Each month we showcase one of our delivery partners who help us develop, deliver and facilitate our programmes nationwide. This month, we caught up with the team at Oxfordshire Teaching School Hub who work with us to deliver the Early Career Framework and National Professional Qualifications across Oxfordshire. 

Who are Oxfordshire Teaching School Hub?

We are a school-led partnership of over 300 schools and organisations who work together to provide high quality professional development and recruitment services for people working in schools. We are part of the River Learning Trust (RLT), whose core values are: everyone learning, respectful relationships and commitment to excellence.

Why did you choose to work with Best Practice Network? 

Besides Best Practice Network (BPN) being an accredited provider for the NPQ for SENCOs, which is a strategic priority in our region, there were a number of other benefits of working with BPN.

First, the effective balance between BPN support for onboarding and training facilitators and our ability to recruit local, highly experienced leaders.

Second, the breadth of programmes beyond NPQs that BPN offers, including other opportunities open to our facilitators as BPN Associates.

Thirdly, increased opportunity to meet regional and trust-wide priorities in CPLD and career pathway management, through BPN's programmes. Finally, collaborating with the kind and generous team supporting all the behind-the-scenes operations is a huge bonus.

What about BPN's NPQs made them stand out to you?

In addition to the above, we value the programme design, with ongoing learning supported through BPN coaching, the robust Canvas platform for participants to use, and the Face-to-Face days.

We’re finding our facilitators appreciate the thorough preparation and support they can access prior to facilitation; plus the ability to deliver NPQs both with fidelity to their design, and flexibly to allow them to interleave examples from their expertise, situated in a local context.

Having all day Face-to-Face sessions allows for meaningful discussions and relationships to develop between facilitators and participants, as well as between participants via networking, which they really value.

Why should schools choose Oxfordshire TSH for their staff professional development?

We care deeply about people and seek feedback on what matters to people. Professional development is a dynamic of people, process, expertise and culture. In all that we offer and facilitate, we aim to keep these elements in mind, so that we can support colleagues in the most meaningful ways for them in their context.

What impact do you believe the NPQs are having on schools and their teachers?

We know that NPQs can have a significant impact. Earlier this year, we conducted a small-scale research project grounded in a research-informed theory of change. Key findings pointed to increases in evidence-informed practice, ability to implement change, ability to influence teaching and learning, and ability to develop healthy working relationships - as evidenced by participants and triangulated with their in-school leaders plus indirect metrics of pupil performance.

Findings also highlighted the vital influence leaders have on school culture - a key element in NPQ programme content and design.

We’re also grateful for Best Practice Network's openness to collaborate, co-constructing survey questions with BPN colleagues for future Face-to-Face visits, so that we continue to think hard and learn about the impact of NPQs.

Looking for more information?

You can find out more information about what we offer at Oxfordshire Teaching School Hub here.

If you would like any more information on our NPQ programmes, get in contact with us:

 Email: npq@bestpracticenet.co.uk

 Tel: +44 (0) 117 920 9200 (8.30am-5.30pm, Mon-Fri)

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