University of Hertfordshire

Initial Teacher Education inspection report

Provider address College Lane Hatfield Herts AL10 9AB

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Initial Teacher Education inspection report

Unique reference number Inspection number Inspection dates Lead inspector 07–11 March 2011 Angela Milner HMI achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial tea cher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Initial Teacher Education inspection report

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. www.ofsted.gov.uk Reference no. 080190

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Introduction

1. This inspection was carried out by Her Majesty’s Inspectors supported by a team of specialist inspectors in accordance with the Framework for the Inspection of Initial Teacher Education (2008-11).

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Introduction

2. The inspection draws upon evidence from all aspects of the provision to make judgements against all parts of the inspection evaluation schedule in the framework. Inspectors focused on the overall effectiveness of the training in supporting high quality outcomes for trainees and the capacity of the partnership to bring about further improvements. A summary of the grades awarded is included at the end of this report.

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Key to inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate

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Explanation of terms used in this report

Attainment is defined as the standard reached by a trainee at the end of their training. Progress is judged in terms of how well a trainee has developed professionally from their starting point to the standard reached at the time of the inspection or at a suitable review point. Achievement is judged in terms of the progress made and the standard reached by a trainee at the time of the inspection or at a recent assessment review point.

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The provider

3. The University of Hertfordshire, through its School of Education, is a well established provider of initial teacher education (ITE). It provides primary qualified teacher status (QTS) programmes at undergraduate, professional and postgraduate levels, and secondary QTS programmes at professional and postgraduate levels. The provider’s partnership consists of approximately 600 primary and 60 secondary schools across rural and urban areas in 12 local authorities with particularly close links with Hertfordshire and Harrow. The provider is closely linked to the Hertfordshire Regional Partnership employment based provider, which was inspected in 2008–9.

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The provider

4. The university provides programmes for the continuing professional development of the school’s workforce, as well as in ITE. As a result, the university understands local workforce needs well and is involved in active research on a number of current educational issues.

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The provider

5. At the time of the inspection there were 581 trainees on the primary programmes and 93 on the secondary programmes.

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A commentary on the provision

6. The following are particular features of the provider and its initial teacher training programmes: the excellent quality of personal, professional and academic support for trainees on all programmes to ensure their well-being and allow them to demonstrate highly professional attributes the range of primary and secondary teacher training programmes offered to meet trainees’ diverse needs and personal circumstances the high employment rates resulting from the good quality of the training and the strength of the partnership with schools and local authorities the trainees’ ability, on all programmes, to cater well for the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and gain valuable practical experiences in special schools.

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A commentary on the provision

7. There are particularly strong features in some programmes that could be applied to other programmes or aspects of the provision: harnessing the leadership strengths within both primary and secondary ITE to share best practice with other colleagues and drive improvements which impact positively on trainee outcomes.

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A commentary on the provision

8. The following recommendations should be considered to improve the quality of the outcomes for trainees: improve trainees’ preparedness for teaching in a culturally and linguistically diverse society.

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Context

9. The University of Hertfordshire works in partnership with schools to provide three-year undergraduate, one-year professional or postgraduate, and flexible professional or postgraduate programmes of primary ITE leading to the award of QTS. There are currently 350 trainees on the three-year route, 150 on the one- year route and 81 trainees on the flexible programme. Primary trainees can specialise in three age-phases: lower (Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, ages 3–7 years), middle (Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2, ages 5–9 years) or upper primary (Key Stage 2, ages 7–11 years).

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Key strengths

10. The key strengths are: self-motivated, reflective trainees who demonstrate good professional attributes and are highly committed to their own professional development excellent levels of care and support for trainees’ well-being which ensure that most trainees complete their programme and gain qualified teacher status coherent programmes of central and school-based experiences that effectively support trainees’ development and the achievement of good levels of attainment much good quality mentoring, high-quality feedback and outstanding developmental targets which support trainees progress, enabling them to achieve good levels of attainment and gain high levels of employment in local schools good quality improvement planning focused on improving outcomes for trainees.

