Professional Learning Policy

Author: Andrew McGarva Date: June 2019 To be reviewed: June 2021

“Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better”

Dylan Wiliam

“When teachers stop learning, so do students”

Jim Knight

“Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. It will not only improve your life,

it will improve the lives of all those around you.”

Robin Sharma

Our vision for a member of staff states that staff members feel their career aspirations are known, valued and supported; that their professional learning is recognised, nurtured and tailored to them as an individual.

At JCG we aim to continually develop our staff to facilitate and encourage opportunities for them to share new ideas and foster a culture of excellence. We believe that a staff body invested in their own learning will be excellent role models who will inspire our students and one another, ensuring that JCG is a constantly evolving and reflective organisation. Investing in staff development assists in staff feeling valued and motivated. We are fully committed to supporting all members of staff in their learning and, as such, Professional Learning is a key aspect of the development of the College. Our staff seek to excel in everything they do and have a positive impact on our students, our colleagues and our community. For the purposes of this policy, every time we refer to ‘teachers’, this is short-hand for educators and all staff whose work has an impact on our students i.e. all staff at JCG.

Our philosophy of Staff learning

Professional learning has 5 key areas:

Pedagogical – reflecting on our craft and the methodology of teaching and learning.
Subject Specific – keeping up to date with exam specifications and course content.
Individual – gaining new qualifications to aid career progression.
Mandatory – studying courses essential to our duties as teachers e.g. Safeguarding, Health & Safety.
Staff Wellbeing – equipping staff with resilience and the ability to ensure a work/life balance.

Aims

To promote the Professional learning of all staff.
To ensure all staff learning activities have a positive impact on our organisation.
To create an environment which enables everyone to perform at their best.
To support individual needs and improve professional practice.
To encourage reflective activity, designed to improve an individual’s knowledge, understanding and skills.
To reflect and support the development of the key priorities in the SDP.
To continually improve the learning experience for our students

Individual members of staff have responsibility for:

Being proactive in identifying any professional learning needs and discussing these with their line manager.
Keeping their Personal Learning Log up to date.
Participating in, and contributing to, whole school Professional Learning sessions and the annual appraisal programme.
Constantly evaluating their practice and discussing their needs with their line manager.
Sharing learning with other colleagues as appropriate.
Being an active member of forums and discussion groups.
Observing other staff and sharing good practice.
Ensuring that any new skills learned and knowledge gained has an impact on their practice.
Keeping up to date with current educational thinking; and completing at least 30 hours of Professional Learning per academic year.

Line Managers have responsibility for:

Ensuring all staff within their area are trained and developed appropriately;
Conducting a formal appraisal on an annual basis and ensuring that regular conversations continue throughout the year to sustain the appraisal process;
Helping staff develop their performance and effectiveness by identifying areas for development in line with departmental and College priorities, and considering the career progression of the individual;
Supporting staff in identifying suitable training;
Identifying any additional training needs within the department in response to organisational change or curriculum developments;
Taking a leading role in forums, discussion groups and Professional Learning sessions to ensure that Professional Learning is shared amongst and discussed with relevant staff.
Observing colleagues and assisting with the development of their teaching, including Learning Walks and formal and non-judgemental observations.

Assistant Head Teacher Staffing has responsibility for:

Creating a culture that encourages the development of all staff;
Considering staff requests for Professional Learning and allocating resources accordingly;
Supporting Middle leaders in the development of their knowledge, skills and professional qualities;
Evaluating the quality and effectiveness of any training undertaken;
Identifying appropriate dates for whole College Professional Learning training and ensuring that these are included in the annual calendar;
Discussing College needs for training with SLT and allocating these as required to the identified dates throughout the year and at Professional Learning days;
Reviewing and evaluating the effectiveness of the Staff Development Policy on a regular basis to ensure that it meets its objectives and is in line with College priorities as identified in the SDP;
Managing the annual appraisal system for all staff;
Identifying areas for staff learning and creating an annual training plan with associated costs;
Managing and monitoring the school Professional Learning budget;
Discussing individual needs and aspirations with staff members as required and advising where appropriate;
Creating a personalised progression plan for all staff following discussions with individual members of staff and Line Managers;
Providing information for the Governors’ report on Professional Learning undertaken by staff;
Liaising with Education regarding training courses delivered on-island;
Encouraging staff to take a proactive approach to their own personal professional development;
Ensuring that provision is made to support the induction of NQT and GTTP members of staff;
Ensuring that a thorough induction programme is in place for all newly appointed staff and for members of staff taking on new positions of responsibility;
Working with AHT Curriculum to develop a staff resources area in the Library and promote its use
Managing the JCG Professional Learning Subsidy scheme.

