Ysgol Y Deri is a newly built, state of the art school for children with special needs including PMLD, SLD and ASD. The school educates children from 3-19 years of age and provides a unique environment designed with the students' learning and pastoral needs in mind. The school is highly staffed and over 250 children are fortunate enough to have a team of trained professionals to support them through their education. Staff from Ysgol Y Deri, Penarth, South Wales decided to embark on a large scale staff training and development program following the formulation of the school's improvement plan and European development plan. Staff want to ensure that students receive the best possible education though up to date, well researched teaching and learning strategies and interventions. Working with colleagues in Lippstadt, Germany we wrote a project to encompass all students and to ensure the most impact for staff CPD and outcomes for learners. There are two threads to the project; 1. SLT and teaching staff (11 in all) attending European in-service training course developed and designed by 'Educational in service training - VSKO' using cutting edge of CPD methodology, working with teams of teachers across Europe as professional learning communities, to look at leadership, observation and self evaluation, CPD and high PISA ranks education systems. 2. A team of 24 school staff working closely with our German partners in Don-Bosco Schule, Lippstadt to develop three key areas; - IT & assistive technology (Staff will work closely to deliver up-to-date training, guidance and support in using the latest technology, IT and assistive technology for children with special needs. ) - Qualifications and the world of work (Staff will examine current procedures for students once they reach 14 years of age and determine by means of comparative analysis the most effective systems. They will then look to develop the most beneficial route for students into the world of work by sharing good practice and working together) - Interventions to support behaviour management (Staff will look at behaviour monitoring, strategies used to support proactive responses to challenging behaviour and interventions used to support this) The results of the project mobilities will be disseminated to all staff in Ysgol Y Deri. PLCs will be set up to share findings and good practice with cross-consortium special schools across south Wales. Blogs on an etwinning twinspace will allow staff to collaborate and discuss experiences to allow shared teaching and learning strategies and regluar updates to the school's website, newsletters and local media will ensure the project is regarded publicly in the local community.