As the evidence base on teacher development continues to grow, many leaders and professional development leads face a familiar challenge: not access to research, but making sense of it in ways that are meaningful for their context.
This session will introduce the NIoT Evidence Portal, a free resource that brings together research and professional insight to support more informed decision-making about professional learning. The Portal is designed not to provide simple answers, but to support educators to interpret evidence critically and apply it thoughtfully in practice.
The session will include a deeper exploration of the Inclusive Professional Learning strand. Drawing on international research, this strand considers how professional learning can be designed to support all teachers to engage meaningfully, develop their practice, and experience a sense of belonging and agency.
National Institute of Teaching Evidence Portal
Participants will:
- Explore how the Evidence Portal can be used to support the design of professional learning
- Engage with key insights from the Inclusive Professional Learning strand
- Consider how evidence can inform decisions about professional development in their own settings
Speakers:
- Katy Chedzey, Associate Director- Professional Learning and Accreditation, Chartered College of Teaching
- Nicola Arkinstall, Senior Research Impact Fellow, National Institute of Teaching
Nicola Arkinstall is a Senior Research Impact Fellow at the National Institute of Teaching, where she supports the development and use of the NIoT Evidence Portal, helping school and trust leaders make evidence‑informed decisions about professional learning.
Prior to this, Nicola worked at the Education Endowment Foundation as a Senior Early Years Evidence Mobilisation Manager, where she led national projects to support early years settings to engage with and use research meaningfully.
Nicola is also an experienced primary school leader and has previously worked as a Research School Director. She has extensive experience supporting leaders to embed inclusive, high‑quality professional development across schools and trusts.
