Teacher Development Trust

Why better CPD is the key to improve student attainment and reduce inequality

http://www..teacherdevelopmenttrust.org

Our Mission

Improve professional development in schools

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Improve the quality of teaching and learning

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Improve learning outcomes for all students and reduce inequality

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Why improve learning outcomes and reduce inequality?

OECD Average

UK

PISA 2009 results

Andreas Schleicher of the OECD said overall scores achieved by UK pupils were ‘stagnant at best, or marginally lower, whereas many other countries have seen quite significant improvements’

Why improve learning outcomes and reduce inequality?

Source: OECD

Why improve learning outcomes and reduce inequality?

Improved learning outcomes and educational equality correlate with:�

• improved social mobility
• greater economic performance,
• lower incidence of crime
• less ill-health,
• greater wellbeing.

Why concentrate on quality of teaching?

‘The difference between a very effective teacher and a poorly performing teacher is very large. For example, during one year with a very effective maths and English teacher, pupils gain 40% more in their learning than they would with a poorly performing teacher.’

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‘The effects of high quality teaching are especially significant for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Over a school year, these pupils gain 1.5 years’ worth of learning with very effective teachers, compared with 0.5 years’ with a poorly performing teacher.’

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Source: Sutton Trust (2011)

Why concentrate on quality of teaching?

Sources of variance in student achievement

Source: Hattie (2003)

Largest effect we can influence, therefore the most efficient area to concentrate on.

Why focus on professional development and learning?

EPPI Best-evidence synthesis showed effective teacher professional learning can lead to:�

• demonstrable enhancement of student motivation
• improvements in performance such as improved test results, greater ability in decoding, enhanced reading fluency
• more positive responses to specific subjects
• better organisation of work
• increased sophistication in response to questions

Source: Cordingley, Bell, et al (2003)

Why focus on professional development and learning?

EPPI Best-evidence synthesis showed effective CPD can lead to:�

• greater confidence among the teachers
• enhanced beliefs among teachers of their power to make a difference to their pupils' learning (self-efficacy)
• the development of enthusiasm for collaborative working, notwithstanding initial anxieties about being observed and receiving feedback
• a greater commitment to changing practice and willingness to try new things.

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Source: Cordingley, Bell, et al (2003)

Why focus on professional development and learning?

Source: Timperley (2007)

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Why focus on professional development and learning?

Source: Robinson (2009)

+ 10 months

+ 5 months

+ 4 months

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Why focus on professional development?

• Time spent on effective professional development not only improves student outcomes and teacher morale but also disproportionately benefits weaker students. It empowers teachers to do more to raise their own levels of skill.�
• Time spent leading teaching and learning is over twice as effective at raising student achievement than any other management task.

Why not focus on performance-pay and remove the worst teachers?

• There is mixed evidence for performance pay. Three separate studies in Portugal, Tennessee and New York showed no benefit or harm to student attainment, while one from Texas has shown some benefit.�
• The market-based approach in some US states involving crudely evaluating teachers in order to fire the worst-performing and publicly name and shame has coincided in the lowest morale in 20 years and failed to raise attainment.

Why "quality of teaching" and not "quality of teachers"?

• There is evidence to suggest that the variation of effectiveness within any one teacher's set of classes is larger than the variation between the average effectiveness of any group of teachers.�
• Teachers tend to believe that they are more effective with high-ability groups than with low-ability groups, again highlighting variation of effectiveness within any one teacher.

Summary

Effective professional development can:

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• Improve learning outcomes for all students�
• Reduce inequality�
• Improve teacher morale and retention�
• Create a sustainably self-improving system, driven by confident, empowered teachers