Just four in 10 teachers found the last Inset day they attended useful, a new report suggests.
Some 41 per cent of classroom teachers questioned in a survey described their last Inset day as either somewhat useful or very useful, while a third said it was not particularly useful, according to figures published today by Teacher Tapp.
The findings, based on responses from 9,000 teachers in England surveyed during autumn 2023, are part of a report highlighting shortcomings in current teacher professional development.
The report, funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, says that even though teachers do not believe that the professional development they have done in the past 12 months has been particularly effective, they remain optimistic about the potential impact of CPD in the future.
Almost one-fifth of teachers surveyed (17 per cent) said they would prefer to receive £2,500-worth of CPD vouchers over a £1,000 pay rise.
Inset (in-service training) days were introduced by Kenneth Baker, now Baron Baker of Dorking, when he was education secretary in the 1980s to allow teachers to take part in professional development.
Schools normally hold five statutory days of this training each academic year.
In Teacher Tapp’s survey, less than half of the 9,000 teachers (41 per cent) said that all five days were held as distinct Inset days. More than one-third (34 per cent) reported that at least two of these days were held as “twilight sessions” after school.
Teachers want different CPD focus
The report also highlights a “clear tendency” for Inset days to be focused on school policies, compliance and planning rather than on improving teaching.
And it warns that teachers do not believe that external courses in areas of weakness, such as behaviour management, are likely to improve their expertise in these areas. Just 4 per cent said they believed that attending CPD on this topic would result in significant improvements.
There were also differing views between leaders and teachers over the current CPD offer in schools.
Some 43 per cent of senior leaders said that the current balance between the four categories of CPD - whole-school, subject-specific, key stage-specific and role-specific - was about right, whereas eight in 10 classroom teachers said that the balance needed adjusting.
These teachers wanted more subject- and age group-specific CPD.
And despite the recent focus on National Professional Qualifications, only one in five teachers prioritised working towards a qualification, the survey shows.
The research was commissioned by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation in response to Labour saying that it would work with schools to deliver a “teacher training entitlement”, including backfilling roles so that teachers at every stage of their career can be released for training.
The Teacher Tapp report suggests that a “key question” for Labour will be “what CPD should qualify towards teachers’ entitlement?”.
The report states that while it is “clear that teachers are professionally engaged and keen to improve...their experiences of CPD are not always positive”.
The research is set to be considered as part of a review convened by the Teacher Development Trust to consider how the entitlement could work in practice, with findings set to be published in spring 2024.
Becky Allen, chief analyst at Teacher Tapp and one of the report’s authors, said: “Teachers tell us they have a clear understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses as teachers, yet current CPD does a relatively poor job at giving them the time and space to improve their classroom practice.”
Jenni French, head of Stem in schools at the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, said: “Teacher Tapp’s research demonstrates that, despite their intended purpose, in-school training days are often falling short in helping teachers develop their subject knowledge and classroom practice.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “High-quality professional development is important for teachers at all stages of their careers to ensure they receive appropriate support and to enable them constantly to improve their practice.
“New teachers are entitled to at least three years of structured training and professional development - which we back with over £130 million a year in funding - while more experienced teachers can complete national professional qualifications.”
