Using pupil data to drive improved CPD

BETT 2013 Learn LiveUsing pupil data to turbo charge your professional

development and school improvement

About this presentation

David WestonChief Executive, Teacher Development Trust.Former teacher, data consultant, author, ITT trainer, Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Education

Teacher Development Trusthttp://TDTrust.org/The national CPD charityNational Teacher Enquiry Network

Why professional development?

CPD – what does the research say?

Worst ideas (if used by themselves):• Sending individuals on one-off generic courses • Whole staff lectures (either external

consultants or enthusiastic members of staff)• Distributing printed guidance

CPD – what does the research say?

The best CPD needs to be:• Learning-focused• Collaborative• Relevant & differentiated• Sustained and cycled• Evaluated• Challenging as well as informative• Lead by example

CPD starts and finishes with data

Teachers and leaders evaluate pupils’ learning needs

Teachers are supported and challenged to learn how to

deal with those needs

Teachers and leaders evaluate effects on

pupils’ learning

Bad culture ruins the data

Senior leaders compare teachers to ‘Ofsted Ideal’

Teachers told to ‘fix’ problems, given

mandatory training

Teachers do anything to produce data & lesson

‘performances’ to reduce pressure

Data used to monitor teachers’ performance

If data collection isn’t about learning

• Teachers put less effort into constructing meaningful assessments and, instead, time is spent simply producing something numeric in order to reduce the inconvenience and time ‘wasted’ for their pupils.

• If over-simplified and meaningless data is presented to parents then teachers will enter data defensively to avoid problem

If data collection isn’t about learning

• Teachers won’t have any faith in interpretations of the data as they won’t feel it accurately represents genuine learning.

• Teachers will feel aggrieved when performance management judgements are made using this information, and will resent any professional development that they are put through as a result.

Applying these ideas to CPD

Learning focused• Ensure the culture of data is that it is there to

improve pupil learning, not to enforce top-down accountability

• Make sure all data that is entered truly reflects pupil learning, that it is granular, that it is used formatively.

• Use the pupil data to drive CPD decisions

Applying these ideas to CPD

Collaborative• Regular group meetings to

discuss data together• Individual as well as group

accountability• Work together on assessments

for internal tracking systems, use evidence from lessons to discuss how to improve the output data and how to act on it.

Applying these ideas to CPD

Relevant and differentiated• Ensure that you begin with a

clear analysis of need and competency and provide support accordingly.

• Give choice where possible.• Make the underlying rationale

clear

Applying these ideas to CPD

Sustained and cycled• Unless an idea is the focus of CPD and data analysis for

at least two terms/six months, it is unlikely to have sustained impact.

• Come back to key ideas and work on them in subsequent years/terms – use spaced learning concepts.

Applying these ideas to CPD

Evaluated• Ensure there are systems in place to monitor

whether data systems are helping or hindering teaching and learning – individual conversations, surveys, pupil feedback, observations, etc.

• Regularly review data confidence and competence and provide support

• Evaluate any external support on its effect on teaching and learning as well as on teachers

Applying these ideas to Data CPDChallenging as well as Informative• Providing information is

insufficient to drive improvement by itself.

• Departmental coaching/mentoring systems can ensure misconceptions and misunderstandings are challenged and addressed

Key principles

• Data should be reflect specific learning• Learning needs should drive CPD• CPD should be evaluated with specific data• The culture should be teacher-led and

learning-focused and not prioritise top-down monitoring and accountability.