Staff Development & Professional Learning

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Recognising that successful transformation depends as much on people as on technology, the Trust built a comprehensive, practical professional-learning offer around AI — and watched confidence and curiosity grow.

A multi-layered CPD strategy

The Trust's CPD offer was designed to make staff not only technically proficient but pedagogically confident. Aligned with Education Endowment Foundation guidance on effective professional development, it was structured around several elements: foundational training in AI concepts, ethics and specific tools; embedded, hands-on workshops delivered in a coaching model within directed time; personalised CPD pathways that let staff self-select by confidence and interest, including tailoring outputs for SEND and EAL learners; peer collaboration through informal networks and working groups; and external expertise, with Mark Anderson (ICT Evangelist) delivering blended face-to-face and online sessions supported by a resource bank and a dedicated Microsoft Teams channel for real-time peer support.

Shifting attitudes and growing competence

At the outset, attitudes were mixed. While 75% of staff felt comfortable with general digital tools, fewer than 20% had any prior experience of AI in education. Over the project, the shift was marked. By its conclusion, 100% of participating staff felt comfortable or very comfortable using digital tools for planning, and 88% reported that AI-supported planning improved their efficiency and reduced workload. Initial anxieties about AI "replacing" teachers or producing low-quality resources faded as staff experienced the practical benefits, and many moved beyond basic use to explore AI for assessment, intervention planning and resource creation — a shift the report characterises as moving "from compliance to curiosity".

Ethical literacy grew alongside technical skill. CPD inputs on bias, safeguarding and data privacy built a culture in which staff could critically appraise AI outputs, recognising pitfalls while harnessing benefits responsibly — echoing recommendations from the DfE's EdTech Strategy and the Chartered College of Teaching.

Emerging leadership and distributed expertise

A striking development was the emergence of leadership at every level. Digital champions — many previously classroom teachers without formal leadership roles — developed advanced expertise and mentored colleagues. Middle leaders embedded AI into curriculum planning meetings and staff briefings, making it core school business rather than a side initiative. Cross-school networks and digital working groups enabled staff to collaborate and refine practice, and proved sustainable beyond the formal project window. Above all, an innovation mindset of inquiry, reflection and experimentation took root — the hallmark of a self-improving system.

Challenges, and how they were met

Progress was not frictionless. Some staff were initially sceptical about workload or value; structured "early wins" showcasing time-saving examples shifted perceptions. Technical glitches — login difficulties and inconsistent tool reliability — were addressed through responsive IT support. Uptake varied between schools, and leadership responded flexibly, allowing contextual adaptation while maintaining overall consistency. To sustain momentum, AI-focused training is now part of regular CPD and staff induction, champion networks continue to meet termly, and a growing bank of Trust-wide resources guards against knowledge loss through staff turnover.