Effective Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is one of the most powerful drivers of school improvement. When done well, it equips educators with up-to-date knowledge, evidence-informed strategies, and best practices that make a real difference in education. But how can we ensure we’re making the most of this vital tool?

At MATPN North, we had the pleasure of hearing from Amjad Ali, Trust Training and Inclusion Lead at Chiltern Learning Trust, who shared his key insights on how to deliver effective CPD and why it’s so important.

Here are the key takeaways from the session…

The core components of effective CPD

Amjad started his keynote by underscoring the importance of getting CPD right. ‘Having spoken to thousands of teachers and having sat there having received CPD, it’s important for us to know what works and what doesn’t work.’

Teachers are busy, so when it comes to CPD, we need to make sure that we’re respecting their time. Amjad called out ineffective and outdated practices such as icebreakers, stating, ‘It’s one of those things that we think, ‘oh, everybody will love it, and it will break the ice’ and it literally does the opposite.

• Evidence-informed ideas
• Time to think and reflect
• Delivered by someone with expertise

By using evidence-informed strategies, teachers can try out new ways of working and implement these approaches to improve the student experience.

In order to facilitate this, Amjad offered a practical framework that he uses when dealing with CPD that also respects teachers’ autonomy:

• Try something new
• Refine something existing
• Ditch what no longer works

Change habits, not just practice

Despite popular belief, CPD isn’t about telling staff what to do – it’s about helping them build new habits. But as we all know, building something new into your regular routine can be difficult, so how can we make sure that these new habits stand the test of time?

As Amjad explained, ‘Habits are logically simple to work out. I have a cue that signifies a trigger for a routine that then creates a reward. That’s basically how we operate our entire life. My cue signifies my routine and then I have a reward. I only maintain a habit if I get a reward.’

He then gave the analogy of going to the gym, explaining that it’s not the gym that people love, but the end result. ‘People tell me they love the gym… but what they really love is the reward.’

He points out that no one voluntarily chooses the harder option just for the sake of it. He explained, ‘If you’re driving and the Sat Nav says ‘save three minutes,’ you’ll take it – even if it means an extra 4,000 miles!’

The same is true for teaching. If we want staff to embrace change, it has to feel worth it and offer visible benefits.

Inclusion, relationships and praise

Towards the end of the session, Amjad talked about the key drivers behind effective teaching, leadership and CPD. He started by talking about inclusion and how it can be applied to CPD, referencing a phrase he uses in his book, ‘Needed for some, but benefiting all.’ By building inclusive practices into CPD, everyone benefits, not just those who it’s designed for.

He then talked about the power of relationships, and how effective CPD is rooted in how leaders make their staff feel, referencing the Pygmalion effect. ‘The Pygmalion effect is the self-fulfilling prophecy. If I wholeheartedly believe in someone, and I make them genuinely believe that I trust, value, love, and respect them professionally, then guess what? They’ll work harder for you.’ He continued, ‘The opposite, however, is the golem effect… if I make staff feel like they’re not valued, they’re not respected, they’re not loved, and they’re not valued in professional sense, then they’ll work less hard because of you.’ Amjad then talked about how this relates back to CPD, explaining, ‘If I give them empowering developmental CPD, they’ll feel that. If I give them patronising CPD that doesn’t make much difference, they’ll feel that.’

Lastly, Amjad shared simple but powerful idea, stating ‘The best intervention you can give any child is to help them feel successful.’ Success builds confidence, motivation, and momentum – for both students and staff. CPD, classroom practice, and leadership all play a role in creating opportunities for success.

But why does it work? The reason is simple: because success feels good, and people love being recognised for it. Amjad shared a time where he phoned a staff member’s parent to praise her work. The staff member was thrilled, and the next day, others jokingly asked for calls home too.

The takeaway? Recognition matters, and as Amjad explained, ‘we all love praise.’ By celebrating people’s contributions, leaders can create a culture where success isn’t just expected – it’s enjoyed.

Continue the conversation

To learn more about Amjad’s work on professional learning and inclusion, visit Chiltern Learning Trust or explore his latest insights on impactful CPD.

Want to take part in future discussions? Join us at MATPN Midlands on 24–25 June.