Network | Art Teachers and Leaders 2024-25
Join our fun, creative and informal Art Network. We aim to create a supportive and creative community where art teachers can connect, share ideas and collaborate with one another. Offering opportunities for ongoing professional development through practical workshops, webinars and guest speakers and sharing our resources.
Face to face twilight sessions will be held termly from 4pm to 5.30pm at Sandringham School. The network will be charged at £30 in advance for the year or £10 per session when joining part way through.
- Session 1: Monday, 7th October 2024
Whether you’re a seasoned Art teacher or just starting out, our network meeting is the perfect place to ignite your creativity, gain valuable insights, and find inspiration for your classroom.
The meeting focus will be sharing ideas of how we can raise the profile of Art in our schools. Discover fresh ideas and innovative approaches to engage your students and foster a love for Art.
Guest artist Daisy Smith will lead a collage based workshop and sharing her creative approach to collage which can be used at both primary and secondary level.
https://www.instagram.com/daisymay.smith/
Don’t Miss Out!
Register Today and take the first step towards enriching your art teaching journey.
- Session 2: Monday, 3rd February 2025
- Session 3: Monday, 30th June 2025
Session content will be made available each term
Who is this course for?
- Primary and secondary art teachers from ECT to HODs.
Meet the facilitator
Sarah Gidden, Sandringham School
Sarah is a fine artist specialising in oil painting and photography. Sarah has taught art to all ages from infants to University of the third age. With over 20 year teaching experience she is passionate about art and education. After becoming a mum to twins in 2011 Sarah enjoyed a career break to raise her family and develop her art skills further. She has exhibited in many galleries including The Collective Gallery , The Nude Tin Can and St Albans Museum as well as Courtyard Arts in Ware and The Broadway in Letchworth.
Liz Kelly, Director of Learning (Visual Arts and Arts Coordinator), Sandringham School
Network | Design & Technology and Food & Nutrition Teachers 2024-25
Caroline O’Coy from Roundwood Park School will be leading our established Design and Technology Teachers Network during 2024-25 now to include Food and Nutrition.
This network is a chance for Teachers of Design and Technology and Food and Nutrition to meet to discuss current issues in Education, to create cross school relationships and share ideas and best practice.
Termly sessions will take place at Roundwood Park School from 4-5.30pm on the following dates.
Session 1: Tuesday, 5th November 2024
Session 2: Tuesday, 25th February 2025
Session 3: Tuesday, 3rd June 2025
Sessions will be £30 in advance or £10 a session if joining part way through the year.
On this programme participants will:
- Discuss current best practice and new ideas.
- Discuss ways we can stay up to date with our ever-changing subject.
- Discuss how we can use blended learning within our subject area.
- Share quick wins and teaching and learning tips.
- Share ideas on how best to set- up industry links in the community and how to harness them to provide opportunities for students
Areas of focus:
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Sharing good practise.
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Inspiring students with industry links.
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Networking with other colleagues.
Who is the course for?
All teachers of Design and Technology from ECTs to HoDs.
Meet the facilitator
Caroline O’Coy, Roundwood Park School
Network | Early Years Leaders 2024-25
Alban Education are delighted to launch in collaboration with Acorns Early Years Training Centre an Early Years Leaders Network for the academic year of 2024-25.
Face to face twilight sessions will be held termly from 4pm to 5.30pm at Ludwick Nursery School on the following dates:
- Thursday, 14th November 2024
- Thursday 13th February 2025
- Thursday 26th June 2025
This network is £30 in advance for all three sessions or delegates joining part way through the year will be charged at £10 per session.
Who is this course for?
Early Years Leaders
What are the objectives or outcomes?
This network will be for anyone with EYFS leadership responsibility in schools and PVI settings. It will be an opportunity to share best practice, network with colleagues and keep up to date with latest research, policy and practice.
Meet the facilitators
Helen Ackerman, Headteacher Ludwick Nursery School and Director Acorns Early Years Training Centre
Lucy Parker, Deputy Headteacher Ludwick Nursery School and Director Acorns Early Years Training Centre
Network | Sixth Form Leaders 2024-25
Alban Education are delighted to continue the Sixth Form Leaders Network for the academic year of 2024-25.
