Continuing Professional Development

At Myton School we are highly committed to supporting the whole school workforce through a calendar of CPD that is personalised, relevant and contributes to teaching and learning. Funding is set aside to support staff training through identified subject-specific needs, personal professional development (via individual performance management) and through the wider school Training Programme.

The school supports CPD in a variety of forms, for example:

By funding attendance on external courses (recent courses have included ‘Metacognition and Interleaving’, ‘Bridging the Literacy Gap: Effective Strategies To Address Weak Reading Skills in Secondary School Pupils’)
Comprehensive internal training programmes
Teaching and Learning staff who will provide demonstration lessons, coaching, mentoring and ‘tailored’ support and training
Initial Teacher Training mentoring and buddies for new staff
Opportunities to celebrate and share practice
Leadership development
Action Research

We embrace up to date pedagogy and innovation, realising that in a rapidly changing environment such as education, staff have the opportunity to include masters and other action research into their working practice and thereby incorporate new knowledge in day-to-day activities.

The Teaching and Learning team is part of the CPD entitlement at Myton School. The staff within the team share good practice and are experts in delivering professionalism in teaching and learning; making a difference where it really counts – in the classroom.

We give frequent opportunities to individuals to review and identify their personal needs, with an extensive programme of INSET days being part of the package. We do try to cover every training and CPD requirement in-house but also arrange external training on request.

Julie Stevens

Assistant Headteacher/Director of Sixth Form

Having worked my way up the ranks at Myton in the English Department, then as Assistant Head in charge of Literacy, and now as Head of Sixth Form, I have a great overview of Teaching and Learning across the school, in core subjects but also with particular focus on Key Stage 5.

Areas of expertise:

Pedagogy in English
Key Stage 5 Teaching and Learning
Literacy across the curriculum
Importance of reading
Stretching the more able
Line management
Careers

Email: [email protected]

Emma Atkins

Assistant Headteacher – Curriculum and Staffing

I have taught at Myton since September 2012, having been employed as Head of Maths. I then joined the leadership team as Director of Numeracy, before becoming an Assistant Headteacher for Transition and Key Stage 3 Curriculum, before starting my current role in September 2020. The curriculum should evolve over time and be accessible, appropriate, engaging and challenging for all students. We want teachers to have outstanding subject knowledge, be passionate about their subject and deliver outstanding learning through outstanding teaching.

In both my time at Myton and at previous schools, one the most rewarding parts of my role is to see students excel both in the classroom and out, especially in specialisms other than my own and seeing them all as individuals aiming to be the best version of themselves. Every teacher should ‘walk the walk’, leading by example and having the highest expectations of every single student. There are no excuses, and all can achieve, no matter what their starting point.

Email: [email protected]

Jenny Cross

Professional Mentor ITT, Lead Mentor for Futures Teaching Alliance, Joint Course lead for Dance, and PE teacher

I am in my 20th year of teaching, having qualified in 2006. I began my working career at Tudor Grange School, Solihull and have been at Myton since 2010. I have had roles such as second in department, NQT (ECT) mentor, trainee mentor and have taught PE, Dance and Drama. I am now Professional Mentor for ITT (we work with training providers from teaching providers and also Universities), Lead Mentor for Futures Teaching Alliance where I oversee and deliver curriculum to the PE trainees, and also an ECT mentor. Alongside this, I jointly run the dance department where we deliver a BTEC in Dance to year 9, 10 and 11.

I am also a qualified netball coach, dog owner and mum to three young children.

Areas of expertise:

Supporting and coaching early career teachers and trainee teachers
Continuing high standards when it comes to behaviour and pupil expectations
Establishing alternative Attitude for Learning techniques and ideas
Stretching the more able
Peer coaching
Encouraging roles other than ‘performer’ within the lesson
The confidence continuum

Email: [email protected]

Abbie Arliss

Teaching & Learning Lead – Teaching & Learning Leader / Professional Mentor (ITT and ECTs) & Drama and Theatre Arts Coordinator

I am in my 8th year of teaching after completing my initial teacher training at Aberystwyth University. After completing my NQT year at Myton, I have taught both Drama and English; been a subject mentor for 7 years, lead the curriculum in Drama, and was Drama and Theatre Arts Coordinator. I am now also a member of the Teaching & Learning team as a Teaching & Learning Leader and Professional Mentor for ITT and ECTs.

Email: [email protected]

Nicola Ealden

Director of Literacy and member of Leadership Team

After qualifying as an English and Drama teacher in 2000, I joined Myton School as an RQT and I’m now in my twenty sixth year here. I have worked within the Myton English department as Key Stage 3 Coordinator, Key Stage 4 Coordinator, Second in Department, Head of English and for the last 18 months as Director of Literacy – a role I love. At Myton, we recognise the importance of developing communication skills of reading, writing and oracy, which is underpinned by improving vocabulary. These skills are crucial in enabling students to be engaged in the world around them and to be successful and employable members of society.

I look forward to continuing to use my expertise as an experienced Head of Department and classroom practitioner as part of the Leadership Team, developing the middle leaders, Teaching and Learning of Literacy across the school and supporting our students who find Literacy difficult.

One of my favourite roles is running the annual Year 9 Newquay trip – I am a strong believer in learning outside of the classroom, whether that’s in the sea on a residential trip, or in a theatre, or a public speaking event.

Email: [email protected]