What if... we really prioritised school-based teacher development
As part of our thought experiment series, Matthew Shanks looks at how the school timetable could be reconfigured to truly prioritise teacher development
4th February 2025, 5:00am
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What if... we really prioritised school-based teacher development
Teaching is an incredibly rewarding profession. Few jobs provide the satisfaction and thrill of witnessing a child grasp a challenging concept, master a new skill or ignite a lifelong passion for learning.
However, teaching is also undeniably demanding. The challenge lies not just in the workload but in the inflexible structures of the current school model, with its rigid schedules and limited scope for professional development.
The latter is a fundamental problem: we need the best teachers to ensure the best outcomes, and so enabling teachers to collaborate, explore their craft and learn is critical.
A new model for teacher development
So, what if we truly prioritised time for teacher development in education? Not as a token gesture or a retrofit into the existing system, but as the driving force for how schools operate.
What could that look like, and what might it achieve?
Currently, schools allocate just five days a year for this purpose. Imagine a model in which at least half a day each week, if not every day, is dedicated to collaborative planning, sharing resources and professional growth.
Collaborative planning
With greater resourcing, teachers could be timetabled to work together in subject teams, year groups or even across schools in local areas.
This would enable them to focus on promoting every child’s progress, challenging and supporting one another, sharing expertise, designing lessons and tailoring resources to meet the specific needs of their pupils.
Such an approach would save valuable time, elevate the quality of continuous assessment and raise the standard of classroom delivery.
Improved teacher workload
It would also improve work-life balance by reducing the burden of preparing lessons solo, while also ensuring that teachers develop as professionals rather than having to deliver a common set of PowerPoint slides.
Teachers could develop as subject and age-group specialists, engaging in high-level pedagogical thinking in a reflective, collaborative setting.
By embedding collaboration into the working day, lessons would be informed by collective insight rather than isolated effort, leading to deeper, more impactful learning for pupils and all with greater flexibility for teachers.
AI in education
Technology, too, could play a central role in this vision.
We often talk about digital tools in education as a way to enhance engagement, but what if they also became a tool for freeing up time for professional development?
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform how teachers work by taking on time-consuming tasks such as marking, generating some learning materials, delivering content to pupils in an alternative fashion, acting as a consolidation tool and providing real-time feedback.
This would enable teachers to focus on the more professional and pedagogical aspects of their role, planning learning that is inclusive, personalised and supported by data-driven insights.
However, for this to be effective, schools must ensure adequate training and ethical use of AI to prevent bias and over-reliance on technology.
Putting teachers first
This mix of technology and allocated time - as well as the nudge to work across diverse teams - would mean teachers have the time and space to refine their practice and deliver the best possible education.
The profession as a whole would also become more attractive to new entrants and more sustainable for experienced educators, addressing the ongoing recruitment and retention challenges.
Of course, implementing such a model would come with significant challenges. More flexible working would require additional staff to cover teaching and non-teaching responsibilities, as well as substantial investment in infrastructure and technology.
It would demand a cultural shift in how schools are managed and funded, and in how they are held accountable.
Lessons from abroad
Current accountability systems, which often prioritise data and results over professional development and wellbeing, would need to evolve to support this new approach.
Critics might argue that this vision is unrealistic given the constraints on school budgets and the political landscape. However, other countries have demonstrated that systemic change is possible.