Face to face twilight sessions will be held termly from 4pm to 5.30pm at Sir John Lawes School on the following dates:
- Thursday 28th November 2024
- Thursday 13th March 2025
- Thursday 12th June 2025
This network is £30 for all three sessions or delegates joining part way through the year will be charged at £10 per session.
Who is this course for?
Sixth Form Leaders
What are the objectives or outcomes?
- To share best practice to support post 16 students
- To discuss changes to the post 16 educational landscape
- To discuss common challenges that face sixth form
Areas of focus:
The course will include:
- Changes to the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework and its implications for post 16 education
- Pastoral care
- The introduction of T Levels and the implication for sixth forms
- Independent learning
- Metacognition
Meet the facilitator:
Sara Calverley, Sir John Lawes School
Network | Geography Teachers 2024-25
This network is for Geography teachers who would like to meet to discuss current issues in Secondary Geography Education and to work collaboratively.
The group will meet termly with twilight sessions running from 4.00pm to 5.30pm on the dates below. £30 for all three in advance or £10 per session thereafter.
- Meeting 1: Thursday 14th November 2024 @ Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’
- Meeting 2: Thursday 13th February 2025 @ Hitchin Boys
- Meeting 3: Thursday 12th June 2025 @ Stanborough (tbc)
Your booking will include all three dates for £30 and reporting instructions will be sent prior to each event.
Late joiners will be charged pro-rata at £10 per session.
Who is this course for?
All Geography teachers – any experience.
What are the objectives or outcomes?
On this programme participants will:
- Discuss opportunities and challenges linked to all key stages of the Geography curriculum (KS1-KS5)
- Explore how Geography contributes to whole school cross-curricular initiatives
- Discuss changes in assessment in Geography
- Share best practice [to include objectives from other facilitators]
Areas of focus
The course will include:
- Facilitated sessions
- Developing pedagogy
- Ideas for collaboration
- Reflection and review
Meet the facilitator
Janet Ruffhead is currently Head of Humanities at Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School and has been Head of Geography for the past 17 years. She has thirty five years’ teaching experience and has worked in a number of schools in the West Midlands and at International schools in West Africa and South India.
She has held the role of Global Dimension Co-ordinator for over 10 years and has run whole school inset as well as supported staff in developing exciting and interactive resources across all subject areas. She has more recently led successful initiatives to support PP pupils and work to improve their resilience and self-confidence and arranged master classes and workshops for more able students
Testimonials from delegates
“Invaluable as a lone teacher of Geography, to meet with other teachers and share ideas and resources.”
“I have really enjoyed networking with other secondary Geography teachers, exploring topics and issues that affect us all.”
Maximising Writing across the Secondary Curriculum 2024-25
Alban Education are delighted to be launching a new session on Maximising Writing across the Secondary Curriculum during 2024-25.
This session will be held at Sandringham School on Wednesday, 25th June 2025 from 9.30am to 12.30pm.
Who is this course for?
Suitable for any secondary school leaders, teachers, teaching assistants who have any responsibility for writing or literacy across the curriculum.
What are the objectives or outcomes?
- To examine the key writing challenges and opportunities within secondary school settings
- To explore the most recent research and resources to maximise impact on writing skills
- To offer practical ways in which school settings can successfully adapt current provision
- To provide a networking opportunity for local schools to collaborate and share best practice across the region
Meet the facilitator
Natalie Reece
Natalie has over 25 years’ experience of teaching English in secondary schools and has had wide-ranging experience of school leadership roles such as English Subject Lead, Director of Teaching, Literacy Lead, Assistant Headteacher as well as being a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE).
Natalie has a strong reputation for devising and delivering directly relevant professional development training to a wide range of both primary and secondary schools, across the UK. She is a national facilitator for the NPQLL (Leading Literacy) as well as being an NPQLL Mentor for teachers working across all settings such as primary, secondary, special and alternative provision. She believes that outstanding leaders must also be learners, and she is passionate about keeping abreast of emerging research and educational developments.
