Teacher Development Trust

TDT Advisor is the Trust's professional development database. It provides listings and ratings for professional development training courses, consultancy, and other services.

TDT Advisor was launched in 2012 and is free of charge to providers and users.

Users are able to review courses and resources they have used. This has been compared to the "TripAdvisor" style of rating, referring to the popular site's effective use of user generated content.[3]

In January 2013, a partnership was set up between Teacher Development Trust, Education Endowment Foundation and Sutton Trust. As part of this partnership, GoodCPDGuide professional development listings are aligned with the topics listed in the EEF-Sutton Trust Teaching and Learning Toolkit. This Toolkit summarises research to provide "guidance to teachers and schools on how to use their resources to improve the attainment of disadvantaged pupils."[4]

All TDT Advisor users must agree to the site's Code of Practice.[5] Teacher Development Trust, EEF and Sutton Trust, undertake joint random quality sampling.

In July 2013, Teacher Development Trust launched the Network (formerly known as the National Teacher Enquiry Network (NTEN)).[6]

TDT Network is an opt-in UK school network whose member organisations will share and develop evidence-based professional development practice.[7]

Services offered to members of the network include:

• A peer-audit scheme, whereby members are trained to review provisions for professional development in other member organisations.
• Support to implement NTEN Lesson Study, a process of practitioner-led enquiry.
• Networking opportunities and events
• Advice on optimising professional development in schools

TDT Lesson Study is based on the theory and practice of Lesson Study, a teaching improvement process originating from Japan. In Lesson Study, teachers work in a small group to discuss their learning goals, create a "research lesson", then observe this lesson to revise and report on results. Groups finish by writing and disseminating their findings to assist colleagues and other teachers.

Lesson Study has been credited as enabling "better understanding of student thinking in order to develop lessons that advance student learning".[8] Pilot Lesson Study schemes in England in 2003-2005 have also shown that the process allows for "increased risk-taking […] through sharing the ownership of the lesson and its outcomes – which contrasts sharply with much of the effects of inspection and performance management oriented observation, which can lead teachers to play safe".

Teacher Development Trust provides free advice for teachers and schools and offers support and consultancy for training providers.[9]

The Trust runs a frequent blog on professional development and contributes each month to SecEd, a weekly magazine for secondary education.[10]

The Trust was represented at the Education Innovation conference in Manchester in March 2013,[11] and at the Research ED Conference 2013 where chief executive David Weston spoke on Bridging the Chasm Between Practitioners and Researchers.[12][13][14][15]

David Weston is also a regular contributor to the Guardian newspaper’s Teacher network.[16][17][18]

The Trust's board of trustees is made up[23] of:

• John Holman (Chair), President, Royal Society of Chemistry, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at the University of York and Senior Advisor in Education at the Wellcome Trust and the Gatsby Foundation, Chair of the Salters Institute, Former Headteacher. Former Headteacher.
• Mark McCourt was the founding Chairman of the Teacher Development Trust. He is Chief Executive of La Salle Education and formerly senior director at Tribal, director at NCETM, a school leader, inspector and AST.
• Russell Hobby, General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers
• Anna Pedroza, an independent communications and marketing consultant who works with TeachersMedia, Edcomshttp://www.edcoms.com/, O2 Learn and Iris Connect. Formerly Director of Marketing and Communications at Teachers TV.
• Martin Post, Headmaster of Watford Grammar School for Boys and National Leader of Education
• Veena Naidoo
• David Laws
• Sam Freedman

The Trust's advisory board is made up of:

• Professor Robert Coe, Professor in the School of Education and Director of the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) at Durham University
• Philippa Cordingley, Chief Executive, Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Education (CUREE)
• Professor Pete Dudley, Professor of Education, University of Leicester, formerly Director of the Primary National Strategy
• Liz Francis, Deputy Director, Performance Unit, Department for Education. Formerly director of workforce strategy, standards and qualifications at TDA
• Dr Jonathan Sharples, Manager of Partnerships at the Institute for Effective Education
• Laura McInerney