CPD Policy

CPD POLICY

EDLounge LTD believes that all staff should be involved in a process of improvement and is committed to fostering a positive ethos of continuous learning. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the means by which the company is able to recruit, retain and develop its staff. This development takes place at a number of levels: individual, team, the whole organisation and through wider networks. The focus of CPD will be on enhancing career progression, improving standards and on the quality of teaching, learning and leadership.

EDLounge LTD believes that a carefully planned programme of CPD improves standards, raises morale and is integral to a culture that promotes learning at a high level for staff and learners alike. All those employed by EDLounge LTD have an entitlement to equality of access to high-quality induction and continuing development.

EDLounge LTD focuses on three key levels for staff development:

• 1. Strategic - to enable staff to meet the expectations of the company strategy.
• 2. Operational - to enable staff to meet the requirements of the centre/service area.
• 3. Professional - to enable staff to develop their effectiveness and increase job satisfaction in order to achieve potential.
  • meet identified individual, company or national development priorities.

The purpose of this policy is to outline the principles by which professional development (CPD) is encouraged and supported at EDLounge LTD to deliver high-quality training and apprenticeships. Our priority is to align all staff development activities to enhance the learner experience via curriculum development and delivery.

PRINCIPLES

We believe that effective Continuous Professional Development (CPD) contributes significantly to organisational improvement. An investment in the staff at EDLounge LTD has a positive effect on their motivation and effectiveness and helps to create a climate for learning which affects both staff and learners. In particular, we believe that CPD is most effective when it is:

Owned by staff – staff should be encouraged to reflect on their existing practice and to consider in what area they would most like their expertise to develop. Where staff are given space and structure within which to determine their developmental priorities, they make astute judgments and commit to them.

Relevant to the context – any areas for development must be able to find application in the normal work context to allow staff to reflect and experiment and to be able to discover successful approaches.

Built on existing expertise – the starting point for any member of staff in developing their expertise must be to recognise what they already know and what they are capable of. This maximises the likelihood of success.

Collaborative and supported from within EDLounge LTD– the most powerful learning occurs when opportunities are provided for debate and reflection.

Sustained – the greatest impact in terms of changing and developing one’s practice is gained through activities that involve a series of events.

Built using feedback - CPD is most effective when it builds on the feedback that colleagues have received from performance management meetings, classroom practice and observations.

The impact of engaging in these varying levels of activity is to enhance the learning experience by aligning all CPD activities to the curriculum and interventions in response to market needs.

EDLounge LTD will use a range of providers/types of provision and endeavours to source the provision of CPD according to the best value.  Our Quality Assurance mechanisms ensure that EDLounge LTD accesses provisions of a consistently high standard.

PLANNING FOR CPD

CPD is tailored to the role of the staff member and is identified in the planning processes and/or through annual professional reviews.

The job description and the appraisal process also form a major part in the identification of ongoing development which aims to measure performance against agreed objectives and identify any staff development which may contribute to the completion of the objectives.

EDLounge LTD is determined that CPD opportunities should:

• be based on good practice – in development activity and in teaching and learning.
• help raise standards of learners’ achievements.
• respect cultural diversity.
• be provided by those with the necessary experience, expertise and skills.
• be planned systematically and follow the agreed programme except when dealing with emerging issues.
• are based, where appropriate, on relevant standards.
• make effective use of resources.
• provide value for money.
• have effective monitoring and evaluation systems, including seeking out and acting on user feedback to inform the quality of provision.
  • all staff are encouraged to develop their knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes to enhance their professional work.
  • all staff have regular opportunities to discuss their development needs and professional aspirations.
  • all staff have a responsibility to participate in a company focused CPD and personal career development.

SUPPORTING A RANGE OF CPD ACTIVITIES

All forms of professional development are based on the following principles:

All staff members undertake induction and mandatory specific CPD in Equality and Diversity, Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults, Health and Safety, Data Protection, Freedom of Information, Bullying and Harassment, Stress Management, and training in Prevent.

EDLounge LTD supports a wide portfolio of CPD approaches to match the preferred learning styles of staff and to maximise the impact on teaching and learning within EDLounge LTD. These CPD approaches may include:

• attendance at a course or conference.
• in-house training using the expertise available within EDLounge, e.g., coaching/mentoring, skills in observation/assessment, sharing existing expertise.
• visit to observe or participate in good and successful practice, e.g., visit a training venue or subject area with similar circumstances.
• shadowing opportunities to observe experienced colleagues in another educational setting.
• research opportunities
• distance learning, e.g., e-learning, relevant resources, training videos, reflection, simulation.

• practical experience, e.g., national test or exam marking experience, opportunities to present a paper, contribute to a training programme, co-ordinate or support a learning forum or network, become involved in local and national networks.
• job enrichment/enlargement, e.g., a higher level of responsibility; front line working in someone else’s job, job sharing, acting roles, job rotation, shadowing.

