Three Rivers Professional Development Institute empowers educators and strengthens schools

At Cheviot Learning Trust, we have always believed that great teaching changes lives. Behind every confident, effective classroom is a teacher who has had the opportunity to learn, grow and be supported at every stage of their career. That belief is exactly what led to the creation of the Three Rivers Professional Development Institute (PDI), and it continues to shape everything the PDI does today.

What is the Three Rivers Professional Development Institute?

We founded Three Rivers PDI to provide a new and innovative strand of professional learning, running alongside the highly successful Three Rivers Teaching School Hub. While the Teaching School Hub continues to deliver national programmes including Initial Teacher Training, Early Career Teacher induction and accredited NPQs, the PDI offers broader and further development. It is a flexible programme of continuing professional development, designed with and for schools across our region.

The PDI offers accessible and affordable opportunities. This includes online webinars and workshops on high-impact teaching and learning themes, leadership development programmes for aspiring, middle and senior leaders, specialist conferences for subject and phase-specific development, professional networks that build ongoing communities of practice, and bespoke school-to-school support tailored to individual school goals.

To shape this offer, the PDI collaborates closely with school leaders with ourselves, other local trusts, partner organisations and hubs, while also drawing on research from the Department of Education and Education Endowment Foundation. This means every programme is rooted in the latest evidence and genuinely responsive to what schools in our region actually need.

A recent highlight from Three Rivers PDI

On 11th June, Three Rivers PDI hosted the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Conference: Growing Minds at St James's Park, bringing together Early Career Teachers, new EYFS leads and practitioners for a day of specialist, evidence-informed development.

The conference explored the neuroscience of early childhood and how that understanding can be put into practice through a child-led approach to learning. Offered for free, the event was designed to be as accessible as possible, ensuring that those who are newer to early years education could benefit from high quality professional development without barriers.

Events like Growing Minds are a reflection of what Three Rivers PDI was built to do, connect educators with the knowledge and insight that makes a real difference, not just to their own practice but to the children in their classrooms.

The Growing Minds conference is just one example of the opportunities Three Rivers PDI has been delivering this year. Their programme has already covered a wide range of teaching and learning themes, with previous courses and webinars including Raising Achievement in GCSE Art and Design. The AI in Action: Smarter Teaching, Stronger Schools webinar series has also proven a practical resource, helping teachers and leaders get to grips with how artificial intelligence can support planning, assessment and day-to-day workload. For those looking to develop their classroom practice further, the Adaptive Teaching and Scaffolding four-part webinar course has equipped secondary teachers with research-informed strategies to support every learner in the room.

Looking ahead, Three Rivers PDI is continuing to grow its offer with a range of professional development opportunities. A major event in the North East school calendar is our annual SEND conference which is confirmed for Tuesday 17 November 2026. We have an exciting line up of speakers and workshops planned, look out for details of this coming your way soon.  

Development that impacts individuals and the surrounding community

A teacher who feels supported is a teacher who thrives in the profession, who brings energy and confidence into the classroom and who is able to give pupils the very best of themselves. When schools cannot access high quality, evidence-informed CPD, teachers and learners can be impacted. The Three Rivers PDI eliminates that gap.

By giving teachers and leaders access to genuine, ongoing development, we aim to not only strengthen individual careers but also to strengthen entire schools and the wider community they serve. We believe every employee should have every opportunity to be their best, whatever stage of their career they are at.

We are proud to support the Three Rivers PDI's work, and we look forward to sharing more of its impact as the year continues.

To find out more about the Three Rivers Professional Development Institute, including upcoming webinars, conferences and leadership programmes, visit 3rpdi.co.uk