The Problem With Modern Teacher CPD (And What Actually Works)

If you've been teaching for more than a few years, you've probably noticed that professional development has changed dramatically.

Many teachers remember a time when schools regularly funded external training, subject-specific courses were easier to access, and professional development felt like a genuine investment in teacher growth.

Today, the picture often looks very different.

Budget pressures, staffing shortages, generic online training, and "one-size-fits-all" CPD have become increasingly common. While schools are still committed to improving teaching and learning, many teachers feel that professional development has become more about compliance than meaningful improvement.

In a recent episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I sat down with Millie from Steplab to discuss what has changed, why many teachers find CPD frustrating, and what schools can do to make professional development more effective.

Has Teacher CPD Got Worse?

Both Millie and I began our teaching careers at a time when professional development opportunities felt more accessible.

Schools were often willing to fund external courses, cover teachers' lessons, and encourage staff to attend specialist training.

Of course, not every course was excellent, but there was generally more choice and greater access to expertise.

Over time, several factors have changed the landscape:

• School budget pressures

• Reduced availability of cover staff

• Increased workload

• Greater reliance on online training

• More accountability around CPD spending

The result is that many teachers now experience fewer opportunities for personalised professional development.

Why Many Teachers Feel CPD Is Ineffective

One of the biggest frustrations teachers express is that CPD often feels disconnected from classroom reality.

Many sessions are interesting in the moment but fail to lead to meaningful changes in practice.

Teachers frequently attend training that is:

• Too generic

• Not relevant to their subject

• Not appropriate for their level of experience

• Difficult to implement consistently

• Forgotten within a few weeks

This creates a common cycle.

Teachers attend a session, leave feeling inspired, return to an already busy workload, and never fully embed the new strategies into their teaching.

The problem isn't necessarily the quality of the presenter.

The problem is often implementation.

Why Experienced Teachers Struggle to Find Relevant Training

Early-career teachers often have access to structured development programmes, mentoring and support.

As teachers become more experienced, however, finding suitable CPD can become more difficult.

Many available courses focus on broad themes such as:

• Behaviour management

• Leadership

• General pedagogy

While these topics remain important, experienced teachers often want something more specific.

For example:

• Subject-specific teaching strategies

• SEND and inclusion

• Supporting students with ADHD

• Supporting autistic learners

• Assessment design

• Advanced questioning techniques

Finding high-quality specialist training in these areas can be challenging.

The Growing Need for SEND, ADHD and Autism Training

One area that came up repeatedly during our discussion was the increasing need for practical SEND training.

Teachers are supporting increasingly diverse classrooms and often work with students who have a wide range of learning needs.

Yet many teachers report receiving very little formal training in areas such as:

• ADHD

• Autism

• Sensory needs

• Executive functioning difficulties

• Adaptive teaching strategies

Generic inclusion training can raise awareness, but teachers often need practical strategies they can use immediately in their classrooms.

This is an area where many schools still have significant development opportunities.

Why School Culture Matters More Than Any CPD Programme

An interesting point Millie raised is that professional development success is heavily influenced by school culture.

The same CPD programme can have very different outcomes in different schools.

In schools where professional learning is prioritised:

• Teachers are given time to practise new techniques

• Leaders support implementation

• Coaching conversations are routine

• Professional growth is viewed positively

In schools where CPD is treated as a compliance exercise, even excellent training can struggle to create lasting change.

The culture surrounding professional development often matters just as much as the training itself.

The Problem With Inspirational CPD

Most teachers have experienced an inspirational training session.

The speaker is engaging.

The ideas are exciting.

Everyone leaves motivated.

Then three weeks later, nothing has changed.

Research consistently shows that awareness alone rarely changes professional practice.

Teachers need opportunities to:

• Practise new techniques

• Receive feedback

• Reflect on implementation

• Refine their approach over time

Without these steps, even excellent ideas often disappear beneath the day-to-day realities of teaching.

What Actually Leads to Better Teaching?

According to Millie, the most effective professional development focuses on small, manageable improvements that can be embedded into daily practice.

Rather than overwhelming teachers with dozens of new strategies, effective CPD helps teachers:

• Identify a specific area for improvement

• Practise deliberately

• Receive feedback

• Review progress

• Build habits gradually

This is where instructional coaching has gained significant attention in recent years.

Instructional coaching focuses on continuous improvement through targeted goals and regular reflection.

Instead of simply learning about effective teaching, teachers actively work on developing specific techniques.

How Video Models Can Improve Classroom Practice

One feature of modern professional development that many teachers find useful is the use of video examples.

Watching effective teaching in action helps bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Teachers can see:

• What a strategy looks like in a real classroom

• How experienced teachers phrase questions

• How routines are established

• How misconceptions are addressed

This makes implementation significantly easier than relying on written descriptions alone.

How Steplab Approaches Professional Development

During the conversation, Millie explained how Steplab supports schools in creating evidence-informed professional development programmes.

Rather than focusing solely on delivering information, the platform aims to help schools embed professional learning into everyday teaching practice.

Key features include:

• Evidence-informed teaching strategies

• Instructional coaching tools

• Video exemplification

• Subject-specific guidance

• Goal setting and progress tracking

• Opportunities for deliberate practice

The focus is not simply on attending CPD, but on helping teachers improve classroom practice over time.

What Makes Teacher CPD Effective?

After our discussion, one message stood out clearly.

Effective CPD isn't necessarily about finding more training.

It's about finding professional development that leads to genuine changes in practice.

The most successful CPD tends to be:

• Relevant

• Specific

• Evidence-informed

• Supported by coaching

• Embedded over time

• Focused on implementation

Teachers don't need more information.

They need support turning good ideas into everyday classroom habits.

And that's where the future of professional development may lie.

Final Thoughts

Professional development remains one of the most important factors in improving teaching and learning.

But many teachers feel frustrated by generic training that fails to translate into classroom practice.

The challenge for schools isn't simply providing more CPD.

It's providing better CPD.

Professional development that is personalised, evidence-informed, and supported through coaching has a far greater chance of improving outcomes for both teachers and students.

As schools continue to navigate budget pressures and workload challenges, the question isn't whether CPD matters.

It's how we make it matter more.

FAQ's About The Problem With Modern Teacher CPD

Why do many teachers find CPD ineffective?
Many teachers find CPD ineffective because it is often too generic, difficult to implement, and lacks follow-up support. Without opportunities to practise and receive feedback, new ideas rarely become embedded in classroom practice.

What makes teacher CPD effective?
Effective CPD is evidence-informed, relevant to teachers' needs, focused on specific improvements, and supported by coaching, feedback and deliberate practice over time.

What is instructional coaching in education?
Instructional coaching is a professional development approach that helps teachers improve specific aspects of their teaching through goal setting, practice, observation and feedback.

Why is school culture important for professional development?
School culture affects whether teachers have the time, support and encouragement needed to implement new strategies. Even high-quality CPD can fail if implementation is not supported.

How can schools improve CPD for experienced teachers?
Schools can improve CPD by offering subject-specific training, SEND-focused development, coaching programmes and opportunities for personalised professional learning.

What is Steplab?
Steplab is a professional development platform that helps schools deliver evidence-informed CPD through instructional coaching, video exemplification, goal setting and teacher development tools.