💥 We are delighted to announce that SJ Eastwood from North Cambridge Academy will be joining Dr Chris Baker on 9th June. SJ will be sharing how North Cambridge Academy built a CPD model entirely around their own vision of great teaching. Their own language. Their own frameworks. Their own definition of what good looks like in the classroom. The result: a model that holds the balance between autonomy and accountability — and staff who are actually excited about developing their practice, rather than treating CPD as a chore. That kind of specificity is rare. We think it will be worth your time. 🎟️ Reserve your place: eu1.hubs.ly/H0vv9dK0 #CPD #SchoolLeadership #TeacherDevelopment #ProfessionalLearning

520 pupils. Four campuses. Six specialist curriculum pathways. For Silverwood School, one of England's largest SEND schools, professional development at that scale meant endless diary negotiations, disrupted classrooms, and observations that felt more like inspection than support. @Teacherjosh51 rebuilt the model from scratch. Teacher choice sits at the centre: who observes you, what you want to work on, and when. A custom IRIS Connect Pathway embeds the school's codified framework so every member of staff moves through the same structured development cycle, whether they're on campus one or campus four. Video sharing replaced physical visits, which matters greatly in a SEND setting where an unfamiliar face can cause genuine dysregulation for pupils. The Challenge Partners Review 2026 noted it directly. And the principles work just as well in mainstream. Read the full case study: eu1.hubs.ly/H0vyXWx0

🛑 Every mainstream school must publish an Inclusion Strategy by 31st December🛑 The decisions about how to use your IMF allocation need to be made before summer. In 60 minutes, you'll have a clear picture of what the IMF covers, what the Inclusion Strategy must contain, and the decisions to take before the end of term. 📅 Join us on Wednesday 24th June 2026 online, for free. 🎤 Gary Aubin (Director, SENDMattersUK) on the funding and the strategy 🎤 Silverwood School on what good inclusion actually looks like in mainstream settings Live Q&A 👉 Reserve your place: eu1.hubs.ly/H0vx5N60 🔁 Tag your SENCO or SEND lead who needs to see this. #SEND #SchoolLeadership #Inclusion

Most schools implement a PD platform and ask staff to adapt to it. The Charles Dickens School (@tcdskent) in Kent did the opposite. Working with IRIS Connect, Deputy Headteacher Kristy Harrison built a bespoke coaching Pathway around the school's own priorities, language, and CPD model. Coaching prompts written in their words. WalkThrus aligned to each term's teaching focus. A shared structure that actually reflected how the school works. Want to know more? Read our new case study: irisconnect.com/uk/impact/ca…

The CPD tug of war: push for consistency and you get compliance. Give too much freedom and you lose sight of progress. Dr Chris Baker on how schools are finding a way through: tickettailor.com/events/iris… #CPD #TeacherDevelopment #SchoolLeadership

That's a wrap on #CPDExchange2026. 🙌 Thought leadership from @IRIS_Founder , three school leader sessions, and our first ever CPD Design Lab. Everything was recorded. Comment below and we'll send them your way once ready. #ProfessionalLearning

Three groups at #CPDExchange2026 just built a complete CPD pathway in 90 minutes. AI-supported reflection built in. Content created in the room. Presenting them now. 📋 This is what happens when you give practitioners the tools. #CPDDesignLab

@NGillinson_Sci at #CPDExchange2026: All Saints Catholic College once faced closure. Today it's one of London's most sought-after schools. Her session: the teaching quality work that took them from good to outstanding. #SchoolImprovement

Really enjoyed this insightful piece from @HughesHaili The choice between knowledge and belonging is a false dichotomy. They are not opposing aims. They are intertwined. They depend on each other. 👏🏼 open.substack.com/pub/hailih…

🏫 All Saints Catholic College in West London was once facing closure. Today it's one of the capital's most sought-after comprehensives. At The CPD Exchange 2026, Assistant Headteacher Naomi Gillinson will share how the school got there - how they developed a shared framework for exceptional teaching, embedded instructional coaching to strengthen classroom practice, and built a culture where pupils engage more deeply and feel a genuine sense of belonging. A remarkable transformation. And a story worth hearing in person. 📅 24th April 2026  📍 Voco, Manchester 🕣 8.30am – 4pm 🎫 Secure your place: bit.ly/4uQNaXx #CPDExchange2026 #TeacherDevelopment #InstructionalCoaching #SchoolLeadership

