About Us
Welcome to Education Connect, the professional development division of The Challenge Academy Trust. Our mission is to actively engage with the wider educational community by offering expert CPD (Continuing Professional Development) at exceptional value supporting both education and business operations.
In our pursuit of excellence, we have leveraged the collective power of our academies to establish a trust-wide CPD program. Our highly talented and experienced staff regularly collaborate, share best practices, and invite experts from across the country to deliver sessions. By identifying key areas for development, we have coordinated a shared approach to securing key speakers, facilitators, and specialists, whilst also pooling resources, costs, and time.
Driven by a culture of continuous growth and a dedication to improvement, our staff body is fully engaged and hungry for CPD opportunities. Our colleagues are passionate about empowering themselves and others to deliver excellent teaching, enabling superb outcomes for young people. Building on the success of our individual academies that range from nursery to post-16, and The Challenge Academy Trust’s track record of providing school-to-school support, we recognized the need for local, professional support and development. Consequently, we have extended our reach to include colleagues from other regions who share our commitment to providing expert CPD for professionals, by professionals.
We firmly believe that value is paramount and that professional development should be exciting, inspiring, research-led, and innovative. Our CPD offerings are tailored to meet the specific needs of schools, ensuring a direct impact in the classroom. Through feedback and evaluation, we continuously strive to make our programs effective and valuable. We have developed comprehensive packages focusing on SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), well-being, literacy, leadership, and much more. These courses are multi-faceted, drawing on the expertise of various professionals, bodies, and trainers. Each course follows a logic model for change, offering longitudinal learning opportunities that encourage networking and reflection.
If you believe your Trust, academy or school could benefit from our services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We are passionate about providing education establishments with the necessary training and development to enhance the lives of young people everywhere.
Improving outcomes in the classroom
At Education Connect, we understand that the quality of CPD is crucial in driving positive outcomes in the classroom. That’s why we prioritise the use of the latest recommendations and research to deliver relevant and impactful training. To ensure that our professional development offerings are at the forefront of innovation, we draw inspiration from esteemed sources such as EEF-funded projects, toolkits, the Teacher Development Trust, and impact reports. This enables us to provide educators with the most up to date information and highest quality of resources.
Our professional development programs are accessible both online and in person at our dedicated Professional Development Centre, based in Warrington. We take pride in creating interactive and engaging sessions that leverage the most up-to-date technology, fostering an immersive learning experience for participants. Collaboration and the sharing of best practices are at the heart of our approach. We actively encourage delegates to engage in virtual or in-person collaborations, providing regular opportunities for them to connect and learn from one another. Additionally, we organise ‘teach meets’ and learning festivals and conferences to further facilitate knowledge exchange and professional growth.
Effective professional development
We recognise that effective CPD is:
- Supported by the school’s leadership
- Sustained over at least two terms – utilising theories of change models
- Includes expert input and peer collaboration
We believe evaluation and reflection are key factors in ensuring long-lasting, positive changes that have a measurable impact. Therefore, our courses are not stand-alone and include opportunities to revisit what has been learned. Our CPD is delivered by current practitioners, both teachers and leaders in education, so you can be assured they relate to you and your experiences in the classroom.
What you take away
We believe you will enjoy our courses. Not only the learning of new ideas and inspiration to take back to the classroom, but also working with like-minded colleagues who share you love for education. There are also accredited qualifications that will enhance your CV, improving your chances of progression within your current organisation or beyond.
What we offer
- Innovative Professional Development
- CPD event support
- Bespoke packages
- Accredited qualifications
- Expert speakers
- Collaboration with colleagues
