Centre for Educational Excellence in the North

A Partnership between Salford Professional Development Ltd and the National Education Trust 

Salford Professional Development Ltd (SPD) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Salford, with all profits gift aided back to the University.

SPD helps delegates to achieve their career goals through lifelong learning and development programmes that draw upon over 100 years of educational excellence from the University of Salford.

Continued professional development (CPD) is fundamental to career progression, helping people to learn new skills, keep up with the changing demands of the workplace and gain valuable qualifications in the process.

SPD has been established with the aim of consolidating the University’s expertise in this area, providing a wide selection of courses that have been designed specifically to further the careers of those who study with us.

The National Education Trust (NET) is a registered charity, and is the UK’s leading education ‘do-tank’ with a proven track-record of influencing national policy and practice.

The Trust is an independent foundation leading and promoting excellent practice in education. It brings extensive international and national experience to bear upon improvements for learners, from early years to university entrance.

The Trust assists education leaders and practitioners in sustaining success and tackling underperformance through an extensive programme of in-service training.

Centre for Educational Excellence in the North

Salford Professional Development and the National Education Trust are combining resources to establish a Centre for Educational Excellence, based in MediaCity, Salford Quays.

MediaCityUK:  This unique digital learning, teaching and research space has the very latest industry specified equipment, studios and laboratories. Our production suites, studios and digital infrastructure have been informed and specified by industry and future-proofed for emerging creative technologies.

The University has created an unparalleled environment for delegates, who work in the media, digital and creative sectors. The University has also developed formidable opportunities in digital technologies, most notably encapsulated in media asset management architecture, digital performance, and integrated content systems

The University of Salford brings with it an established reputation for educational excellence and is able to call upon a wide ranging expert base of unrivalled Academics. 

The National Education Trust brings together an outstanding group of practising headteachers, subject specialists and inspectors of schools to provide high quality training in the topics that matter to teachers in primary, special and secondary schools.

The Centre launches its first programme of courses in May 2013.

Details of all course tutors can be found at www.nationaleducationtrust.net

Courses will start with coffee at 9.15am, for 9.45 start; will include lunch; and end with tea at 3pm.

CEE Programme of Courses- May-July 2013:

1. Creating outstanding primary school classrooms: 22nd May

Tutor: Roy Blatchford

This is a course aimed at creating outstanding teaching and learning in the primary classroom. A copy of the specially written book ‘Sparkling Classrooms’ will be available to course participants.

Rooted in Roy Blatchford's observations of over 8000 classrooms around the world, he will share practical ideas and approaches against the backloth of the new Ofsted framework, and the 2012 Teachers' Standards which he co-authored.

2. Demonstrating effective use of the Pupil Premium: 23rd May

Tutor: Roy Blatchford & Takako Yeung

The new Ofsted framework places considerable emphasis on schools and teachers being able to demonstrate the impact they are having on the progress of children in receipt of the pupil premium.

This course will give practical examples – based on case studies – of how primary and secondary schools can demonstrate effective use of their pupil premium budgets. The National Education Trust has recently published ‘Pupil Premium’ with a foreword by David Laws MP.

3. Best practice in Primary Reading & Writing: 6th June

Tutor: Kate Dethridge

The new Ofsted framework and the 2012 Teachers’ Standards focus strongly on these topics:

‘The teaching of reading, writing, communication is highly effective and cohesively planned and implemented across the curriculum’ (Ofsted)

This course will present practical ideas to ensure primary pupils secure strong outcomes, and show teachers how they can best demonstrate good progress in English and literacy lessons. A range of excellent resource materials for the classroom will be given to each delegate.

4.  Leading your school's Ofsted inspection: 18th June

Tutor: Mark Vickers

Critical to a successful school inspection is how leaders lead the inspection. The course is aimed at primary and secondary senior leaders, enabling them to ‘climb inside the inspector’s skin’ and lead all aspects of the two-day Ofsted inspection.

A range of training materials, extracts from SEFs and inspection reports, top tips and other resources will be shared with participants.

The course is led by a highly experienced Ofsted inspector.

5. Leading literacy in the secondary school: 19th June

Tutor: David Birch

An intensive one day course to ensure high quality whole school literacy provision in your school. The course provides detailed guidance on every aspect of the requirement on schools to ensure high quality literacy provision and practical strategies for delivering it.

‘Teachers must demonstrate an understanding of and take responsibility for promoting high standards of literacy, articulacy and the correct use of standard English, whatever the teacher’s specialist subject.’

Teachers’ Standards 2012 

‘The teaching of reading, writing and communication is highly effective and cohesively planned and implemented across the curriculum.’

Ofsted Inspection Framework 2012  

6. Developing Independent Learning in Secondary Schools: 20th June

Tutor: David Birch

This course is designed for senior leaders and classroom practitioners who wish to secure more independent learning in their schools. It focuses on how effective classroom practice, support for individual students and consistent application of policy at whole-institution level promote greater independent learning.

So much of what we do in schools today actually compromises the ability of our students to become effective learners. Effective tracking and monitoring systems can easily lead to dependence rather than independence and classroom practice frequently sacrifices challenge in favour of strategies which effectively spoon-feeds learners.

To address these issues we will focus on the following key questions:

• What do we understand by independent learning?
• How do we move students from compliance to active engagement in their learning?
• How can schools create opportunities for students to learn independently?
• What skills do teachers need to encourage independent learning?
• How can the curriculum best incorporate thinking and study skills?

7.  Creating Outstanding Classrooms in the special school: 21st June

Tutor: Simon Knight

This course is focused on creating outstanding teaching and learning in special schools. A copy on the specially devised leaflet 'Sparkling Classrooms' will be available to course participants.

Rooted in Simon Knights extensive work at Frank Wise School, Banbury and special schools nationally, he will share practical ideas and approaches, including best practice use of ICT in the classrooms. Bring a portable device if you have one! 

8.  Effective Leadership and Teaching post 16: 2nd July

Tutor: David Birch

This course is designed for senior leaders with post-16 responsibility and classroom practitioners in school sixth forms and FE and VI form colleges.

It is easy to assume that, as soon as students embark on post-16 study, they automatically become well-motivated independent learners. More often, these young people have been spoon-fed, tracked and monitored, as schools have responded to the need to improve outcomes at KS4 at all costs.

At the same time, teaching and learning at Post 16 is still often seen as a ‘secret garden’: there is often less focus on pedagogy than elsewhere and an assumption that anyone with a good degree will teach well at this level.

The course will take a three-fold approach:

• on the needs of individual students
• the development of effective teaching and learning
• the importance of consistent approaches across the whole institution.