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In addition to the Early Career Framework and National Professional Qualifications, there is also a variety of other high-quality CPD programmes available, covering all phases.

Please click on the relevant sections below to find out more, or click the green button to visit the booking system.

Our colleagues at the Children's Hospital School offer a wide range of CPD programmes and support, and further details of their offer can be found here - Children's Hospital School.

Information about the CPD and support available from the Inclusion & SEND Hub at Ash Field Academy can be found here - Inclusion & SEND Hub - including the Engagement Model and SEND in the Mainstream.

TELA (Thomas Estley Learning Alliance) also offer a range of professional development opportunities and further details can be found here - TELA

Our colleagues at The Mead Institute for Professional Learning also offer training, coaching and professional development opportunities. Further information can be found here - The Mead Institute

Assessing substantive and disciplinary knowledge together in Primary History

The National Curriculum for History includes concepts of disciplinary knowledge which OFSTED expects to see taught, hand in hand with substantive knowledge through KS1 and KS2. These practical webinars will show how subject leaders can assess for progression in the various concepts through medium term plans, but combined with the essential substantive knowledge (content) that should accompany it. Examples of enquiry questions, mark schemes and criteria will be included in each workshop.

          Workshop 1 - Cause and Consequence

          Workshop 2 - Change and Continuity

          Workshop 3 - Similarity and Difference

          Workshop 4 - Handling Evidence

          Workshop 5 - Historical Interpretations

          Workshop 6 - Historical Significance

The training will be led by Andrew Wrenn, a knowledgeable history specialist and an honorary fellow of the Historical Association. He is an experienced teacher, trainer and writer, former LA adviser and co-author of the HA`s report on Teaching Emotive and Controversial History 3-19. Andrew recently led highly evaluated training on the impact of the new OFSTED framework on Primary History.

Boosting Primary History Subject Knowledge

Developing 'Past and Present' in EYFS

Whether you are a history subject lead or an ECT teaching EYFS for the first time, do you have the deep subject knowledge required by the new OFSTED framework? Are you looking for guidance on shaping and sequencing content into coherent medium-term plans?

Our content based workshops will deepen your knowledge of history study units and help you construct rigorous medium-term plans based on accessible enquiry questions linked to key National Curriculum concepts.

The revised EYFS framework requires teachers to plan in more depth for ‘Past and Present’ than previously. But how do you teach history before history even begins as a subject? This practical webinar will show how teaching ‘Past and Present’ well at EYFS can lay effective foundations for delivering Primary History successfully at KS1 and 2.

The Great Fire of London (KS1)

Most people are familiar with the story of the Great Fire of London and this workshop will cover the essential details such as it’s break out in Pudding Lane at the bakery of Thomas Farriner, the course of destruction over four days, Samuel Pepys as an eyewitness and the longer term consequences for the city.

 However, it will also explore the event in more depth, in line with    OFSTED expectations.

It will show how the city of 1666 was already on edge, dry as tinder, recovering from the Great Plague of the previous year, and how people were all too ready to blame foreign saboteurs at a time of war rather   than inadequate fire fighting techniques or high winds.

Content will be arranged around rigorous enquiries questions linked to second order concepts with suggested activities that could form the basis of a medium-term plan.

Both workshops will be led by Andrew Wrenn, a knowledgeable history specialist and an honorary fellow of the Historical Association. He is an experienced teacher, trainer and writer, former LA adviser and co-author of the HA`s report on Teaching Emotive and Controversial History 3-19. Andrew recently led highly evaluated training on the impact of the new OFSTED framework on Primary History.

Planning in Primary Foundation Subjects

The “Quality of Education” component of the new OFSTED framework gives unprecedented attention to the role of foundation subjects and subject leaders in the delivery of an ambitious primary curriculum.

“Deep Dives” during an OFSTED visit examine in close detail how subject leaders are meeting the requirements for intent, implementation  and impact.

These practical workshops will use Primary History as an example, to show how foundation subject leaders can overhaul planning effectively to develop knowledge-rich content but which retains a creative and inspirational impact on children.

Workshop 1  -  Deciding on your Intent - ONLINE - Tuesday 23rd April 2024

This webinar looks at how the OFSTED framework defines intent, what it looks for in a knowledge-rich primary history curriculum as a whole and how a curriculum can be shaped to take in to account the particular needs of local pupils and the communities they come from.

