1.7.4 Continuing professional development

1.7.4 Continuing professional development

A number of support services provided continuing professional development programmes for primary and post-primary teachers and school leaders

The Teacher Education Section of the Department funds continuing professional development (CPD) programmes for primary and post-primary teachers. These programmes are designed and delivered by four separate support services. These are the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT), Centre for School Leadership (CSL) and National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT). At the time of writing, developments are underway which will see the gradual merging of these four support bodies into one support service for schools. In addition to these support bodies, the National Council for Special Education provides customised SEN-related CPD, advice and support to primary and post-primary levels and An Chomhairle Um Oideachas Gaeltachta (COGG) provides customised CPD support to teachers in Irish-medium schools in English speaking areas and in the Gaeltacht. The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), a section of the Department, also delivers national CPD programmes and CPD bespoke to individual schools as part of its provision of applied psychology services for teachers and school communities.

To promote the continuing professional development of teachers and educational partners, there is a national network of twenty-one full-time and seven part-time Education Support Centres. These are constituted under Section 37 of the Education Act (1998). The principal activity of these centres is to organise the local delivery of national programmes of teacher professional development and to support the local CPD needs of teachers and the wider school community in their region. In addition, three centres provide the administrative headquarters for four Department-funded CPD support services for teachers (PDST, JCT, NIPT and CSL).

44 The Teaching Council (2013) Droichead: Teaching Council policy on a new model of induction and probation for newly qualified teachers, following consultation with stakeholders. Available at: https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/Publications/Teacher- Education/Droichead-Policy-on-Induction-and-Probation.pdf

Figure 1.4 Key providers of CPD programmes

Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) The PDST provides support to primary and post-primary teachers and school leaders in a range of pedagogical, curriculum and educational areas. It supports teachers as reflective practitioners by providing a range of professional development opportunities and supports that enable teacher learning, collaboration and evidence-based practice with an emphasis on: ■ curriculum and pedagogy ■ learning and teaching methodologies ■ school improvement and school self-evaluation ■ school leadership, culture and leading learning ■ pupil/student and teacher wellbeing ■ information and communications technology.
Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) The JCT service continues to deliver a comprehensive professional development programme to support teachers of Junior Cycle. This includes seminars for school leaders, whole-staf f workshops in schools, subject-specific workshops via school clustering, events hosted in education centres and school visits.

Centre for School Leadership (CSL)

The Centre for School Leadership (CSL) is a partnership between the Department, the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN), and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD). It was established in September 2015 with a role in leading, supporting, enhancing and advising on high-quality programmes (Mentoring, Coaching & Aspiring Leaders) to develop and support school leadership, particularly principals, across the primary and postprimary school network.

National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT)

The NIPT supports the induction of newly qualified teachers (NQTs), both primary and postprimary, into the teaching profession in Ireland. Droichead is the integrated professional induction framework for NQTs.

National Council for Special Education (NCSE)

The NCSE is a national provider of SEN-related CPD, advice and support to mainstream and special settings at primary and post-primary levels. It provides a comprehensive programme of Teacher Professional Learning seminars each school year, covering a variety of special educational needs topics. School leaders and teachers can also apply to the NCSE for funding for approved teacher professional learning (TPL) courses.

An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG)

As part of its provision of support services to Irish-medium primary and post-primary schools, COGG provides a range of CPD events for teachers teaching in these contexts. These CPD events include intensive Irish language courses across a range of subjects for teachers working in Gaeltacht schools and Irish-medium schools outside the Gaeltacht. From 2017, the COGG team has provided additional targeted CPD support for schools participating in the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme to support the implementation of immersion education.

The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)

NEPS delivers national CPD programmes and bespoke supports for individual schools as part of the provision of applied psychology services for teachers and school communities to build and maximise their capacity to respond to the needs of all students and those with particular needs. These professional learning activities may include the provision of training/formal professional learning opportunities including training in the delivery of evidence-informed approaches and early intervention, and working with school communities to develop supportive school structures and processes. They may also include the facilitation of service planning and review meetings with schools, including group planning meetings and individual school planning and review meetings.

Supporting the implementation of national policies was a key focus for teachers’ continuing professional development

Professional development support for the implementation of the relevant actions in the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), DEIS, Languages Connect, Health and Wellbeing, and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and digital technologies has been prioritised since 2016. DEIS schools continued to be prioritised by all support services across all areas, including DEIS-specific literacy and numeracy programmes, the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) and cross-sectoral cluster projects.