The Principal has responsibility for:

Deciding the budget for whole school Professional Learning following discussion with relevant personnel in relation to the SDP priorities and the constraints of the overall College budget;
Accounting to the Governing body for the expenditure of the Professional Learning budget;
Ensuring that staff possess the skills required to meet the aspirations of the College
Monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the Staff Development Policy.

Appendices

Appendix 1 - CPD Overview

Appendix 2 - Appraisal templates

Appendix 3 - Teachers Standards

Appendix 4 - Personal Learning Log

Appendix 5 - Booking and attending a course procedures

Appendix 6 - Professional Learning Subsidy scheme

Appendix 7 - JCG Leadership Profiles: Section 2 Professional Learning

Appendix 8 - Your Professional Development Pathway as a Teacher in Jersey

Appendix 1 - JCG Staff Development Overview

Appendix 2 - The Appraisal Report

Teacher Appraisal Non-Teaching Appraisal

Appendix 3 - Teachers' Standards

Teachers make the education of their pupils their first concern, and are accountable for achieving the highest possible standards in work and conduct. Teachers act with honesty and integrity; have strong subject knowledge, keep their knowledge and skills as teachers up-to-date and are self-critical; forge positive professional relationships; and work with parents in the best interests of their pupils.

A teacher must:

Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils

establish a safe and stimulating environment for pupils, rooted in mutual respect
set goals that stretch and challenge pupils of all backgrounds, abilities and dispositions
demonstrate consistently the positive attitudes, values and behaviour which are expected of pupils.

Promote good progress and outcomes by pupils

be accountable for pupils’ attainment, progress and outcomes
be aware of pupils’ capabilities and their prior knowledge, and plan teaching to build on these
guide pupils to reflect on the progress they have made and their emerging needs
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how pupils learn and how this impacts on teaching
encourage pupils to take a responsible and conscientious attitude to their own work and study.

Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge

have a secure knowledge of the relevant subject(s) and curriculum areas, foster and maintain pupils’ interest in the subject, and address misunderstandings
demonstrate a critical understanding of developments in the subject and curriculum areas, and promote the value of scholarship
demonstrate an understanding of and take responsibility for promoting high standards of literacy, articulacy and the correct use of standard English, whatever the teacher’s specialist subject
if teaching early reading, demonstrate a clear understanding of systematic synthetic phonics
if teaching early mathematics, demonstrate a clear understanding of appropriate teaching strategies.

Plan and teach well-structured lessons

impart knowledge and develop understanding through effective use of lesson time
promote a love of learning and children’s intellectual curiosity
set homework and plan other out-of-class activities to consolidate and extend the knowledge and understanding pupils have acquired
reflect systematically on the effectiveness of lessons and approaches to teaching
contribute to the design and provision of an engaging curriculum within the relevant subject area(s).

Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils

know when and how to differentiate appropriately, using approaches which enable pupils to be taught effectively
have a secure understanding of how a range of factors can inhibit pupils’ ability to learn, and how best to overcome these
demonstrate an awareness of the physical, social and intellectual development of children, and know how to adapt teaching to support pupils’ education at different stages of development
have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs; those of high ability; those with English as an additional language; those with disabilities; and be able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them.

Make accurate and productive use of assessment

know and understand how to assess the relevant subject and curriculum areas, including statutory assessment requirements
make use of formative and summative assessment to secure pupils’ progress
use relevant data to monitor progress, set targets, and plan subsequent lessons
give pupils regular feedback, both orally and through accurate marking, and encourage pupils to respond to the feedback.

Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment

have clear rules and routines for behaviour in classrooms, and take responsibility for promoting good and courteous behaviour both in classrooms and around the school, in accordance with the school’s behaviour policy have high expectations of behaviour, and establish a framework for discipline with a range of strategies, using praise, sanctions and rewards consistently and fairly
manage classes effectively, using approaches which are appropriate to pupils’ needs in order to involve and motivate them
maintain good relationships with pupils, exercise appropriate authority, and act decisively when necessary.

Fulfil wider professional responsibilities

make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school
develop effective professional relationships with colleagues, knowing how and when to draw on advice and specialist support
deploy support staff effectively
take responsibility for improving teaching through appropriate professional development, responding to advice and feedback from colleagues
communicate effectively with parents with regard to pupils’ achievements and well-being.