🎉We’re delighted to be attending this year’s ASCL Conference. If you’re joining fellow senior leaders to explore the future of education, we’d love to connect. Visit us at Stand 37 to meet the IRIS Connect team, discuss how meaningful professional development can strengthen teaching and leadership across your setting, and pick up a few IRIS Connect goodies along the way. See you there. #ascl2026

🤝For more than 17 years, we have worked alongside schools through changing policies, shifting priorities and evolving professional development approaches. 📈Trends come and go, but the principles that improve teaching remain remarkably consistent. 🏗️That is why IRIS Connect is built around what the research shows works best. 💻Our platform brings together video supported instructional coaching, structured reflection, collaborative practice and personalised professional learning in one place. The goal is not just to refine teaching techniques, but to support the long term development of professional judgement and adaptive expertise. 👀See how it works

Ofsted’s new toolkit is set to influence the next phase of inspection and accountability. The key question for school leaders: what does this mean for your improvement priorities and professional development strategy? 🤔 In our latest blog, @IRIS_Founder explores the implications of the changes and how leaders can respond with clarity and confidence - turning evolving expectations into an opportunity for meaningful growth. 🔗 Read more: eu1.hubs.ly/H0s8BnD0 #EducationLeadership #Ofsted #SchoolImprovement #ProfessionalDevelopment

Great teaching takes more than a great teacher. What can school leaders do to unlock it? This report worked across schools and researchers and to help identify seven keys to powerful learning environments: oecd.org/en/publications/unl…

🔎 All Change: Reflecting on the new OfSTED toolkit Check out our new blog, from MD Andy Newell (@IRIS_Founder) where he explains the changes and how IRIS Connect has evolved to change the way schools develop teachers: eu1.hubs.ly/H0rNkvN0

🔴 Did you know IRIS Connect has a YouTube channel? 💻 It’s home to a wide range of practical teaching insights, event recordings, and real examples of IRIS Connect in action. Whether you’re looking to deepen your practice or explore new ways to support teacher development, there’s plenty to discover. ⭐ Take a look today and remember to subscribe to stay updated with our latest content. bit.ly/4a4ZMk7

We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Judit Ruckes. After years of putting up a courageous fight against cancer, Judy sadly passed away just before Christmas, on December 18th. She was a true powerhouse within our marketing team and a constant source of positivity and inspiration. Words cannot begin to express how much she meant to us. She will be dearly missed and will always remain in our hearts. After the initial shock, and knowing how closely Judy worked with so many of you in our wider network, we consulted with her family and decided to share this sad news on our social media channels, so that all who knew and loved her have the opportunity to grieve. If you would like to show your support, there is a charity that was very close to Judy’s heart and supported her and her family greatly during her illness — the Wolo Foundation. We will share the donation link in the comments. Sending you all much love! P.S. If you were awaiting a response from Judy on anything marketing-related, please feel free to reach out to our team at marketing@irisconnect.co.uk, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

🎉 The countdown is on! With less than a month to go and over 400 signups! Don’t miss your chance to be part of our first online event of 2026. 💻Online event: Professional Development in the Age of AI: Reducing Workload, Growing Agency 🎤 Hosted by: Baasit Siddiqui 🎓 Keynote Speakers: Laura Knight & Andy Newell 👥 Panel guests: To be announced soon! Explore how AI can support teachers, reduce workload, and empower professional agency in your school. 🎟️ Secure your free ticket today: bit.ly/3YoZ8ZC

🎓 As the 2025 school year draws to a close, it’s time to look ahead. With the rapid evolution of technology and the expanding influence of AI, how can educators stay ahead of the curve? Join us for ‘Professional Development in the Age of AI: Reducing Workload, Growing Agency’ – 5th February, 4:00–5:30pm. 🔥 Nearly 400 people have already signed up for this online conference. Haven’t got your ticket yet? Sign up today! Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the future of professional development. eu1.hubs.ly/H0qnrxn0 #AIinEducation #ProfessionalDevelopment #IRISConnect #EdTech

#Eminent2025 is coming to Madrid 🇪🇸! Policymakers, researchers & educators will explore when, why & how #AI makes sense in schools. From responsible AI use to national strategies, data use, teacher support & classroom examples. 📺🔴Follow the livestream: cutlink.eun.org/86uR0I