Findings 3: Views of CPD

Despite their comparative lack of satisfaction with what was on offer, most of those questioned felt that CPD was important and relevant to their teaching. Updating subject knowledge and teaching skills were rated the most important areas for CPD, with courses linked to whole-school strategies close behind. There was strong agreement that CPD could make teachers more confident in their role, increase morale and benefit the whole school.

Managers tended to be more positive about CPD than classroom teachers, and more likely to believe that their school encouraged people to make use of it. This division of opinion was strongest in secondary schools, where 94 per cent of senior managers maintained that their school encouraged CPD, with 72 per cent of teachers agreeing with them.