Professional Learning

Professional Development Opportunities 2025-26 -> Professional Learning

Teacher Professional Learning refers to the learning and development of teachers and school leaders that will, through the acquirement of new knowledge, behaviours and practices, improve student achievement.

The approach to Teacher Professional Learning in NI has been outlined in the Department of Education’s Learning Leaders – A Strategy for Teacher Professional Learning (2016). The Strategy envisages a connected approach, allowing teachers and school leaders to identify their own needs based on the context and learning needs of the children/young people, thus enabling them to direct their own professional learning.

The Supporting Learning Website is available for all teachers to access, providing resources for professional learning such as:

• Registration for professional learning opportunities
• Signposting to useful and supporting resources
• Small bite-size case studies from a range of practitioners
• Self-led learning modules
• Featured modules with access to topical resources and support.

TPL Thursdays! is a programme of bitesize professional learning designed to support the busy teacher. Webinars take place on a Thursday afternoon between 3.45 pm and 4.30 pm. These short sessions are focused on ideas and practice that can be implemented immediately in the classroom with the intention of impacting on pupil outcomes.

Supporting Early Professional Development – Professional Learning for Early Career teachers completing Induction/EPD

Induction is stage two of Career Long Progressional Learning after a teacher has completed Initial Teacher Education. The overall aim of Induction is to continue to address the Core Values and Teacher Competences and encourage early career teachers to develop their critical reflective practice to continue to improve their teaching and the quality of pupil learning.

EPD is the third stage of teacher education, designed to build upon Initial Teacher Education and Induction and is an essential part of professional learning in which
all teachers are required to participate. All teachers who have completed Induction are required to register with the EA to access professional learning in support of EPD.

Early career teachers are asked to register their status with EA each academic year to access professional learning in support of Induction/EPD.

Supporting Teacher Tutors

The Teacher Tutor Professional Learning Programme is designed to build the capacity of new of recently appointed teacher tutors. The teacher tutor professional learning opportunities provide information on the key principles and practices of the teacher tutor role as well as opportunities for collaboration and learning from experienced practitioners.

STEM Health and Safety - Technology and Design and Science

The STEM Technical Team within the Education Directorate is responsible for providing Health and Safety advice and training to schools.

The Education Authority (EA), under its legal responsibility as an employer provides Health and Safety advice, affords CLEAPSS (Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Services) membership to Primary and Post Primary schools of all Management types.

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 (Regulation 9) 3 requires that employers ensure that “all persons who use work equipment have received adequate training”.

AmmA Creative Learning is an integral part of the Education Authority, Northern Ireland. It is a centre where technology alongside traditional media can be used creatively by schools, organisations, the youth sector and the community. Since 2005, the AmmA Creative Learning team have successfully implemented various programs and initiatives, benefiting teachers, adult learners, children, and young people. AmmA specialise in supporting the integration of mobile technology into classroom practice, including iPad. AmmA have been an Apple Regional Training Centre for 15 years. EA AmmA Centre has been co-funded by DfC / NI Screen for 20 years.

Magilligan Field Centre (MFC) is located in Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), one of the most varied and unspoilt parts of the coast of Northern Ireland. MFC staff facilitate and provide on and off site support for teachers and students in the delivery of day and residential outdoor education programmes with a primary focus on field study investigations.

Community of Lifesavers - In March 2022, legislation came into effect stating that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) must be included in the minimum statutory content in Learning for Life and Work at Key Stage 3. CCEA has partnered with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS), the Department of Education (DE) and the Education Authority to create the Community of Lifesavers Education Programme to support schools in meeting this requirement.