"This is CPD with a soul. Inspirational!"

Sarah: English Teacher

CamSTAR is unique in offering a whole school framework for CPD which gives both structure and flexibility. Based on principles of Andragogy, choice is central to this programme, and teachers are supported in making personalised and professional decisions about their own training needs, which reflect both their own interests and the school vision.

In fact, CamSTAR CPD stands for CamSTAR Professional Dialogues, reflecting the engagement of Teachers and drawing on their existing expertise.

The structure of the CPD Programme is that all staff undertake three half day modules in an academic year. CamSTAR provides a range of fully developed CPD or CamSTAR Professional Dialogue modules (e.g Coaching and Mentoring; Creativity; Well Being; Innovative Pedagogy) which schools can elect to run as part of their own CPD provision. In addition to the available CPD programmes, CamSTAR will also produce bespoke CPD session at the request of schools. Fees for these bespoke sessions are available on request.

The CamSTAR Professional Dialogue ‘CPD’ Programme also presents every Teacher with the choice of a ‘Mini-Research Project’ (of limited commitment, usually six hours) on some aspect of one of the three modules, chosen by the individual Teacher. A clear structure is provided for ‘Mini-Research Projects’. 

CamSTAR Professional Dialogue ‘CPD’ is therefore a way of addressing up to three themes across your school in an academic year, through high quality and thought-provoking provision, which can be self-directed by the school or led by members of the CamSTAR Team. It is also a way of introducing all Teachers, across the school, to the concepts of educational research, making this central to the way schools think (and not on the periphery), and of course from this full CamSTAR Teacher Research Projects may follow for interested Teachers. Full support is offered for the teacher research options, which can be tailored to fit in with current interests and requirements.

The CamSTAR Professional Dialogue ‘CPD’ is accessed through password-protected school membership areas of the website. These are divided into the CPD Programme, which provides the framework and rationale for our approach; Early Years and Primary CPD; Secondary Subject CPD; and a final section ‘Have You Tried…?’