Annual SBPD Report 2023

The School-Based Professional Development (SBPD) Annual Report 2023 represents the third installment in a longitudinal series examining the effectiveness of SBPD implementation across Beaconhouse schools. Building on data from 2021 and 2022, this report consolidates insights from 154 School/Section Heads, 98 PDSI Leads, and 178 Instructional Coaches (ICs) representing 106 campuses across all three regions (Centre, North, South). The study continues to evaluate progress in professional learning culture, role clarity, collaboration, and cluster-level support structures.

Findings indicate steady improvements in collaborative practices among ICs, with 64% now meeting twice a term or more frequently, marking a 19% increase from 2022. The challenge of workload management has substantially declined—from 68% in 2021 to just 12% in 2023—reflecting effective systemic interventions and clearer scheduling practices. Persistent challenges, however, include low teacher participation, technological barriers, and limited inter-IC collaboration, underscoring the need for renewed focus on engagement and digital readiness.

Among PDSI Leads, the predominant issues identified were evaluating professional development impact, aligning PD with School Improvement Plans (SIPs), and supporting staff in PD planning. Encouragingly, both School Heads and PDSI Leads recognized the PDSI role as central to improving teaching quality and student learning outcomes, particularly through targeted, data-driven PD and continuous classroom support.

Cluster-level support from the Head Office PDSI team was widely rated as effective or highly effective across all respondent groups, especially in query handling, timely feedback, and face-to-face visits. Nevertheless, 13% of School Heads rated shared resources as less useful, suggesting room for content refinement and contextual alignment.

The report concludes with targeted recommendations emphasizing:

Role clarity and realistic job descriptions for ICs and PDSI Leads

Formal and informal PD cycles with built-in feedback and reflection opportunities

Training in data analysis, impact evaluation, and time management

Incentivization frameworks to recognize teacher and coach engagement

Systematic use of Guskey’s evaluation model to measure PD effectiveness

Overall, the 2023 findings demonstrate notable progress in capacity building, collaboration, and leadership within the SBPD framework, while reaffirming the importance of reflective practice, consistent implementation, and structured support to sustain long-term school improvement.