Part Two: Personal and Professional conduct

A teacher is expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct. The following statements define the behaviour and attitudes which set the required standard for conduct throughout a teacher’s career. Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by:

treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position
having regard for the need to safeguard pupils’ well-being, in accordance with statutory provisions
showing tolerance of and respect of those with different faiths and beliefs
ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law
Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality
Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities

Appendix 4 - Personal Learning Log

Each staff member has their own page on Sharepoint found in:

JCG/Staff Shared/Staff Development Tracking

To assist you in collating any training completed or courses attended or delivered please ensure the Personal Learning Log is maintained. It is stored centrally on Sharepoint and regularly add information about any on-line training, courses in the UK or on island, voluntary in-house sessions attended or delivered, attending the learning forums, visiting other schools, becoming an examiner for your subject, lesson observations, private reading and independent research, amongst many other things.
Please print the Personal Learning Log and take it to your appraisal as it should form part of your appraisal conversation. This will assist your line manager in acknowledging the Professional Learning that you have completed and in suggesting further opportunities which would be beneficial to your professional development.

Appendix 5 - Booking and Attending a Course

When you have identified a course that you would like to attend please check with AHT Staffing to confirm the date is appropriate and cover is available. Please discuss the course with your line manager and complete the Professional Learning Request before submitting to AHT Staffing. Once agreed, please book your place on the course with the training provider and ask them to send you an invoice. As soon as you have booked your place, please provide details to finance so that they can record this in Supply Jersey.

Information to provide to finance is: Name of course provider Name of course Course dates Cost of course excluding VAT.

If the course is with AQA please speak to finance as AQA require the course to be entered online and need a purchase order number. Please forward the invoice to finance as soon as received. If payment needs to be made BEFORE attending the course, please inform finance immediately and at least 10 days before payment is required to be made because States payments are only released once per week. If your course is off-island, travel and hotel accommodation will be booked by Finance, and all must be booked through the States corporate contract with HRG. The States of Jersey Financial Direction: Travel and Accommodation (FD) must be complied with for all staff travel, including taxis, trains and London Underground, and a copy of this Directive is included in Sharepoint (JCG Staff Shared/ JCG Admin / Finance Reference) The FD requires that pre-authorisation should be sought as soon as reasonably practical after identifying the need to travel. Travel should be booked at least 14 days before the date of travel where practical (section 4.5). Guidance is also provided on the purchase of flexible/ fixed tickets (section 4.6), booking of train travel (section 4.11) and extended travel for leisure (section 4.13). Finance will help with the completion of the pre-approval form online. When asked for a business unit, please quote EFSJ05 if booking the travel to Staff training (inset). All travel must be pre-authorised by the budgetholder (ie for Inset will be approved by AHT Staffing) and nobody can authorise their own travel. Please complete the form called ‘Details for Booking of Travel and Accommodation ’ and forward it to Finance: jcgtravel@jcg.sch.je and AHT Staffing. This should contain all the information required by Finance to make the booking for you through HRG. When you are on the course, receipts must be obtained to support all expense claims. For food this would be a payment receipt plus itemised restaurant bill. (section 4.19) You may reclaim the cost of parking if you use your own car to travel to and from the airport. You may reclaim the cost of parking provided the cost of doing so is cheaper than using a taxi. (section 4.20) As part of a claim for taxi fares you must document the reason for the journey and why public transport was not used. (section 4.19 and 5.5-5.7) Subsistence allowances are to provide for meals and light refreshments not included in any charge for accommodation or an event while a member of staff is away on business for one night or more. If breakfast is included in the room rate no claim may be made for breakfast. Where breakfast and/or dinner are not included you may claim up to £10 for breakfast and £30 for lunch/dinner (combined) per day. It is not permitted to claim for alcohol. Claims must be supported by receipts. (section 4.23 and 5.9) Additional hours worked away and travelling time are not claimable. When you return please see finance to request a claim form. Once you have completed this, ask AHT Staffing to sign it off, and pass to finance for it to be processed and you will be reimbursed. Payment will come from Treasury either as a cheque or BACS payment direct into your bank account, depending upon what information you have given finance. Please ensure that you speak with your line manager regarding your absence and that suitable cover work is arranged for any classes that you are missing. Emergency assistance contact The following numbers are available if you get into difficulties with Travel arrangements whilst away:

Who	Description of Service	Number	Policy Ref
HRG	24 hour travel emergencies	44 (0)1252 881010
First Assist	24 hour employee medical	44 (0)20 8763 3155	RTT220281
First Assist	24 hour student trip medical	44 (0)20 8763 3155	RKJ344578
First Assist	24 hour motor insurance	44 (0)20 8763 3155	RKK885196

Pre Authorisation Travel-Form

Appendix 6 - JCG Professional Learning Subsidy Scheme

JCG is committed to the professional learning of staff and seeks to support this financially where possible. JCG recognises that, in addition to the time spent studying, some courses can be expensive and, in recognition of the sacrifices being made each year a portion of the CPD budget will be allocated to help staff attend courses relating to their personal development. This fund will be called the JCG Professional Learning Subsidy scheme. Subsidies of up to £2000 per school year will be available and staff can apply for this subsidy by completing the Professional Learning Subsidy Scheme application form. This will be followed by an invitation to attend an interview with the Vice Principal, AHT Staffing and Bursar where the applicant will be given the opportunity to highlight the benefits to them as an individual but also to the College. We accept that there will be a benefit to the College while you are undertaking the training but we are keen to ensure that JCG benefits in the long term from this financial commitment. If a successful applicant decides to leave the College within three years of completing their course, JCG reserves the right to reclaim the financial support given on the following reducing scale:

Within 1 year of completing the course 100% of the school contribution

Within 2 years of completing the course 65% of the school contribution

Within 3 years of completing the course 30% of the school contribution If the staff member is unsuccessful in attaining the qualification they will be liable for repayment of the full amount, and this will also apply if they withdraw from the course before completion.

Appendix 7 - JCG Leadership Profiles Section 2 : Professional Learning

Area 2	TEACHERS Year Two (post-NQT) Classroom Teachers and KS co-ordinators	MIDDLE LEADERS HoDs, HoFs, HoYs	SENIOR LEADERS Senior Leadership Team
P R O F E S S I O N A L L E A R N I N G	Be actively involved in the identification of your learning and development needs.	Ensure the learning and development needs of your staff are met. Be actively involved in the identification of your learning and development needs.	Know and understand the development needs of staff and the organisation and how these link to the SDP. Be actively involved in the identification of your learning and development needs.
	Attend appropriate induction and training.	Ensure all staff within your area are trained and developed appropriately.	Create a culture that encourages the development of all staff.
	Continually develop your academic expertise and knowledge of pedagogy.	Develop your academic expertise and create a culture of academic excellence amongst their staff.	Foster a climate of academic excellence.
	Keep up to date with current educational thinking.	Ensure your staff are familiar with current thinking and practice in their subject.	Remain up-to-date with current educational thinking and policy and use this to inform policy decisions in the College.
	Contribute to the development of other staff where appropriate, including through coaching/mentoring.	Effectively manage the staff in your team, recognising achievement.	Providing inspirational and motivational leadership for staff, praising the success of others.
	Constantly evaluate and reflect on your practice and how it might improve. Review your own practice with your line manager.	Constantly evaluate your practice and lead others in your teams in reflecting on their own practice, resulting in improvement. Review performance, taking action to address unsatisfactory aspects and praising positive features.	Recognise how effective support and investment in people can lead to improvement. Lead others in reflecting upon and developing their own practice. Review performance across the College, taking action to address unsatisfactory aspects and praising positive features.
	Seek career advice and be proactive in planning your own professional development.	Provide career advice and inform line managers of successes and difficulties within their areas of responsibility.	Provide support for middle leaders in the development of their knowledge, skills and professional qualities.
	Observe colleagues, including non-judgemental learning reviews.	Observe colleagues and assist with the development of their teaching, including formal and non-judgemental observations.	Lead leaders in the development of their colleagues’ teaching, including formal and non-judgemental observations.
	Lead discussions on aspects of Teaching & Learning.	Lead effective T&L in your areas of responsibility.	Manage effective T&L across subject areas. Model and disseminate good practice in T&L by mentoring and coaching others.
	Are active members of forums and discussion groups.	Take a leading role in forums and discussion groups.	Establish forums and discussion groups, linked to the College Development Plan.
	Effectively manage your own workload.	Effectively manage your own workload and model work-life balance and support colleagues where necessary.	Effectively manage your own workload and model work-life balance and concern yourself with that of others.
	Set challenging appraisals targets.	Set and review challenging targets for team members.	Set, review and monitor challenging targets for all staff.
	Observe other staff and share good practice.	Observe lessons and set developmental targets for your staff.	Observe lessons of staff at all levels, setting developmental targets.