Professional Development (PD)

Professional Development matters at The Wren. We believe that ‘Better Never Stops’.

We value your professional growth. We believe all staff come to work each day intended to do fulfil their role as effectively as they can, as a result we have a purposeful approach to professional development, driven by you, the professional, guiding your own development through bespoke professional development choices, personalised goals and considered whole staff programs.

Alongside our ambitious Professional Development Programme, we know that staff   well-being is exceptionally important, as a result, with staff voice, we have combined all our briefings and meetings into one meeting night only for the vast majority of colleagues.

We have a rich offer of professional development opportunities at The Wren, which includes:

1. Weekly directed time training & meetings: these take place on Monday’s, 3pm-4.20pm. The structure of these meetings are:

• News – key information for the week;
• Focus – a continuous core message centred upon our current school priority;
• Training – these meetings include a minimum of 30 minutes training. The focus of these meetings varies inclusive of culture meetings, department meeting, tutor meetings, progress meetings and performance development conversations.

2. INSET training usually centred around one core theme
3. Induction: we offer an extended series of induction sessions through our bespoke professional development package to help staff settle in.
4. Twilight training, this is to replace two INSET days a year to allow teaching staff additional days at home. These are replaced by a termly 90-minute twilight session or appropriate alternative. These are directed by the Leadership Team and shared with colleagues each Summer Term for the following year.
5. Restless Breakfasts: an opportunity for staff to innovate and to be involved in a current, and topical, discussion with other colleagues. Of course, breakfast is provided. All staff are welcome to propose topics for Restless Breakfast discussions.
6. Bespoke Professional Development: there is a vast and exceptional bespoke professional development package offered at The Wren which considers your personal development and career development   This training is focused around five key attributes in role, which are:

 

Suggested activities and optional professional development sessions are provided through the Senior Leadership Team.

7. Research Groups: at TWS we have 3 core research groups which meet on a cyclical basis and every staff member is welcome to join. These groups are Teaching & Learning, Behaviour, Curriculum and Diversity.
8. Inspire – The Wren Teaching and Learning Newsletter: opportunities to get involved in research and writing for the staff audience.
9. Membership to the National College: a huge online resource of webinars and training to continue to allow colleague to personalise their own professional development, regardless of role.

Coaching

The Wren works in partnership with Olevi,the UK’s number one awarding organisation for the accreditation of educational coaches and facilitators. Every member of staff has the option to have a coach from our group of Better Never Stops Coaches. There are opportunities to be trained in ‘Power of Coaching’ in collaboration with Olevi and this coaching style is critical to our performance development system.

Performance Development

Our termly ‘Better Never Stops’ conversations allow all staff the opportunity to set, and work on, one goal at a time.  These conversations are focused upon the member of staff and their successes, barriers and goals for the onward year, or term.  This works separately to performance management, which is based upon professional trust.

Early Careers Teachers

As a school, we fully support the statutory guidance for induction. We work with the Swindon & Wiltshire Teaching School Hub & Ambition Institute to support our early career teachers through a package of localised and centralised training whilst working closely with Excalibur and Brighter Futures for Children to ensure this provision is the best it can be. Our induction is rigorous and bespoke, ensuring the support of both an Induction Tutor and Mentor.

The Excalibur Professional Learning Hub

Being a part of Excalibur Academies Trust is a great asset to colleagues at The Wren. The Trust is committed to professional development and provides a one-stop shop for all things professional development through their Learning Hub.