Ten Ways to Save Money on Your CPD

Everyone we speak to says the same – they've never known things so tight in education.

And our heart goes out especially to schools who are having to lay off good staff to make ends meet.

But we also know that the demands in the classroom and the staffroom have not gone away.

Schools still need the sort of high quality support and training across a whole raft of relevant topics that Independent Thinking offers.

So, for those of you who do have at least two brass razoos to rub together, here are ten ways you can get the CPD you need at a cost that doesn’t involve selling the site supervisor’s one good kidney.

1. Haggle.

Ever since we began over thirty years ago, we’ve always been up for a bit of a haggle. As Richard Branson once said, ‘You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate’. Try us.

2. Be flexible.

You may want a one of the big names doing the rounds currently, but being in demand means their diaries are full and the fees they command are not within every school’s budget. We have great speakers who can cover similar topics but with more availability and more flexibility fee-wise – all with the same Independent Thinking satisfaction guarantee.

3. Move online.

Transporting a human being from one side of the country to your school or venue costs money. Although we know the in-person experience is the best, do consider a live online contribution from one of our Associates, which can be done much more cheaply. You can also record it and use the recording across your school or MAT.

4. Talking of recordings I.

We are good at recording bespoke training videos for a school or MAT on a topic they need by an Associate they want. We can brand it for you as well as include a set of provocations to go with the content that will help staff actively think through and discuss what they are learning.

5. Talking of recordings II.

If you are looking for CPD around relational approaches to behaviour, then the on-demand video training we have put together with Policy Hubs is a very cost-effective way of training up a school or a whole MAT. Featuring interviews with the likes of Mark Finnis, Dr Andrew Curran, Dave Whitaker, Patrick Cozier and Ginny Bootman and case studies in both primary and secondary schools, it has all you need to embrace a kinder way of addressing behaviour, attendance and creating a better climate for learning and teaching. Click here to find out more.

6. Think packages.

Sometimes, one of the packages we offer work out better value for money in the long run than a standalone event. This may involve an INSET day, a twilight or two and a series of online sessions – or any combination to suit timetables and budgets. One primary school recently asked their PTA to fund this important contribution to the school’s teaching and learning offer.

7. Multiple bookings.

If you have the job of putting together an INSET event or a conference and are looking for multiple speakers, we can always negotiate an even better rate if you book more than one of our lovely Associates. Apart from saving money and making life easier for you with one point of contact, you know the speakers will know each other and work well together, complementing and supporting each other’s messages in unique Independent Thinking style.

8. The Twilight Collection.

We are about to put out an offer of fixed-price twilight CPD across a range of topics from a number of our Associates. Watch this space for more, coming soon.

9. Buy the book.

Because so many of our Associates have also written great books, some schools are either buying numerous copies and treating their CPD like a book club or even recording the book themselves and sharing it, week by week, with the staff as a home-made audiobook. We can always get you great deals on any of our Independent Thinking titles so please just ask.

10. Have a free chat.

Dave Harris and founder Ian Gilbert are always on hand for a free, no-obligation chat about what might be on your mind, so do ask. We won’t be able to solve all your CPD issues with a ten-minute Zoom but often just reassuring you you’re on the track is enough. 

We know how tight things are, but we also know how creative and flexible those in education always prove themselves to be. 

So, give Dave Harris a call on 01267 211432 or drop him an email and let’s explore together how we can get you that CPD you want without having to knock on the site supervisor’s door… [ITL]