Temple, Clare Veronica (2026) Exploring the suitability of the SPIDERWeB triadic peer-group mentoring model for developing a school-wide teacher mentoring programme. Doctoral thesis, Liverpool Hope University.
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Abstract
Mentoring is acknowledged to be an effective form of continuous professional development (CPD) (Garvey, Stokes & Megginson, 2009); however, it is rarely used to support teachers’ CPD beyond the early career phase (Thorpe & Bennett-Powell, 2014; Lomax, 2020) and there is little research concerning the use of mentoring for the professional development of mid- and late-career teachers.
In this study, I argue that mentoring can provide meaningful CPD for experienced teachers, and I propose an innovative model for developing a whole-school mentoring programme. I have called this model the SPIDERWeB model. Using a triadic, peer-group structure, this model fosters collaborative working across disciplines to build a network of practice that extends throughout the school. The study starts with an explanation of the rationale that informed this model and an account of how I implemented the model in my school setting.
My research sits within a social-constructivist framework and uses a phenomenological case study approach to explore teachers’ experiences of the SPIDERWeB mentoring programme. Drawing on survey and interview data, which were analysed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022), I consider significant factors that influenced the effectiveness of the programme and I offer an evaluation of the feasibility of the SPIDERWeB model. Findings indicate that the SPIDERWeB model offers a holistic approach to mentoring and is an effective tool for supporting teachers’ CPD at all career stages.
The study concludes with a consideration of the implications of its findings for mentoring theory and for policy and practice concerning the design and provision of CPD opportunities in schools.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Additional Information and Comments: | Copyright © The Author 2026. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| Faculty / Department: | Faculty of Education and Social Sciences > School of Education |
| Depositing User: | Matthew Adams |
| Date Deposited: | 17 Jun 2026 13:05 |
| Last Modified: | 17 Jun 2026 13:05 |
| URI: | https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/4942 |
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