is vital to the quality of education as it should enable teachers to:

• Adapt to new and innovative developments
• Attune to changing students' needs
• Adjust classroom practice.

When combined, all of these should improve the outcome of not only the teachers’ delivery but also student performance, on which teachers also get assessed.

This shows that teacher professional development impacts more than just teachers - as it benefits learners, too.

However, according to TeacherTapp, 55% of teachers revealed their school hadn’t provided high-quality CPD opportunities.

Yet 66% of senior leaders and 76% of headteachers said the CPD offered was of high quality! This shows that there is a discrepancy between what teachers would like or expect and what senior leaders believe is worthy.

This might suggest that teachers do not have the competency and skills required for the fast-paced changes in teaching methodology.

Therefore, is the stringency of teacher CPD assessment effective enough?

Especially for such a high-stakes sector, it’s vital to implement a consistently high standard that assessment within professional qualifications could achieve.

The assessment aspect also ensures it remains a top priority for teachers and employers alike, and the benefits of teacher professional development impact everyone - showcasing its importance and value of investment.

What are the benefits of teacher professional development?

It’s no secret that teacher CPD can have many benefits, but what exactly are they?

1. Encourages new teachers to improve their skills

Gov.uk statistics show that 44,000 teachers joined the state-funded school sector for 2023/24!

As important as new-qualified teachers (NQTs) are for the education system, it’s imperative that they continue developing their skills and knowledge to ensure their confidence in classroom delivery grows and that pedagogical practices are cemented.

2. Introduced to new teaching approaches

There are 71 different learning methods that have been suggested, however, the main three are:

• Visual
• Auditory
• Kinaesthetic

No two students learn the same, so having various approaches to teaching ensures that all students - even those who are neurodivergent - have the opportunity to learn.

As the importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) increases, it's vital teachers, and educational facilities understand how to provide equal learning opportunities and possibilities for every member of the classroom, including special educational needs (SEN) and disabled learners.

3. Improve student achievement

Teacher success is often demonstrated through the success of students.

Therefore, by continuing professional development, teachers can deepen their understanding of what is required of pupils, which could benefit student success as well as their own.

4. Staying relevant despite change

With new technologies such as AI emerging, learning best practices will evolve throughout a teacher’s career.

Continued professional development for teachers allows for competency with these new technologies and how to integrate them into the classroom safely, productively, and professionally.

5. Creates new opportunities for career development

When teachers demonstrate commitment to CPD, it enhances their skills and CV. It also shows that they are determined to be the best teacher they can be.

This could open new doors and opportunities that could lead to career enhancements.

6. Gaining confidence and job satisfaction

Developing skills can be challenging, but it can also provide a sense of achievement, which can lead to a boost in confidence across a range of tasks or responsibilities.

This can create a more fulfilling experience and enhance job satisfaction.

CPD for teachers comes in many forms

There are many ways teachers can professionally develop:

• Professional skills tests
• Conferences
• Mentorship programmes
• Peer review
• Online groups
• Reflective practice.

This gives teachers multiple opportunities to learn new skills and hear from like-minded individuals or industry experts.

Why is CPD for teachers so valuable? Let’s hear from one of our experts

Nikki Bardsley, Head of Client Solutions and Quality at Kaplan Assessments, says:

“Continual professional development for teachers is essential to ensure up-to-date pedagogical practices despite an ever-changing landscape.

“With developments in technology advancing, it's crucial that teachers have the skills, competence, and confidence to deliver practices that are relevant and mirror the developing needs of learners.

“As the rise in varying educational needs continues - such as dyslexia, autism, and ADHD - teachers need to feel confident that their delivery is accurate yet understandable by every member of the classroom.

“CPD allows teachers to develop their knowledge of these learners' needs and continue to consistently deliver relevant subject matters in an evolving landscape.”

What are the barriers to teachers continuing professional development?

The Department of Education has revealed that 91% of teachers have barriers to undertaking CPD.

These barriers can include:

• Time limits: A survey has shown that the average time teachers spend on CPD in England is 21-30 hours per year - approximately half an hour a week. Considering that marking, lesson planning, and other tasks are also required, is this really a surprise?
• Lack of understanding: CPD as a term can be ambiguous - so do teachers understand what counts as CPD?
• Overall goals rather than individual: Often, CPD for teachers is a group development project rather than tailored to the needs and requirements of each teacher. Therefore, sometimes CPD could be seen as a chore or pointless if the teacher in question already knows or understands this.

These barriers likely mean that teachers don’t have sufficient competency for this high-stakes sector.

If teachers and senior leadership do not understand what qualifies as CPD or the quality of CPD available, would tailored assessments be a way to prove competency and ensure skills are relevant?

Especially as such a high-stakes sector - for example, teachers educate future lawyers, accountants, and a multitude of other important industries up to higher education - it’s essential that we assess pedagogical practices to make sure multiple sectors, not just teaching, have the skills for the modern landscape.

How do we ensure teacher professional development is relevant? Tailored professional qualifications

Kaplan Assessments can provide tailored educational professional qualifications to the needs of your workforce.

This ensures that your professionals have the skills and competencies that are relevant to your requirements, no matter the sector.

Continuing the professional development of your teachers can have numerous benefits for your entire school, so it is definitely worth the time!

Integrating assessments into this development gives you a way to ensure that your workforce has the skills and knowledge for any landscape update.

Find out more about our tailored professional development opportunities today.