The Dean Trust Professional Development (PD) Group

Please note: This event booking is only applicable for invited registration for schools/settings in The Dean Trust. If you are not part of this group, please contact us for further guidance.

For professionals ready to work on a school improvement project over time.

Professional Development (PD) Groups are facilitated, cohort-based groups where professionals work on a defined school improvement project over time.
These are not webinars or one-off CPD sessions. Participation involves active engagement across a series of sessions, with work taking place in your setting between sessions.

Participants are expected to commit to attending all sessions and to work on their improvement project between sessions.

This PD group supports school leaders, SENCOs, inclusion leads and other practitioners to explore inclusion by design through the lens of their own setting.

Participants will identify an aspect of inclusive practice for development, design and implement a small-scale inclusion project, and evaluate its impact on learners, staff and wider school systems. Through collaborative discussion, peer support, implementation planning and individual coaching, participants will develop sustainable approaches that strengthen inclusive culture, improve access and participation for learners with SEND, and promote whole-school inclusive practice.

Key outcomes for participants:

Develop a deeper understanding of inclusion by design.
Audit and evaluate inclusive practice within their own setting.
Plan and implement a school-based inclusion project.
Receive personalised support from a Regional SEND Lead.
Gather evidence of impact and reflect on implementation.
Share effective practice and outcomes with colleagues across the network.
Participants may choose to focus on areas such as:
Inclusive classroom environments
Learner voice and participation
Universal provision and adaptive teaching
SEND-friendly curriculum design
Inclusive communication and information sharing
Staff confidence and professional development
Whole-school inclusion audits and action planning
Reducing barriers to participation and belonging

This project aligns with the programme expectation that participants identify, implement and evaluate a sustained school improvement project focused on improving outcomes for learners with SEND.

Please note: This PD Group is delivered as a series of sessions and requires commitment to attending all sessions.