EXPERT (Extending Professional Resources and Training ) is a two year project to be developed by Gladesmore Community School,(GCS) London. GCS has identified key needs for professional development of its staff through its appraisal system of literacy development and the use of independent learning. Gladesmore has an established and flourishing partnership with Paanan Koulu and Miinan Koulu schools in Finland. It has hosted a number of staff from these schools over the past 2 academic years and is seeking through EXPERT to cement and progress the link with these schools.Gladesmore aims to address the key concerns of raising attainment in basic skills through more effective and innovative teaching methods, particularly in supporting independent learning at home and at school. The objectives of this project are:To enhance the capabilities of staff to improve assessment techniques to benefit and support learners with diverse learning needs.To develop staff competences in the use of ICT to support a range of subject areas.To introduce staff to new technologies and build confidence in applying them.To progress primary-secondary liaison and communication, with a particular emphasis on provision for students with additional educational needs.To improve skills and techniques of staff in teaching English as an additional language.To share good practice and develop expertise in preparation for migrants and second language learners in both countries.To introduce new teaching methods to staff in the three participating schools and to disseminate this learning to a wider network of schools.24 staff, teaching and non-teaching, representing all curriculum and intervention areas ,will participate directly in the EXPERT mobilities over the 2 years, with the remaining GCS staff benefiting from the visits by our Finnish colleagues and the disseminated results.The 5 day visits to Finland will comprise job shadowing, observations and meetings to share resources, expertise and methodology. Staff will visit primary and secondary schools. The day-to day schedules will be planned in detail by the EXPERT working party and the Finnish coordinators to ensure that the work carried out matches and drives forward the identified needs of the school and staff. During the visits, staff will be able to meet and work shadow a wide range of Finnish colleagues and will record through photography and video where possible, as well as make daily written reports on their findings. Regular monitoring and evaluation will be carried out by the coordinator and the working party. Participants will be expected to contribute to the dissemination and training activities which will follow on from the visits.Short and longer-term impact will be:Staff will assimilate more effective teaching methods.Teaching skills, especially ICT, will be enhanced, e.g. in using innovative methods like the electronic workbooks. Staff will be better-equipped to manage primary- secondary liaison and to support students in transition.Teaching and non-teaching staff will have an enhanced perspective of their own roles and their status through working alongside each other.Staff will develop a wider understanding of European culture and educational systems, as well as looking at the effect of population changes in other countries.We aim for our staff to be highly- skilled and confident teachers, with sound transferable skills to enable them to be successful in the EU and international job market.