Natalie was described as “dedicated to ensuring the highest possible standards” in an Ofsted inspection report and she is highly experienced in working alongside Literacy Leads and English subject teams in schools across the UK, evaluating their current provision and offering both the necessary challenge and support.
Natalie maintains that ‘no two schools are the same’ and her professional approach has always been highly regarded by schools. When supporting schools, her breadth of experience in conjunction with the practical strategies she offers teachers and leaders, not only accelerates student outcomes but also ambition.
Natalie has also been a committee member for the National Association of Advisers in English (NAAE).
Testimonials
“Thank you for today. Great practical suggestions!”
“I found the morning really useful and inspiring.”
“Really great to hear Natalie’s overview – puts it all into context very clearly… Ever-helpful advice and ideas… supportive and creative.”
“Many excellent strategies for outstanding practice…perfect pitch and length…a thoroughly rewarding course, thank you!”
Network | Psychology A Level Leaders and Teachers 2024-25
Alban Education is delighted to continue offering this network for teachers and leaders of A Level Psychology. There will be three sessions across the year which will take place at St Albans Girls’ School from 4pm to 5.30pm on the dates below.
Bookings are for all three sessions, £30 in advance.
- Tuesday, 12th November 2024
- Tuesday, 25th February 2025
- Tuesday, 3rd June 2025
Who is this course for?
- Curriculum Leaders and Teachers of A Level Psychology
Focus
- To share best practice and resourcing to support A Level Psychology students
- To create student workshops on content, skills, sequencing, resourcing, exam technique and revision across schools.
- To discuss the challenges presented by OFSTED in a Psychology deep dive.
- To arrange a bespoke conference event with an external speaker for Psychology students to support exam performance.
Meet the facilitator
Mrs Karan Birkett
Curriculum Leader for Psychology, Post 16 Teaching and Learning Lead
I have been the Curriculum Leader for Psychology at St Albans Girls’ School for 15 years having previously taught at Sir John Lawes School; GCSE Science, A Level Biology and A Level Psychology. Currently there are over 100 students taking Psychology across Years 12 and 13 making the subject one of our most popular at Post 16. I also have assumed the responsibility of the Post 16 Teaching and Learning Lead as part of the Sixth Form Team providing a Study
Skills Toolkit to students, helping to support the Oxbridge programme, organising our Learner Voice, leading a cross curricular Post 16 Teaching and Learning Group and providing CPD through Staff Meetings and our Teaching and Learning Community. I have a strong interest in pedagogy and read extensively to elevate and evolve departmental practice.
MTPT Return to Work Workshops 2024-25
Colleagues returning from a period of maternity, adoption or shared parental leave this term can enjoy a fully-funded place on The MTPT Project’s Return to Work workshops. This 90 minute virtual workshop will inform you of your legal entitlements and the best practice you can expect from your school, as well as a powerful space to set boundaries and get your emotional and logistical ducks in a row before you go back.
NEXT SESSION: Monday 14th October 2024, 09:30-11:00
DATES FOR 2024-25
Autumn
Monday 14th October 2024, 09:30-11:00
Tuesday 10th December 2024, 09:30-11:00
Spring
Monday 3rd February 2025, 09:30-11:00
Thursday 27th March 2025, 09:30-11:00
Summer
Monday 12th May 2025, 09:30-11:00
Thursday 13th June 2025, 09:30-11:00
Tuesday 15th July 2025, 09:30-11:00
Fully-funded for all state school teachers in Hertfordshire thanks to Alban & Chiltern TSH
Emma Sheppard
Founder of The MaternityTeacher PaternityTeacher Project
Inspiring, empowering and connecting teachers choosing to complete CPD on parental leave.
Book in a call with me: www.calendly.com/emmasheppard
www.mtpt.org.uk
@mtptproject #MTPTproject
www.facebook.com/MTPTproject
Join us as a member!
