This blog is the second instalment in a five-part series written by Matthew Anglesea, Assistant Principal at Durham Sixth Form Centre. It explores their evolving journey with the Great Teaching Toolkit (GTT), from initial implementation to their current practices and reflections. Durham 6th Form are one of the lead schools using the GTT, and have recently been awarded the status of Great Teaching Centre. As part of this community, Durham Sixth Form Centre now stands as both a beacon and an exemplar. Sharing practice, leading by example, and helping to shape a global movement for sustained, evidence-informed professional learning.
Creating a Professional Development Curriculum
As outlined in blog 1 of this series, much of our teachers’ practice was shaped more by instinct and experience than by engagement with the wider evidence base. One of the central goals of our professional development programme, aligned with the EEF guidance, was therefore to build knowledge.
Borrowing from the title of Dylan Wiliam’s blog, Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment – in that order, we began by creating a PD curriculum: a shared understanding of what we wanted staff to know, built around a common language. Much of this foundational knowledge was drawn from the Great Teaching Toolkit platform. Having completed the Science of Learning course myself, I can vouch for the quality, accessibility and relevance of the content. I used the platform both to deepen my own understanding and to shape the core content of our professional development curriculum. As every teacher knows, just because something has been taught does not mean it has been learned, which is why this year we are doubling down on developing our understanding of the PD curriculum further to ensure it is more deeply embedded in practice.
The Role of Departmental Leadership in Teacher Growth
Viviane Robinson’s concept of “tight but loose” underpinned our approach. We were clear about what we wanted teachers to know, but flexible about how long it would take to deliver. In the end, we covered the key aspects of our Teaching, Learning and Assessment policy over two years through 14 whole-school professional development sessions. These included a balance of new content, consolidation, retrieval and reflection, allowing us to manage cognitive load.
Alongside Living the Policy, we recognised that the impact of teacher development relied heavily on the role of Heads of Department, who we see as the engine room of professional growth. We therefore invested significant time in supporting them to cultivate the climates and leadership approaches needed to embed knowledge-building within departments, ensuring this work was firmly grounded in the EEF mechanisms
Specialisation Pathways for Deeper Teacher Knowledge
Although the whole-staff curriculum was covered over two years, many teachers still felt they had only developed a surface-level understanding. In response, our third year of implementation gave staff the chance to specialise. Teachers opted into a pathway linked to one aspect of the curriculum and spent the year deepening their knowledge, refining their practice and embedding their understanding more securely. The short online courses on the GTT platform, in both their design and content, helped support teachers to develop foundational knowledge and consider relevant teaching strategies they could trial in their lessons.
Designing CPD Sessions That Mirror Classroom Pedagogy
The design of our professional development sessions mirrored the pedagogy we expect in the classroom. Each 1.5-hour whole-staff session at the start of a half term began by activating prior knowledge, before introducing new concepts in manageable chunks. Explanations, modelling and the use of analogies or stories helped to support learning. Teachers had time to consolidate their understanding, engage in discussion and consider how the content applied to their subject context. Follow-up sessions opened with retrieval practice, often via short multiple-choice quizzes on mini whiteboards. Just as I can’t teach without whiteboards, I can’t deliver professional development without them either!
In designing slides and resources, we were mindful of cognitive load. The challenge was balancing research and theory to deepen understanding with practical strategies teachers could use straight away. At times we got this balance right, at other times we didn’t. Introducing academic literature and terminology without overwhelming or disengaging staff was not always easy. Delivering professional development brings many of the same challenges as classroom teaching: a range of prior knowledge, experience and buy-in.
Managing Expectations in Teacher Professional Development
Setting high expectations for what teachers should know inevitably creates tension. Oversimplifying risks diluting the content, but overloading risks disengagement. We recognise we have not always got this balance right. There were times when we included too much conceptual content and not enough concrete examples, which limited practical application. This tension continues to shape how we plan and deliver professional development.
Knowledge alone is not enough. In blog 3, we turn to how we built and sustained teacher motivation so professional learning translated into action.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this work further, please contact Matthew Anglesea, Assistant Principal, Durham Sixth Form Centre at matthew.anglesea@durhamsixthformcentre.org.uk