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Recommendations

11. In order to improve trainees’ progress and attainment, the provider/partnership should: ensure all trainees have the opportunity to become more proficient in teaching systematic synthetic phonics before the end of their training improve the proportion of trainees achieving outstanding attainment grades further develop trainees’ experience and confidence to teach in a culturally and linguistically diverse society.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

12. The overall effectiveness of the University of Hertfordshire in securing high quality outcomes for trainees is good. This confirms the accuracy of the provider’s own self-evaluation. In each of the last three years, over 80% of trainees attained the QTS Standards at a good or outstanding level. Trainees achieve such good levels of attainment because of their self-motivation and commitment to their own professional development. This is nurtured by the university’s high expectations, excellent levels of care and support, the good- quality coherent programmes of central and school-based training, and much good quality mentoring.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

13. Inspection evidence confirms the accuracy of the provider’s assessment procedures and that most trainees make good progress from their starting points. Completion rates vary a little from year to year but are either in line with or above sector norms. This is because of the significant attention paid to meeting the personal, professional and academic needs of trainees and the very good support trainees receive from the university’s employment and careers network, ‘Graduate Futures’. The provider enjoys an excellent reputation locally. Employment rates are high. Employers are particularly impressed by newly-qualified teachers’ (NQTs) enthusiasm, confidence and flexibility. School leaders, interviewed as part of the inspection, stated that trainees are well-prepared for their induction year and that retention rates in the first few years of teaching are high.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

14. Trainees become skilled and reflective practitioners able to evaluate their own practice and its impact on pupils’ learning. They demonstrate particular strengths in the excellent quality of their classroom relationships, the respect they show for pupils and in their effective use of a range of behaviour management strategies. Trainees carefully plan lessons that cater for the differing ability needs of pupils. They support the learning of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. This is because they make very careful use of their evaluations and assessments to plan in detail for activities which match differing needs.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

15. Recruitment and selection arrangements are good, meet all statutory requirements and promote equality and diversity well. Primary ITE programmes are oversubscribed. The provider is able to recruit good quality trainees and has consistently met Training and Development Agency (TDA) allocations. The provider works hard to widen participation from groups that are currently under-represented in the teaching workforce. It encourages applications from mature trainees, career-changers and those with non-standard entry qualifications. For example, a small number of trainees from foundation degree programmes in local partner colleges are successfully recruited into Year 3 of the undergraduate programme. The proportions of trainees from a minority ethnic background or with a declared disability are above the national average. The proportion of male trainees has improved to just below the national average because of the successful ‘men into primary’ regional partnership

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

initiative, led by staff at the university. The selection process grades trainees’ potential and effectively identifies trainees’ strengths and areas for development. All trainees are required to complete a number of pre-course tasks and audits to establish and develop their subject knowledge for teaching in English and mathematics. Personal tutors closely monitor trainees’ progress from their various starting points. 16. Trainees express high levels of satisfaction with their training experience which inspectors judged to be good. They commented that tutors are always available, quick to respond to queries and that they feel well supported in schools. The programmes are well planned and structured so that school placements and training build effectively on the trainees’ knowledge and understanding, developed as part of centre-based training. The quality of school-based training, particularly in relation to subject training and

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

assessment has improved markedly since the previous inspection because of the good emphasis placed on the holistic development of trainees’ subject knowledge for teaching and the requirement for subject specific lesson observations and feedback by mentors. Centre-based training is enriched by the use of external trainers with specific expertise. This ensures that training is not only up to date but incorporates best practice from across the partnership. For example, in one very good primary modern foreign languages session, observed during the inspection, a teacher from a local partnership school effectively modelled a range of teaching and learning approaches, based on songs that trainees could use with primary pupils.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

17. Central training provides a breadth of experiences across the 3 to 11 age phase based around four common strands: professional studies, school placements, core subjects and foundation subjects. In the flexible and one-year programme up-to-date on-line learning units are used particularly effectively to develop trainees’ knowledge and understanding. Significant attention is paid to a number of current national and local initiatives. Overall, trainees are well prepared to teach pupils with a special educational need and/ or disability and those who provide challenging behaviour. Training activities, observations and tasks in differentiation, methods of assessing pupils and recording pupils’ progress are used to good effect to deepen trainees’ understanding, confidence and practice of teaching pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Trainees understand the link between planning, teaching and

