ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the framework of national and international policy development in education which has influenced CPD over recent decades. It begins by offering a brief overview of the social, political and economic influences which have underpinned educational developments during the post-war period. It also reviews the changing relationships between government, schools, LEAs and higher education institutions (HEIs) which have influenced the nature and management of INSET over recent years and goes on to consider the role played by CPD in developing strategies to promote ‘school improvement’ and ‘school effectiveness’. The chapter concludes by briefly examining ways in which recent developments in England and Wales match professional development trends within the wider international context—in Europe, North America and Oceania.
