Following a well-deserved Easter break, our schools came together for a valuable opportunity to regroup and refocus during our April INSET Day. Traditionally, this day is dedicated to professional development across the trust – and this year was no different. Spread across our five secondary schools, staff worked within departments to network, collaborate, and share best practice. Each session was tailored to the needs of the attendees, ensuring everyone made the most of their time.
Secondary School Staff
Staff in our secondary schools convened onsite armed with a packed agenda full of useful and engaging sessions. Each school began the day by revisiting current priorities for the remainder of the academic year and looking ahead to improvement plans for 2025/26.
Sessions were shaped by individual school needs:
- Kirkby Stephen Grammar School (KSGS) honed in on their teaching and learning, upcoming exams and behaviour.
- The Queen Katherine School (QKS) focused on modelling expert reading, breaking down the core components of what makes reading instruction effective.
- The Whitehaven Academy (TWA) explored whole-school priorities via carousel sessions, covering topics such as Two Step, Know More Remember More, and Behaviour Scripts.
- William Howard School (WHS) welcomed Jim Butterworth from Positive Regard, who delivered a powerful session on relational approaches to behaviour. Staff explored the science behind behavioural responses, the importance of relationships, and the impact of positive language.
- Workington Academy (WA) tackled persistent challenges and worked on positive, practical solutions for addressing them.
In the afternoon, departments split off to focus on subject-specific priorities. These teams also collaborated with colleagues across other schools via Teams – sharing insights, resources, and reflections.
A key focus across all schools was the trust’s new ‘Thinking Hard’ initiative, designed to encourage teachers to consider lesson structures in ways that help pupils think harder during learning. Already trialled in one secondary and one primary school, the early results are promising.
Primary School Staff
Primary colleagues also engaged with ‘Thinking Hard’. Here, the emphasis was on identifying potential misconceptions or difficult concepts in advance, and using ‘Know Show’ charts to pre-emptively plan for them.
The day also prioritised the development of writing and fluency – key areas for our primary-aged learners. Staff used school-specific data to start shaping the Trust Improvement Plan for 2025/26, identifying priorities and challenges for the year ahead.
Learning Provision Staff
Our Learning Provision teams, working across Northern, Southern, and Western hubs, had a tailored programme for the day. Each hub began with a video update from specialist practitioners, sharing strategies and updates relevant to their work.
Workshops focused on key themes including behaviour, inclusion, neglect, trauma, and safeguarding. These bitesize sessions gave teams the chance to collaborate, reflect, and strengthen support strategies for pupils.
Primary Administrative Staff
Administrative staff from all primary schools gathered at WHS for a bespoke training day. Sessions covered key systems and processes within HR, driving efficiency and improving financial systems and further training in Arbor – our school management system. The day supported the continued development of operational excellence across our primary settings.
Our INSET Day remains a cornerstone of professional growth across the trust. By bringing staff together with shared purpose while supporting the distinct needs of each school, we ensure everyone is equipped to deliver the highest standards of education and support. With a renewed sense of focus and connection, we look forward to building on this momentum as we head into the summer term and beyond.