Workshop 2   -  Implementation  -  Planning for success - ONLINE - Thursday 9th May 2024

This webinar focuses on how schools can plan effectively for pupils to acquire content knowledge and revisit major subject concepts over time on the basis of a spiral curriculum. It will also show how to use pupil voice to inform planning and demonstrate how well-structured medium term plans reinforce prior knowledge and act as a spring board for future learning.

Workshop 3 - Balancing Rigor & Creativity in Impact - ONLINE - Tuesday 21st May 2024

(Deep Dive case study)

This webinar looks in detail at a recent Deep Dive in Primary History where a primary school came well out of the process, winning praise for how pupils acquired knowledge while retaining an enquiry-based approach to teaching and a strong enrichment programme . It will consider what can be learned from this example and applied to other schools. 

*NEW* Workshop 4  -  Ofsted Findings -  Mon 17th June 2024  - Face-to-face at TS Hub

This practical session will disseminate the main findings of the OFSTED report ‘Rich Encounters with the Past’ which includes examples of good and poor practice from deep dives in Primary History. It will expand on what the characteristics of good practice look like from the limited descriptions in the report and address how the examples of poor practice could have been improved in terms of planning, teaching and learning.

Please see further details on the flyer and book via the online booking system.

Boosting Primary Geography Subject Knowledge

Whether you are a geography subject lead or an ECT teaching KS1/KS2 for the first time, do you have the deep subject knowledge required by the new OFSTED framework? Are you looking for guidance on shaping and sequencing content into coherent medium-term plans?

These content-based workshops will deepen your knowledge of places studied at KS1 and KS2 and help you construct rigorous medium-term plans based on accessible enquiry questions which link to key knowledge and skills in the National Curriculum.

The workshops will be led by Jackie Zammit, a geography specialist who leads primary geography networks in the West Midlands and London and a consultant with the Geographical Association. Jackie has taught for the Field Studies Council, worked with teachers on development issues and was a regional coordinator for the Global Learning Programme. She is currently an Associate Practitioner with Lifeworlds Learning, supporting outdoor learning and fieldwork at two residential centres and co-producing educational resources for PositiveNegatives, an animation company. 

       Workshop One  -  Wednesday 24th January 2024

       Geography Subject Leadership - subject leadership, curriculum and preparing for Ofsted

       Workshop Two  -  Tuesday 13th February 2024    

       Local area study and fieldwork at KS1                                                                                         

       Workshop Three  -  Thursday 7th March 2024

       UK regional area study and fieldwork at KS2

       Workshop Four  -  Monday 15th April 2024

       America’s regional study at KS2 (focus on the Amazon)

       Workshop Five  -  Wednesday 1st May 2024

       Non-European contrasting local study at KS1 -(Focus on Mugurameno village in Zambia)

       Workshop Six  -  Tuesday 11th June 2024

       Progression in Mapwork

Further information about each workshop is on the links above, or the flyer, and places can be booked via our online booking system.

NASENCO

The National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) is a mandatory requirement for all SENCOs appointed new to the role and is an excellent opportunity for professional development for aspiring SENCOs.

The programme provides the opportunity for participants to reflect upon and improve their practice whilst learning more about the coordination of special educational needs, policy and supporting the individual needs of children and young people.  It is delivered by Best Practice Network and is accredited by Bath Spa University (BSU), this programme is worth the first 60 credits towards a Master’s (MA) degree.

*Please note that the NASENCO award is being replaced by NPQ SEND in Autumn 2024. The new NPQ will become the mandatory qualification for SENDCOs and will also be suitable for other school leaders to undertake. Please email [email protected] to express an interest and receive more information as soon as it's available.

HLTA  

Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) status is a recognised progression route for school support staff that can make a real difference to schools and pupils.

It provides confidence, capability, and credibility to carry out advanced roles in teaching and learning.

Details of what’s included can be found on the BPN website:

 https://www.bestpracticenet.co.uk/hlta

Applicants are asked to state whether they have been recommended to the programme and should select ‘Leicester and Leicestershire Teaching School Hub’ from the drop-down list as well as inputting the partner code ‘LLTSH’ (in order to gain a place on the Leicester cohort).

*Applicants using the 'LLTSH' code will receive a £50 discount.