From 2016 to 2020, CPD for primary and post-primary teachers was provided

in a wide range of subject areas. These included support for the

Figure from page 42

introduction and implementation of the Primary Language

Curriculum (PLC), new subject specifications under the

Framework for Junior Cycle, and both new and revised

subject specifications at Leaving Certificate; new

examinable subjects at Leaving Certificate include

Politics and Society, Computer Science and Physical

Education. In 2020, funding for over 600 places was

made available on college-based post-graduate

programmes in Leadership and Special

Educational Needs.

Schools may apply to the PDST for general

school support. However, the provision of

such support is subject to team capacity and

available resources at any one time. The decline in primary school supports in 2019-20 is a result of a shift to seminars relating to the PLC rollout. The number of primary schools receiving information and communication technology (ICT) support has increased considerably over the period to which this report refers (Table 1.18).

Table 1.18: School support provided by the PDST 2016-2020

Indicator	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Number of primary schools receiving school support	1,288	1,574	1,931	1,469	1,009
Number of hours provided to primary schools receiving school support	12,395	14,849	23,686	13,812	8,436
Number of primary schools receiving ICT school support	71	110	182	373	334
Number of ICT hours provided to primary schools receiving school support	566	1,505	1,537	2,555	2,385
Number of post-primary schools receiving school support	288	307	416	463	346

Source: Statistics Section, Department of Education. Also see Education Indicators for Ireland 2021 at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/055810-education-statistics/#latest-statistical-reports

There have been exceptional requirements for schools to engage in continuing professional development during school time

At primary and post-primary levels, due to the introduction and implementation of new curricula, there have been exceptional requirements for schools to engage in continuing professional development (CPD) during school time. Over the 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20 school years, primary teachers availed of 104,588 CPD days in total, approximately 2.5 days per teacher, related to the implementation of the Primary Language Curriculum (Table 1.19). The corresponding figure for post-primary teachers is 54,423 days, approximately 1.75 days per teacher, of which 18,933 days were allocated to Junior Cycle CPD. In effect, the attendance of teachers at CPD events related to curriculum reform has reduced the teaching time for pupils/students. While schools are entitled to use substitute cover for these absences, substitute teachers may not be available because of the shortage of substitute teachers in the subject. In some instances, the school may close. It raises an argument for the inclusion of non-teaching days for the purpose of attendance at CPD in teachers’ contracts, thus ensuring that teachers can avail of valuable opportunities to attend CPD while the learning of their pupils/students is not disrupted.

Table 1.19: Number of CPD days engaged in by teachers 2016-2020

Year	Primary CPD days	Post-primary CPD days		Total
		Junior Cycle	Other
2016/2017	22,266	884	7,027	30,177
2017/2018	29,376	2,537	8,027	39,940
2018/2019	30,577	7,790	10,679	49,046
2019/2020	22,369	7,722	9,757	39,848
TOTAL	104,588	18,933	35,490	159,011
		54,423

Source: Department of Education

Engagement by teachers in additional continuing professional development is optional

There is no official requirement for teachers to engage in additional professional development. Individual primary and post-primary teachers may participate in elective CPD if they wish. If this CPD takes place during school time, approval for attendance is at the discretion of the school’s board of management. No information on the amount of time spent by individual teachers on this type of CPD is available centrally. During the summer holidays, many primary teachers engage in CPD organised by a range of course providers. In return, these teachers are able to avail of three to five Extra Personal Vacation (EPV) days during the school year. A total of 53,123 primary teachers who attended summer courses were eligible to avail of EPV days in the school year 2019/2020. Paid substitute cover is not generally provided for EPV days so, if the days are taken, some disruption may occur in children’s learning. However, as part of the suite of operational supports provided to schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, for the 2020/21 school year, the Department and Education and Training Boards (ETB) provided substitute cover for the first day of EPV-leave taken by a teacher in the school year.

Teachers’ involvement in continuing professional development impacts on instruction time

It should be noted that schools are operating under considerable constraints when it comes to staff availing of CPD opportunities. Releasing teachers during school time has implications for continuity of learning and, in some parts of the country, there are considerable issues with regard to the availability of substitute teachers. Despite the many benefits that accrue from teachers’ participation in CPD, teacher absence from school, even short-term absences, can result in a loss of learning for pupils/students. At primary level, EPV-related teacher absences can have a significant organisational impact on a school which can, in turn, impact negatively on continuity of provision for pupils. In light of school closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be important to minimise the impact that attendance at CPD has on learners’ class contact time.

Figure from page 44