CPD for teachers covers everything from a 30-minute webinar to a full accredited qualification — but not all of it counts the same way, and most teachers record it poorly or not at all.
TL;DR: CPD for teachers in 2026 includes formal accredited qualifications, peer observation, subject-knowledge updates, coaching, and online courses. What counts depends on your sector — further education (FE) has a mandated 30-hours-per-year requirement under the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) Professional Standards, while school teachers follow their institution's own framework. Recording it in a structured CPD log — with dates, hours, outcomes, and reflection — is what turns activity into evidence. Bright Pathway offers accredited Level 3–5 qualifications that satisfy formal CPD requirements in one enrolment.
Why CPD matters more in 2026 than it did five years ago
Ofsted's inspection framework now scrutinises staff development directly. In FE, the ETF's 2022 Professional Standards made 30 hours of annual CPD an explicit expectation, not a suggestion. For school-based teachers, the Department for Education's Early Career Framework and the suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) have raised the bar on what counts as developmental versus administrative. Doing CPD without recording it is the same as not doing it — you have nothing to show a line manager, an inspector, or a prospective employer.
What you'll need
- A CPD log (spreadsheet, portfolio, or your employer's LMS)
- Access to at least one source of formal CPD (course, qualification, or professional body)
- A reflective writing habit — 3–4 sentences per activity is enough
- Knowledge of your sector's minimum hours requirement
- Time set aside: the ETF recommends 30 hours per year; treat it as a non-negotiable line in your calendar
The steps
Step 1 — Identify which CPD framework applies to you
Your sector determines the rules. FE and skills teachers fall under the ETF Professional Standards and are expected to complete 30 hours of CPD per year. School teachers in England follow the Teachers' Standards and any NPQ pathway their school has enrolled them on. Independent trainers and assessors are usually governed by their awarding organisation's requirements. Get this clear before you log a single hour — recording against the wrong framework wastes effort.
Common mistake: Assuming all CPD frameworks are the same. An FE teacher logging only classroom observations will miss the breadth requirement; a school teacher logging an ETF badge course may find their appraisal manager doesn't recognise it.
Step 2 — Know what counts as CPD
CPD for teachers falls into three broad categories:
- Formal/accredited — qualifications (e.g. Level 3 AET, Level 5 DET, CAVA), certificates from professional bodies, NPQs
- Non-formal — structured workshops, webinars with a learning outcome, peer observation with written debrief, coaching and mentoring sessions, action research
- Informal — reading sector journals, attending conferences, subject-knowledge updating, self-directed online learning
All three count, but inspectors and appraisal managers weight formal and non-formal activity more heavily. A full accredited qualification such as the Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training satisfies a substantial block of formal CPD in one enrolment — typically 12–18 months of structured study.
Expected outcome: After this step you should be able to categorise any activity before you log it, which makes your log credible and defensible.
Step 3 — Set up your CPD log
A CPD log needs five columns minimum:
| Field | What to include |
|---|---|
| Date | Day/month/year of the activity |
| Activity title | Specific name — not "webinar" but "Embedding maths in vocational delivery — ETF webinar" |
| Category | Formal / Non-formal / Informal |
| Hours | Actual contact or study hours, not time enrolled |
| Reflection | What you learned, what you will change in practice |
Free tools work fine — a Google Sheet or a Word document is enough. What matters is consistency. Update it within 48 hours of completing an activity or you will forget the reflection detail.
Common mistake: Logging hours without reflection. Ofsted and ETF auditors look for evidence of impact on practice, not just a list of events attended.
Step 4 — Build a realistic annual plan
30 hours across a working year is roughly 2.5 hours per month. Break that into:
- 1 × formal or non-formal structured activity per month (1–2 hours each)
- 1 × reading, journal, or subject-update activity per month (30–60 minutes)
- 1 × peer observation or coaching session per half-term (60–90 minutes)
If you are mid-career and your qualification needs updating — for example, you hold a legacy PTLLS but are now delivering in FE — completing the Level 3 Award in Education and Training covers several months of formal CPD in one course.
Expected outcome: A written plan with named activities, provisional dates, and a projected total of at least 30 hours by your review date.
Step 5 — Complete and record each activity
For formal courses, your certificate or completion record is the evidence. Attach it to your log entry or note the certificate number. For informal activities, your reflection IS the evidence — write it the same day.
For observations, use a brief pro forma: date, observer name, focus area, 2–3 strengths, 1 development target. One page is sufficient. A CAVA qualification trains you in exactly this kind of structured evidence-gathering, which is why many FE assessors find their CPD log quality improves after completing it.
Common mistake: Storing certificates in a folder but never cross-referencing them in the log. Your log should be self-contained — someone reading it should not need to open another file to understand what you did.
Step 6 — Review and reflect at each appraisal cycle
At the end of each term or at your formal appraisal, review your log against three questions:
- Have I met the hours requirement for this period?
- Do the activities cover a range of categories (not just informal)?
- Can I evidence impact — something I changed in my practice?
If the answer to any of these is no, you still have time to act before the cycle closes. One structured online course completed in 4–6 weeks can shift both the hours total and the category balance in a single move.
