14 C O N T E X T 1 0 1 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 7 Seán O’Reilly CPD and the cool school The annual school is the highpoint of the IHBC’s yearly training programmes, but that is just a small part of the contribution it makes to the professional institute. In its simplest form, the school can provide, in intense and condensed form, almost the entire annual CPD requirements of a full member, depending on their needs. It is a magnificent opportunity for networking with fellow professionals across the UK, as well as a unique source of dedicated insights into regional styles, local character and current issues for practitioners working on the ground. Those last features are just a part of the benefit of having our branches, led by volunteers, shape the character, content and direction of so much of the school. Increasingly the national office is helping with the administration, and the education committee contributes to the content, responding to key national perspectives. Yet, it is the individuality of the branch’s contribution that creates a uniquely relevant focus on our members’ needs. That focus on the needs of working practitioners is a key pillar in the evolving structure of the school, and one that we will work hard to cultivate and facilitate. Increasing support from national bodies such as English Heritage, a key sponsor in both of our recent schools, has helped enormously in recent years, encouraging the terms, scale and aspirations of these training opportunities to become more ambitious. This year in Liverpool, building on the 2006 school in Plymouth, the North West branch implemented a programme looking ahead to the kind of dedicated training ground for historic environment professionals that we want to, and indeed must, establish. The benefits of the school will resound far beyond the event itself. Much of the content will be distributed and communicated through our house journal, Context, and our web site (www.ihbc.org. uk), all depending on formats. And benefits seep out beyond pure education and training. At Plymouth we have successfully helped highlight the future of its strikingly successful modern town centre. And while at Liverpool our interests may be subsumed into the city’s wider cultural celebrations next year, we have at least been able to help raise the UK profile of the range of work going on there. Future school programmes will also evolve in line with our new capacity, developing from the best of previous years. We will provide a simple structure that can be adapted by branches to suit needs and circumstances. IHBC Annual School 2007 IHBC Annual School 2007 IHBC Annual School 2007 Lutyens’ crypt
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