A survey of the use of non-contact days for design and technology training

Abstract

This article describes research based on data collected from secondary design and technology teachers and explores:

• the effectiveness of the systems used in their schools for planning and monitoring non-contact days and the implications for management strategy of staff development
• how non-contact days or 'pupil-free' days are used and how the use of non-contact days has been decided
• design and technology teachers' perceptions on the adequacy of subject in-service training (INSET) and balance of time allocated between whole school and departmental issues on non-contact days
• teachers'/middle managers' confidence in planning and leading subject specific design and technology INSET for themselves and for their teams, and resources which might be produced to support them.