Emphasising Brooke Weston Trust's ongoing commitment to developing its people, as reflected in the People Strategy and the comprehensive Centre for Professional Development, some of our recent staff development opportunities are showcased below.   

 

Vice Principal and Assistant Principal Conference 

Vice and Assistant Principals from across the Trust gathered on the 26th of November. The event began with an opening address from Pauline Turner, Principal at Thrapston Primary, who spoke about the value and importance of having Vice and Assistant Principals by your side as a Principal. 

The keynote speaker, Giles Osborne, a School Improvement lead and practising Ofsted inspector, shared how to best maximise the strength of leaders in schools and how they can most successfully navigate Ofsted inspections. Giles delivered this with great insight and humour which was well received by all in attendance and answered individuals’ questions following the event.  

County Lines & Street Crimes Awareness Training 

On 27th November, Dean Coady delivered an impactful presentation to safeguarding leads. Dean has 25 years’ experience in front-line policing and prior to his retirement, was one of the most highly decorated detectives in the UK, receiving an OBE.  Dean spoke in depth and with brutal honesty about the effects of gang crime on young people and shared the consequences of them becoming involved in drug-related crimes.  

Dean shared real life scenarios to highlight the inherent dangers of gangs and County Lines and shared his experiences of working with people affected by street-based threats and child criminal exploitation. He demonstrated strategies that staff can use to increase the personal resilience of our students, and how to raise their awareness of the dangers and consequences of becoming involved in gangs and criminal activity.  

Chartered Teacher: Development of Teaching Practice Award 

Over the Autumn Term, a group of teachers from across the Trust completed the ‘Development of Teaching Practice Award’, a unit in the pathway to achieving Chartered Teacher status. 

Charlotte Hawker-Smith, Director of Teaching and Learning (Secondary), led the programme which supports teachers in developing effective evidence-informed teaching practices. The group benefited from collaborative working and expert facilitation from Charlotte to explore their current teaching practice and how to develop it further. 

East Midlands South Maths Hub – SKTM Programme 

We are pleased to be working with the East Midlands South Maths Hub to develop the teaching practice of staff in our primary schools. Recently, a number of teaching assistants began the Specialist Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics Programme (SKTM), delivered by Lydia from the EMS Maths Hub. 

This programme supports teaching assistants to develop their maths subject knowledge and introduces new ideas for them to add to their daily practice. The group made a great start to the programme and is looking forward to the second session in February.   

For more information about the Brooke Weston Trust Centre for Professional Development, and to find out what courses are available, please visit: BWT CPD