Step 7 — Escalate to a formal qualification when the evidence demands it
Some CPD needs go beyond logging hours. If you are moving into FE teaching without a teaching qualification, progressing to a management or leadership role, or taking on assessment responsibilities, a formal accredited qualification is the right move — not an activity on a log.
For FE teaching, the Level 5 DET versus PGCE comparison is a common decision point. For assessment roles, the CAVA (Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement) is the sector standard. Both routes produce a qualification that stands as permanent CPD evidence — no logging required beyond the certificate itself.
Troubleshooting
"My employer doesn't have a CPD policy." Use the ETF Professional Standards as your default framework regardless of sector. 30 hours, three categories, reflective log — it is recognised nationally and defensible in any inspection or appraisal.
"I completed a course three years ago but never logged it." Retrospective logging is acceptable. Use your certificate date, reconstruct the hours from the course guide, and write a brief reflection on how it influenced your practice since. Date the reflection entry today.
"My informal CPD (reading, podcasts) feels too minor to log." Log it anyway, but be specific. "Read chapters 3–4 of Making Every Lesson Count by Shaun Allison, 45 minutes, identified three questioning techniques to trial in next week's session" is credible CPD. "Read a book" is not.
"I'm a supply teacher — who do I report CPD to?" Your professional obligation is to yourself and to any awarding organisation whose qualifications you hold. Maintain your own log and make it available to any school or agency that asks. 30 hours per year is still the benchmark.
"My line manager says CPD is just training days." Training days count as non-formal CPD, but they rarely total 30 hours alone. Staff training days in most schools average 5–6 days per year — roughly 30–36 hours — which could meet the ETF benchmark, but only if you log them with reflection, not just attendance.
"I did a Level 5 DET — does that count as CPD for the whole year?" Yes. A Level 5 DET involves several hundred guided learning hours. In 2026 it remains the most CPD-dense single qualification an FE teacher can hold. One enrolment covers formal CPD for the duration of study and produces a career-long credential.
Tools and resources
- ETF Professional Standards self-assessment tool — free, maps your practice against the 20 standards
- Bright Pathway CPD-eligible qualifications — Level 3 AET, Level 5 DET, CAVA — at brightpathway.co.uk
- Your employer's LMS — check whether it auto-logs structured internal training
- Level 3 AET for workplace trainers — covers formal CPD for trainers outside mainstream education
What to do next
If your CPD log is empty or out of date, start with Step 3 today — build the log structure before you add a single activity. If you need a formal qualification to anchor your CPD plan in 2026, the Level 5 DET is the highest-impact single enrolment for FE teachers. Read the best Level 5 Education and Training Diploma online UK guide for a side-by-side comparison of providers.
FAQ
What counts as CPD for teachers in the UK?
Anything that develops your professional knowledge or practice counts — accredited qualifications, workshops, peer observation, coaching, subject-knowledge updating, and structured self-directed learning. In FE, the ETF Professional Standards define the framework; school teachers follow the Teachers' Standards and any NPQ pathway set by their employer.
How many CPD hours do teachers need per year?
FE teachers have an explicit expectation of 30 hours per year under the ETF Professional Standards. School teachers have no statutory national minimum in 2026, but most schools set an internal target of 20–30 hours through their appraisal cycle.
Does completing an online course count as CPD?
Yes, provided the course has a defined learning outcome and you can evidence completion. An accredited qualification such as the Level 3 AET or Level 5 DET counts as formal CPD. A free webinar with no certificate counts as informal CPD — still valid, but log the reflection.
Is CPD mandatory for teachers in England?
For FE teachers, the ETF 30-hour expectation is not statutory law but is embedded in Ofsted's inspection judgements and most colleges' employment contracts. For school teachers, CPD participation is a professional expectation under the Teachers' Standards and a condition of annual appraisal, but no specific hours are mandated nationally.
How do I record CPD as a teacher?
Use a log with five fields: date, activity name, category (formal/non-formal/informal), hours, and a written reflection on impact. Update it within 48 hours of each activity. Store certificates alongside the log. Review it at each appraisal cycle against your hours target.
What is the best CPD qualification for FE teachers?
The Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET) is the sector-standard full teaching qualification and satisfies the most formal CPD hours in one enrolment. For teachers already qualified, CAVA is the most valued add-on for those taking on assessment responsibilities.
Can peer observation count as CPD?
Yes. Peer observation with a written debrief — covering focus area, strengths, and development target — counts as non-formal CPD. It must be structured and recorded to carry weight in an appraisal or inspection. An informal classroom visit with no notes does not count.
Does CPD recorded informally carry the same weight as accredited training?
No. Inspectors and appraisal managers weight formal and non-formal CPD more heavily than informal. Informal activities (reading, podcasts, self-study) are valid but should not make up the majority of your 30 hours. Aim for at least 50% of your annual total from formal or non-formal sources.
One last thing
The ETF's own 2023 workforce survey found that FE teachers who maintained a consistent CPD log were significantly more likely to progress to senior roles within three years — not because the log itself created the opportunity, but because the habit of structured reflection made their professional case visible. The log is not paperwork. It is the proof that your practice is moving forward.
