Although, for convenience, we refer to project modules as 'School-based', we are prepared to work with qualified teachers in any organisation involved with the Children's Workforce.
The Faculty of Education and Children's Services at Chester has the resources, experience and know-how to offer you bespoke CPD which is planned and delivered through negotiation with key members of staff in individual schools or educational settings. A project module will typically last for three months and can be delivered through in-class support, via twilight sessions; as part of your ongoing INSET programme or in a location appropriate for the project. School based CPD is provided in your school (or agreed locations) at times convenient to you, assisting and supporting the staff development and training which is focused on your specific needs.
We have worked in over 100 schools and educational settings across the region. Many of them come back for more projects with us. Here are just a few of the comments about our work:
Bryn Heeley (Whitby High School) says: "Working with the University of Chester has enabled us to develop an effective school based Masters programme relevant to the needs of our teaching staff. The planning and delivery of the programme has been negotiated to take account of other school commitments and the areas of education management that were of interest to the group. Having developed the school based Masters programme we are now embarking on focused CPD with the University of Chester for our support staff. [This is] Higher Education and School Development at its best."
Our External Examiners, who are charged with the responsibility of assuring the quality of our programmes, comment: "[The programme is] well designed and relates closely to the needs of QTS participants. I commend the CPD team." (2009)
Mavis Sellers (Headteacher of Saighton Primary School) says: "The University of Chester was very supportive and tailor-made the training to meet our specific needs. The tutor was excellent and enthused and empowered both the staff and the pupils. We would absolutely love to work with the University of Chester again and we would now seek their support to plan CPD for our staff."
Whether you wish to work with us alongside your colleagues in your school or setting, or you would prefer to study with us here at the University we welcome your interest in our CPD programmes. If you decide to gain credit for working with us on a school-based project, you can also enrol on our Masters in Education programme, which is delivered through weekend schools which happen twice a term, at our main Chester campus.
Why study School-based Continuing Professional Development at Chester?
Our School-based CPD has been recognised as unique because it is:
- led by experienced teacher trainers, former headteachers and leading professionals in the wider Children's Workforce
- based around your school's development needs
- integrated into your school's training and professional development programme
- tailored to suit your requirements in terms of content, timing, and duration.
Some teachers in our project schools decide to use the project module to gain credits for a Masters qualification. In addition to the credits, the benefits include opportunities for colleagues to:
- develop their critical thinking skills and become more reflective practitioners
- be accredited for their learning at postgraduate level
- work with peers as part of a 'learning community'
- become confident researchers who are aware of theoretical frameworks and current political agendas
- be more confident and effective in leadership roles.
FAQs
How is the focus for each project module decided?
Prior to the start of the project, a meeting is held with at least two members of the University's CPD team and key members of staff from the school or setting. You decide who are the most relevant colleagues. At this meeting, the learning or development outcomes for the project are decided, as are the means by which these will be achieved. This makes every project unique to the school, setting and individuals concerned.
How is the project managed and delivered?
This is dependent on the scale and purpose of the project. A project tutor from the university co-ordinates the support. Sometimes the support is delivered directly by the project leader (who is selected from a pool of professionals as the most appropriate), sometimes the project leader will draw upon other colleagues to provide focused input. Sometimes the project tutor(s) will work with small teams of staff to devise policy, sometimes the tutor(s) work with the whole staff.
How are the outcomes monitored and evaluated?
Following each project, there is a meeting at the school or setting with the key players to evaluate the project's impact. The measures will depend on the purpose the project. Of course, sometimes, the outcomes are not immediate or are more qualitative than quantitative. We have not yet had a project which has not had some positive impact on the work of a school.
Programme Structure:
Modules are unique to each project. There is no predetermined format as the purpose, focus and outcomes are negotiated with the key members of staff in each school or setting. However, the scale of each project has to be restricted to what is feasible in terms of time and budget.
Typically, for a project, you can expect to have nine hours of a university tutor's time in face to face contact with your staff and/or children. As you can appreciate, with each project being unique, time is also allocated to tutors for the preparation of professional development sessions and resources. This is included in the budget for each project.
A project tends to last for approximately three months, but could extend to a period of a year, dependent on the focus. The timing, spread and mode of delivery will be negotiated at the initial planning meeting, though sometimes this is left fluid and firmed up as the project unfolds.
Curriculum areas
The University has already worked with a range of primary and secondary schools from Cheshire, Halton, Warrington and Wirral. Some examples of the projects undertaken are given below:
Examples of completed SCPD Projects
- Exploring the raising of achievement of more able pupils through enhanced provision in science and history
- The quality and style of imaginative writing
- Developing Art through ICT
- Exploration of teaching and learning styles, with particular reference to gifted and talented
- Embedding ICT within the planning of History
- Multi-media TextEase and interactive whiteboards across the curriculum
- Extending and differentiating children's learning through AT1 science
- Creating a school of thinking writers
- Putting the design back in Design and Technology
- Embedding the five outcomes of the Every Child Matters agenda into a skills based curriculum
Academic credit for School-based CPD projects
In addition to participation in a SCPD project, teachers may submit an assignment based on the Project in order to gain academic credit. The assignment is assessed at Masters level, and is worth 20 credit (CATS) points.
