Experienced Teachers

Whatever stage of your career, length of service or aspirations, Norfolk schools will work with you to enhance your skills to get you to where you want to be and where your students and school need you to be.

Professional development

Along with the excellent internal CPD structures operated in many Norfolk schools – using approaches such as cross-school collaboration on pedagogy, bringing external expertise into school to support longer term in a particular area, or research project opportunities – there is also plenty of external provision.

Are you aspiring to move into school leadership?  You might have the option to link with nationally respected organisations such as Teaching Leaders and to access accredited middle leadership programmes.  Are you keen to remain in the classroom and continue to build on your skills as a teacher? Opportunities to develop your own skills and knowledge – such as through conducting your own research or accessing an industry placement – are coupled with the fantastic learning brought with supporting colleagues either within your school or in other schools.

Amongst many other providers of professional development, Norfolk’s Teaching Schools and Norfolk County Council each offer a wide range of high quality CPD provision across the whole of the County.

Other support

Beyond that offered through your employing school and other networks you build over time, support will also be available through your trade union or professional association.

Financial support may be available, though with house prices very reasonable compared to many parts of the country you may find that finances are less squeezed.  It may be useful to visit the ‘Help to Buy’ website, http://www.helptobuyese.org.uk/.

Many Norfolk schools also offer an interest-free loan of up to £2,000 in the first month’s salary to new staff, which is then repaid back over the following 20 months.

According to the DfE around 10,000 former teachers return to the profession every year.  Whether you left to bring up a family or to pursue a new profession, you will bring valuable skills and experience back with you.  The Norfolk Headteacher associations have put together a Return to Teaching programme to provide insights into schools now: including opportunities for spending time shadowing teachers and hearing about some of the recent changes to curriculum and assessment.  Contact info@educatenorfolk.co.uk if you are interested in this programme.