Staff Training

INSET available as full day, half day or twilight training sessions.

Craig has delivered over 200 training sessions at conferences, on INSET days and as twilights in the last 8 years. Training sessions are tailored to suit each client's requirements so half-day sessions can be delivered as twilights and vice versa.

Craig has 4 Zoom courses which will be taking place in January and February 2025. The cost of places on the first 3 course is £80 per delegate. The cost of places on the governor course is £40 per delegate. All courses can be booked as face-to-face sessions at individual schools. The courses are:


1) Successful Subject Leadership 2025 – Tues 28th Jan (9.15 to 11.15 a.m.)

The training session has the following objectives:·

  • To think about the characteristics of successful subject leaders
  • To revisit the recent past to better understand the origins of the current focus on curriculum and subject leadership
  • To recognise and understand the expectation that for subject leaders to be successful, they should make a positive difference to teaching and learning
  • To understand some of the key aspects of subject leadership that are the focus of Ofsted inspections and the background to the current inspection handbook
  • To focus on how well subject leaders incorporate important messages and key evidence-based approaches in their leadership roles
  • To reflect on how well leaders develop progression in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding, and vocabulary
  • To think about how to develop pupil voice and how leaders monitor their subjects
  • To reflect on manageable approaches to subject leadership including delegation
  • To consider how effectively leaders are collaborating with others


2) Scaffolding, Metacognition and Self-Regulation … to promote inclusion and increase pupils’ independence and learning – Wed 29th Jan (9.15 to 11.15 a.m.)

The training session has the following objectives:·

  • To learn more about scaffolding and to understand the scaffolding framework
  • To understand the research around pupils’ ability to self-regulate and develop their metacognition
  • To reflect on the links between scaffolding and developing pupils’ self-regulation, metacognition and independence
  • To consider the importance of having strong models to support pupils’ learning and growing independence
  • To explore the term “learned helplessness” and to consider how adults can make children dependent
  • To explore what we need to do in scaffolding to support children’s growing independence, self-regulation, metacognition and learning


3) Difficult Conversations for Senior Leaders and Teachers - Thurs 6th Feb (9.15 to 11.15 a.m.)

The training session has the following objectives:

  • To understand some of the reasons that we need “difficult conversations” and the range of situations and stakeholders that these are likely to include
  • To recognise the potential benefits of these conversations
  • To consider some basic principles which are sensible to consider in all our communication
  • To consider how we might prepare for conversations
  • To make the key links between Teachers’ Professional Standards and Teaching Assistant Professional Standards and our expectations and key messages to colleagues
  • To reflect on the importance of “following up” on a conversation and how and why we might do this


4) Governors and Pupil Premium – Tues 11th Feb (5.30 to 6.30 p.m.)

The training session has the following objectives:·

  • To understand the role of governors in relation to disadvantaged pupils and a school’s Pupil Premium strategy
  • To explore evidence around potential additional challenges for disadvantaged pupils
  • To reflect on how governors can provide support but hold school leaders to account in spending the Pupil Premium and supporting disadvantaged pupils
  • To explore the recent heightened expectations of governors around Pupil Premium, especially in EEF guidance around questioning senior leaders
  • To consider how the DfE documentation around Pupil Premium has changed, including the importance of the 'Menu of Approaches'
  • To reflect on the guidance of trusted sources of educational research, such as the EEF, as to which approaches schools might take with disadvantaged pupils
  • To make the links between schools’ future plans and strong overall practice which will benefit all pupils

The following courses have been successfully delivered in 2023 and 2024; they are all available as 2-hour twilights (see list below):

Craig's most popular twilight training courses have been:

  • Successful Subject Leadership - impact and improvement in your curriculum
  • Successful Subject Leadership 2 - the practical aspects of improving teaching and learning
  • Scaffolding, Metacognition and Self-Regulation ... to be inclusive and to increase pupils' independence and learning
  • Know More, Remember More
  • Improving Talk, Valuing Vocabulary and Narrowing the Word Gap
  • Increasing the Impact of Teaching Assistants on pupils' independence and learning
  • Effective TA Deployment and Practice
  • Deep Dives - preparing to present your curriculum in the best light
  • Governors and Ofsted - what to expect and how to prepare
  • Adaptive Teaching and the Inclusive Classroom
  • Pupil Premium - Making a Difference!
  • Looking to Lead (New to Subject Leadership)
  • Review, Reflect and Action Plan

If you want more details or feedback from previous participants on any of these courses then please contact Craig.