Additional tutorial support is available to SCPD participants who are submitting assignments.
SCPD Programme requirements
Where an SCPD module has been set up for a school, we will register all participant teachers with Qualified Teacher Status as students of the University. Although many teachers may not wish to work towards a formal qualification, this will provide an opportunity for them to submit work for assessment purposes. Further assessment opportunities can be provided by subsequent SCPD projects or by teachers choosing to undertake modules from our Central (University-based) CPD and Independent Study routes.
The CPD the University provides to schools is subsidised by the Training and Development Agency (TDA). QTS and upgrading academic credentials are essential stipulations of this grant. As such, non-QTS members of staff will be invited and encouraged to participate in the SCPD projects but will not be registered as students of the University.
Planning your CPD
The following is an example of how a school-based CPD module could be structured. However, there is considerable flexibility to work within the needs of the school or setting:
- an advisory visit to your school to meet the Head and/or Deputy Headteacher and/or other key members of staff to discuss CPD requirements
- allocation of a Project Tutor
- a planning meeting to complete a Module Agreement
- introductory training - e.g. twilight, half day or full day
- delivery by the Project Tutor and/or colleagues providing specific areas of expertise (including discussion, classroom work, workshops)
- a final session for consolidation and review
Furthermore, those members of staff who are interested in gaining academic credit for their participation in the project are offered tutorials with a relevant university tutor to develop the additional work required for submission.
If you would like to discuss the options please contact the CPD team in the Faculty of Education and Children's Services. A member of the CPD team will be happy to visit you on-site at your convenience to discuss all the options.
How am I assessed?
You can choose a 'study only' option and not submit work for a project module. However, if you want to be accredited for your learning (each project module is worth 20 CATS) you can choose to submit work for assessment.
We believe in flexible forms of assessment. We try to ensure that the assessment for a module or project is matched to the content and learning outcomes. Assessments for projects are usually negotiated with tutors.
Currently, modules and projects are assessed using a combination of evidence, ranging through:
- Portfolios of annotated evidence
- Professional logs
- Live presentations
- Observation of practice
- Video presentations
- Podcasts or audio diaries
- Essays
- Reports
- Articles fit for publication
- Professional documentation (e.g. policies used within school, planning documents, lesson plans and schemes of work)
- Briefing documents for colleagues
- Reflective accounts
- Dialogic interviews or 'hothouse tutorials'
Your tutor will discuss with you the most appropriate form(s) of evidence and provide you with the support needed to ensure it meets the assessment requirements for Masters Level work.
Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) points
In Chester, each module is worth 20 Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) points. CAT points are a nationally recognised system which ensures that there is parity across Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in the way their modules and courses are organised.
For postgraduate awards across the UK:
- 60 credits = a Postgraduate Certificate
- 120 credits = a Postgraduate Diploma
- 180 credits = a Masters degree
These credits are transferrable and hence if you have passed modules in other HEIs, you can use them towards your qualification with us, and vice versa.
Hence, a certificate requires the successful completion of 3 modules (or equivalent), a diploma requires the successful completion of 6 modules (or equivalent) and a Masters Degree requires the successful completion of 9 modules (or equivalent). Extended projects or dissertations usually accumulate more than 20 credits.
| Type of Module |
CATS
|
Single Modules
|
20 points
|
Postgraduate Certificate - 3 Modules
|
60 points
|
Postgraduate Diploma - 6 Modules
|
120 points
|
MA Education - 6 Modules plus Dissertation
|
180 points
|
Can I transfer credit from other Universities?
Yes, through Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) and Accreditation of Prior Experiential learning (APEL). If you have credit that you think may be able to contribute to a qualification contact the CPD Co-ordinator and make an individual appointment to enable us to review your profile. This includes importing credit from NPQH leadership qualification.
Study skills support
We offer whole group tuition on Masters' level study including critical thinking, research methods and writing for academic purposes.
The school based CPD addresses a specific need at your school or workplace. Teachers who engage in Chester's Masters programme will become reflective practitioners and critical thinkers who can articulate their views with confidence and conviction.
Many participants choose to extend their knowledge further by enrolling on the Masters in Education programme which is run as a weekend school at the University of Chester.
Provided you have a degree and you are working as part of the children's workforce, then you are eligible to register for any of our postgraduate modules, certificates, diplomas or the full MA in Education.
If you have QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) you will be granted automatic entry to the programme. Other graduates will need to attend an interview with the CPD Co-ordinator or the MA Programme Leader.
In some cases, non graduates will be considered based on professional experience and an interview.
Qualfied Teacher Status is a pre-requisite for being accepted on any MA (Education) module.
