Dr Gordon Carver, UK Managing Director, Etio
By having a deliberate and purposeful professional development strategy, trust leaders can address retention issues head-on, offering focused opportunities that boost both teacher expertise and pupil outcomes. Much of what follows is about targeted professional development for teachers within their subject area; I do recognise that professional development for non-subject specialists is a particularly acute need in some areas, and, as researchers from the Sheffield Institute of Education have demonstrated, this also provides a range of positive retention benefits.
Teachers who feel isolated or unappreciated in their roles are at greater risk of leaving the profession. Subject-specific professional development, however, can serve to tackle this by providing ongoing opportunities for teachers to develop their specialist knowledge, refine their teaching strategies and boost their own engagement and confidence in their field of specialism.
The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM), is led and delivered by Etio (formerly known as Tribal Education Services) in partnership with the maths charity, MEI. A core part of this work is the successful co-ordination of the Maths Hubs Programme, which offers a great example for how subject-specific professional development can support teacher retention. Maths Hubs work with teachers of maths in all phases to develop their maths pedagogy and to inspire a passion for the subject in their learners.
Subject-specific professional development equips teachers with the tools they need to feel confident in the classroom. In some cases, maths teachers can face challenges in developing a deep understanding of the structure of maths, which can enable all learners to make progress in a subject that many may perceive to be difficult. The professional development provided through the Maths Hubs Programme (in particular, through the Local Leaders of Mathematics Education networks) provides in-depth, flexible training, frameworks and resources that both enhance content knowledge and refine teachers’ ability to work with learners to deepen their understanding.
By offering collaborative professional development focused on the Five Big Ideas in Teaching for Mastery, the Maths Hubs enable maths teachers to stay connected and actively involved in their professional growth. This can reignite a teacher’s passion for their subject, making them more likely to remain in the profession and within their existing school and trust.
Trust leaders can foster this collaborative learning culture by ensuring teachers are able to access supportive networks, whether internally or externally, that help teachers feel more connected to their subject specialism and their profession, keep up with the latest in curriculum and pedagogy and ensure they have the skills to meet the ever-shifting needs of pupils.
The NCETM Maths Hubs Programme shows that extended engagement with CPD allows teachers gradually to build their own mastery, apply new techniques in the classroom and see the positive outcomes their efforts make on their students.
Jen Shearman, Director for Evaluation and Impact at NCETM said: "The Local Leaders of Mathematics Education (LLME) community has fostered a culture of collaboration and mutual support, crucial for the success of a community of practice. LLME members value working together, sharing expertise, and learning from each other.”
For example, one Maths Hub Leader mentioned: "[Our] hub LLME increasingly feels like a collaborative and cohesive community, underscoring the importance of a united and integrated approach. The culture of shared purpose and collaboration is emphasised repeatedly, with leaders noting that collaboration is at the very core of the work that they do."
Another Maths Hub Leader mentioned that: "almost half of the LLME would have left teaching had they not been involved in the work of the Maths Hub. Our work is retaining teachers in our schools and increasing their job satisfaction.”
The investment of time and resource into subject-specific professional development is not only an investment in teacher retention but also in the overall outcomes for learners. Motivated, professionally engaged teachers lead to better student outcomes. As the Department for Education’s 2019 teacher recruitment and retention strategy so aptly puts it, "there are no great schools without great teachers”.
The CST Blog welcomes perspectives from a diverse range of guest contributors. The opinions expressed in blogs are the views of the author(s), and should not be read as CST guidance or CST’s position.
