Abstract This article analyses continuing professional development (CPD) in the context of primary schools in England, and focuses particularly on the potential of collaborative professional learning (CPL) as a means of making CPD both relevant and specific. It draws upon a range of CPD and CPL literature to critically examine the key characteristics of ‘effective’ CPD and, within that framework, to analyse both the concept of CPL and its practical application. The area of practice used as an exemplar for this discussion is primary school physical education, an aspect of the curriculum that suffers from sparse initial teacher training and low levels of teacher confidence. Drawing on selected data from a 1–year research project in two case study schools, the evidence suggests that while it is clear that teachers would value further opportunities to engage in CPL, schools would need to radically alter their structures, processes and priorities to enable it to happen effectively
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