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

behaviour and the importance of pitch and challenge in lessons. The best trainees use a range of behaviour management strategies well, particularly signaling.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

18. Trainees’ confidence and capability in the teaching of systematic synthetic phonics is not as good. Central training has not impacted as well on their understanding. Most trainees on the one-year programme have gained useful experience of observing and teaching systematic synthetic phonics as a result of their practical engagement in the ‘Leading Literacy Partners’ project. School- based training has been stronger for trainees placed in the Early Years Foundation Stage and/or Key Stage 1 classes than for those based in Key Stage 2. A significant number of undergraduate trainees in Year 2 are currently unsure of how to teach phonics because they have either seen so little of it or have had little opportunity to teach it, as yet, as part of their training.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

19. Assessment systems are accurately and consistently applied across the partnership because of the consistent use of good-quality documentation, including useful ‘mentor milestones’ to record, monitor and assess trainees’ progress, and the effective use of internal moderation procedures. This includes valuable joint observations by mentors and visiting tutors, who make regular visits to schools. The majority of trainees make good progress because they receive well-focused high-quality feedback on their teaching. Weekly professional training records (PTR) include trainees’ detailed self-evaluations and action planning for their professional development based on outstanding developmental targets set by mentors. Much good mentoring and very careful monitoring of the progress trainees make towards achieving the QTS Standards enables the provider to identify and take appropriate action to provide additional support for trainees at risk of non-completion. However, the provider

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

is aware that higher-attaining trainees are not always provided with the precise levels of tailored training they need to raise their attainment levels from good to outstanding.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

20. Tutors assess trainees’ progress towards meeting the QTS Standards frequently and in a very wide variety of ways. There is a very strong link between formative and summative assessments. Assignments, presentations and collaborative tasks using the university’s virtual learning environment (VLE) are used well to develop trainees’ expertise and allow them to undertake in-depth classroom enquiries based on current issues, for example investigations of boys’ achievement in writing. External examiners attest to the accuracy of pass /fail judgements in relation to the award of QTS.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

21. The quality, deployment and use of resources across the partnership are good and impact positively on trainees’ progress and attainment. Resource allocations are responsive to trainees’ individual needs and driven by identified priorities for improvement. Trainees confirm that they have good access to the human and physical resources they need from schools, tutors, the university’s learning resource centre and via the VLE.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

22. The quality of provision across the partnership is good. A strong common sense of purpose has been created. Schools, including a number of special schools, provide appropriate venues for training. Most trainees are very effectively mentored in schools by knowledgeable and supportive mentors and professional mentors. Schools greatly appreciate the mutual benefits gained from working collaboratively with the provider in this well-established primary partnership.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

23. The partnership values and respects diversity and shows a good commitment to promoting equal opportunities and ensuring equality of access to high quality training for all trainees. This ethos underpins the provider’s excellent approach to trainees’ well-being. Although trainees are well prepared to teach pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities they have only a limited experience of teaching pupils from differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Excellent support is provided for all trainees and particularly for those with a declared disability and for those who are male. Trainees feel able to raise any concerns in the knowledge they will be efficiently and professionally dealt with by tutors. There have been no incidents of harassment over the last three years. There are currently no discernible differences between the outcomes for different groups of trainees.

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Grade: 2

24. The capacity of the partnership to improve and sustain high quality outcomes is good. Key strengths identified at the last inspection have been retained and enhanced and a number of improvements have been made. For example, the provider has successfully enhanced the coherence between central and school- based training by making training in schools more subject specific and ensuring training takes greater account of trainees’ individual needs and expertise.

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Grade: 2

25. Self-evaluation is accurate and improvement planning focuses on national priorities and actions designed to improve trainee outcomes and the quality of provision. Data is increasingly well-used to monitor the progress of identifiable groups and individuals, identify variations and put appropriate interventions in place that will improve outcomes. One notable example has been the securing of improved retention rates and attainment levels for male trainees involved in the highly-regarded ‘men into primary’ initiative. This includes the creation of a men’s group, the opportunity for male trainees to work alongside role models in schools and at the university and opportunities to network with other male trainees via the ‘NING’ website. Similarly, closer tracking of minority ethnic trainees’ progress in 2010–11 has already led to significant improvements in their levels of achievement.

