Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a training budget is available to teachers.

The Department knows that continuing professional development (CPD) is integral to improving the quality of teaching. Effective, evidence-based CPD strengthens practice, builds confidence and, crucially, improves outcomes for pupils.

For CPD to be effective, however, it must be tailored to the needs of the individual. That is why decisions relating to CPD, including budgets, rightly rest with schools, headteachers and teachers.

The Department recognises that more can be done to improve the take-up of high quality evidence-based CPD in schools. That is why the CPD Expert Group has re-convened to develop recommendations that ensure that all teachers have access to high quality, meaningful support and CPD, drawing on the Standard for Teachers’ Professional Development (published in July 2016) and the accompanying implementation guide.