Can continuing professional development for teachers be shown to raise pupils' achievement?

This report is based on interviews, funded by the Teacher Training Agency, conducted between November 1998 and April 1999. The interviewees were participants in a programme of study at Leeds Metropolitan University called ‘Managing the raising of achievement’. More than 80% of the teachers whose work had progressed to a conclusion of some sort were able to present evidence that their participation in the programme raised pupils' achievement. The report concludes that this programme has contributed to increased achievement by pupils, but raises questions as to whether greater access to such programmes would have similar benefits or whether the teachers who benefit from this approach are a minority. Questions are raised about the identification of effectiveness in teachers for the purposes of demonstrating competence. Those who will have the responsibility of judging whether teachers deserve a performancerelated pay increase (all heads and many consultants) should take a wide view of what is accept...