• producing documentation or resources such as a personal development plan, apprenticeship teaching materials for KSB development, assessment package, ICT or video programme.
• coaching and mentoring – receiving or acting in these roles, acting as or receiving the support of a critical friend, team building activity.
• partnerships, e.g., with a colleague, group, subject, phase, team meetings and activities such as joint planning, observation or standardization, special project working group.
• creating an improved learning environment within EDLounge LTD.
  • Discuss with the Directors & SMT the main CPD priorities and the budgetary implications.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF CPD

The CEO has responsibility for the leadership and management of CPD within EDLounge LTD. 

The CEO’s main responsibilities are:

·            Keep up to date with CPD developments locally and nationally.

·            Promote CPD as a central element of performance management and company improvement.

·            Identify EDLounge LTD’s CPD needs through mechanisms such as company self-evaluation, analysis of performance management targets, local/national priorities, internal/external monitoring, informal/formal discussions with individuals and teams.

·            Ensure development is viewed and utilised as a toolkit to help support and motivate staff in performance capability situations, develop through and improve strategies to identify excellence in learning, teaching and assessment.

·            Provide details on the range of CPD opportunities and disseminate information to the appropriate staff.  Maintain and develop links with sources of CPD.  Ensure procedures for accessing information on CPD are available to all.

·            Provide managers with the skills, knowledge and competencies they need to work in partnership with their staff to support their CPD and promote lifelong learning.

·            Report to the Directors & SMT on the provision and impact of CPD.

·            Ensure whether any follow up is needed to the training, e.g., feedback to the provider and be responsible for any such actions.

·            Provide guidance to colleagues on the most effective procedures for disseminating information following professional development training.

·            Regularly and accurately update records of the training undertaken by colleagues and advise the appropriate bodies where there are issues of equality of access and involvement.

RESPONSIBILITIES

SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM

• To keep up to date with CPD development locally and nationally.
• To promote CPD as a central element of appraisal and organisational improvement
• To provide details on the range of CPD opportunities and disseminate information to the appropriate staff.
• To quality-assure providers of CPD
• To identify each CPD's needs through mechanisms such as academy self-evaluation, analysis of appraisal targets, local/national priorities, internal/external monitoring, informal/formal discussions with
• Individuals and teams.
• To discuss with the Directors and governing body the main CPD priorities and the budgetary implications
• To report on the provision and the impact of CPD
• To provide guidance to colleagues on the most effective procedures for disseminating information following CPD
• To produce a calendar for CPD opportunities that allows optimum participation.

Appraisers and Line Managers have a responsibility to:

• Ensure that staff are undertaking appropriate and sufficient CPD.
• Support staff in developing longer-term plans for their professional development based on career stages.
• Track and monitor learner progress across all programme levels.
• Keep SMT informed as to the impact of CPD programmes.

Staff have a responsibility to:

• Identify their personal professional development needs which are relevant to the current role and any career development.
• Undertake any CPD offered diligently.
• Abide by any contractual commitments or changes made in line with this policy.
• Evaluate any CPD undertook and its related impact on their development.

DATA CAPTURE

Data capture will provide a measure of individual staff performance with regards to meeting KPIs for:

• Attendance
• Retention
• Outcomes
  • Learner and company attainment
  • Improved teaching, learning and assessment.
  • Increased learner understanding and enthusiasm.
  • Increased staff confidence.
  • Recruitment, retention and career progression/promotable staff.

These data sets provide information to enable employees and managers to understand current performance, identify barriers and enable business goals to be met. This data will be used during appraisals and staff review meetings. Employees are responsible for monitoring their own data sets and implementing strategies to ensure they meet KPIs.

EVALUATION OF CPD ACTIVITIES

In order to ensure that training activities are efficacious to staff and learners, CPD activities will be evaluated on an individual, departmental, subject and whole organizational basis. The HR team will evaluate its provision by verbal feedback, questionnaire, focus groups and self-assessment, and will review practice thereafter.

Evaluations will measure the following:

Evaluations will take place with the following frequency:

• Staff members will evaluate individual CPD and training activities as they undertake them.
• The General Manager will evaluate the whole organisational CPD and training annually.

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF CPD

The CEO will report with the leadership team on an assessment of the benefits of CPD undertaken (and planned), especially as it relates to:

• Learner and company attainment.
• Improved teaching and learning.
• Increased learner understanding and enthusiasm.
• Increased staff confidence.
• Increased evidence of reflective practice.
• Recruitment, retention and career progression/promotable staff.

MAINTENANCE OF TRAINING RECORDS

Once staff have attended and completed a training course, their training record will be updated by the individual that is accountable for the training. This includes internal and external delivered courses.

It is the responsibility of the member of staff to ensure that records of any external training course are added to their record.

REVIEW

EDLounge’s CPD Policy and Procedure are reviewed annually. The review process includes analysis of monitoring data, consultation with and feedback from learners, staff and other stakeholders.

Signed                  Date 13/07/2021

Sam Warnes

CEO