Taking the Pressure off Teaching Staff with On-demand, Tailored CPD - SECG’s Success Story

South Essex Colleges Group (SECG) offers a comprehensive range of courses, serving 4,438 students aged 16 – 19 and 2,829 adult learners, including a select group of electively home-educated 14 – 16-year-olds. Additionally, 72 learners benefit from discrete programs supported by high-needs funding. Higher Education is delivered to 537 students, in partnership with institutions like the University of East Anglia, University of the Arts London, and the Open University. The Group also supports 860 apprenticeships, primarily within the local area, further underscoring its commitment to tailored education pathways that meet diverse learner needs.

With over 400 educators working across five sites, SECG recognised that fundamental changes were needed to support teacher development and improve the overall quality of teaching and learning.

One of the main issues SECG faced was an overemphasis on ​‘back to basics’ and improving consistency in professional development, which unintentionally detracted from teachers’ individual development journeys and made CPD feel somewhat robotic. As Aimee Bose, Deputy Executive Director of Teaching and Technology, explains, ​“Teacher development was largely prescriptive through a cross-college CPD plan, which placed much pressure on our team, as each teacher’s development journey is unique.”

In addition, teachers were often either less aware of or did not have enough allocated time for the balanced development of their subject expertise and pedagogical skills — known as dual professionalism. SECG wanted teachers to continually grow in both areas, yet many found it challenging to prioritise both their vocational expertise and teaching skills within already packed schedules. As Aimee Bose explains, ​“We wanted staff to develop their dual professionalism continually, but it seemed hard to fit this in with the time constraints of a typical week.”

An Ofsted rating of Grade 3, Requires Improvement (RI), reinforced these existing challenges and underscored the urgent need for a new approach to professional development. SECG needed a strategy that would not only enhance the quality of lessons across the college but also provide more personalised support for every teacher, empowering staff to take ownership of their growth while ensuring consistency in teaching quality across all campuses.

To address these challenges, SECG implemented the HOW2 Platform, an innovative solution that provided on-demand, personalised support. By offering easy-to-learn evidence-based teaching (EBT) techniques that educators could access anytime, the platform not only saved teachers valuable time but also empowered them to adapt their strategies to meet the diverse needs of their students.

SECG was committed to making full use of the HOW2 Platform from the outset, and the Teaching and Learning team developed a structured approach for its implementation, including a dedicated cross-college CPD slot from 10 – 12 pm every Friday. This two-hour slot provided time for the initial rollout and ongoing support of the platform. 

The platform was launched at the beginning of the academic year with the ​‘HOW2 Reflect’ initiative, giving teachers an opportunity to evaluate their strengths and identify areas for improvement. Using the platform’s Barriers to Progress Questionnaire, each teacher set their own personal HOW2 goals to kick off the year.

To further support this initiative, SECG designated an additional hour each month for teachers to focus on their HOW2 development. These dedicated sessions, allowed staff to explore their HOW2s, adjust their goals, and share insights about what worked and why with their colleagues. The teaching and learning team facilitated these sessions, ensuring teachers received guidance and support as they navigated the platform.

SECG also launched its​‘Learning System — Structure of a Lesson’ alongside the platform, embedding three specific HOW2 techniques — Entry Routines, Desk Work, and Exit Routines — to provide a consistent lesson structure for all staff. These foundational techniques ensured that all staff, especially new members, had a unified starting point while still benefiting from personalised professional development through the platform.

SECG also embedded the HOW2 Platform into its quality processes and observation strategy. For all formal observations and lesson visits, the relevant HOW2 techniques were linked to each teacher’s areas for development. After each observation, the observer used the platform’s nudge feature to send personal HOW2 techniques directly related to the areas identified for development. 

These development areas were closely tracked and monitored by management teams. From April to June, SECG conducted a development and progress monitoring phase, during which managers performed follow-up lesson visits focused on the HOW2 techniques selected for each teacher. This allowed the college to closely monitor progress, with 87% of teachers showing improvement in their development areas during this period.

The HOW2 Platform also facilitated a collaborative culture through its notes feature. Teachers were encouraged to document their experiences and share insights across departments, with some strategies generating as many as 45 shared notes. This feature played a crucial role in building a strong community of learning, where staff could learn from one another’s experiences and tailor their strategies to meet individual student needs.

The integration of the HOW2 Platform has had a profound impact on teaching quality and staff retention at SECG:

• Improved Student Outcomes: Student achievement has improved across all levels, with last year’s results showing notable increases in performance.

• Enhanced Staff Retention: Staff retention has improved for two consecutive years, with new staff rating the HOW2 induction process highly (4.8−5) for its effectiveness in supporting their professional growth.

• Recognition of Improvements: Recent evaluations have highlighted significant enhancements in teaching and learning, with particular praise for the role of HOW2 in driving these positive changes.

According to Aimee, the HOW2 Platform has become an integral part of SECG’s day-to-day processes.

Conclusion: Building a Culture of Continuous Growth

The HOW2 Platform has enabled SECG to transform its approach to teaching and learning. By providing personalised, on-demand professional development and encouraging staff collaboration, the college has created a strong foundation for future success.

Aimee explains: ​“Our CPD is now more streamlined and individualised. Staff are working on their own journeys as dual professionals, and when something works, we share it to give our learners the best experience possible.”

With plans to extend the platform’s use to SECG’s Higher Education schools, the college continues to foster a learning culture that supports both educators and students.