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Grade: 2

26. The partnership is committed to building on existing strengths and engaging in comprehensive self-evaluation processes. TDA performance data and NQT perception surveys are carefully compared with the provider’s own evaluations and the results of trainee exit surveys to measure the impact of actions taken to secure improvements. Constant and thorough evaluation ensures that most provision meets the needs of trainees. Trainees have good opportunities to voice any concerns informally to staff as well as via course representatives and the formal consultative and programme board structures.

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Grade: 2

27. The partnership is able to anticipate change, and respond to national and local initiatives. It is well placed to use the strengths within the partnership to respond to a range of initiatives that have a positive impact on improving trainees’ outcomes and practice. Tutors engage in research and scholarly activities, and funded projects which benefit provision and improve trainees’ outcomes. The university has worked hard to develop a particular strength in two of the areas identified in the NQT survey where responses were below sector norms: special educational needs and/or disabilities, including the creative use of placements in a range of special schools; and behaviour management. Trainees’ knowledge, understanding and practical experience were more variable in other areas identified as below sector norms in the NQT survey. The provider has more to do to ensure that all trainees gain experience

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Grade: 2

of teaching pupils from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and to ensure all trainees have the opportunity to observe and teach systematic synthetic phonics. Coverage of systematic synthetic phonics has been mapped across the three primary programmes and an English development plan is in place to improve provision and outcomes in this area. The provider is aware that the opportunities that have been provided for some groups of trainees to become proficient in this area now need to be extended to all.

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Grade: 2

28. The provider’s effectiveness in planning and taking action for improvement is good. There is a strong link between the comprehensive evaluation and review process, the use of resources, and priorities and targets in improvement plans. Success criteria link well to the impact of actions on trainees’ outcomes. All partners are informed about the key priorities for improvement and their role in securing them. The last inspection report asked the provider to consider whether improvement planning could be more specifically related to the quality of trainees’ teaching skills and the standards they reach. Action plans now have clear success criteria against which to evaluate performance in relation to a range of trainee outcomes. Progress is frequently reviewed by managers and knowledgeable school and local authority representatives on the strategic Professional Advisory Group (PAG).

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Grade: 2

29. Clear management systems and structures are in place. Programme directors are taking a greater role in self-evaluation within a new ITE structure and specific staff have identified accountabilities for action planning and delivery of targets. These systems are becoming embedded and effective, and resultant actions are taking place in an increasingly timely manner. External examiner reports support the results of self-evaluation. The management team has a good understanding of current strengths and areas in need of further development. It carefully collects, collates and evaluates data about trainee outcomes and the evidence of impact of a number of initiatives and pilot projects. This, together with improvements since the last inspection, is indicative of the partnership’s good capacity to sustain high quality outcomes for trainees, where they already exist, and to take the actions required to secure further improvements where necessary.

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Context

30. The University of Hertfordshire works in partnership with schools to provide secondary ITE programmes leading to the award of QTS at professional or postgraduate levels. The provider offers training in the 11–16 age range in art and design, English, mathematics, modern languages and science. The provider also offers training in the 14–19 age range for business studies. At the time of inspection there were 93 trainees on the six different subject courses. This included 12 trainees undertaking part-time professional or postgraduate level training in Maths, modern languages and science.

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Key strengths

31. The key strengths are: self-motivated trainees, who demonstrate good professional attributes and are highly committed to their own professional development good quality trainees, held in high regard due to their strong working relationships in partner schools, who gain very high levels of employment high levels of pastoral care and support for trainees which has been used well to improve trainees’ completion rates the effective work of the partnership in enhancing trainees’ subject knowledge and developing their conceptual understanding of the teaching of their subjects to ensure they achieve good levels of attainment high-quality mentoring, exemplified by good quality feedback to trainees about their teaching practice, which ensures the majority of trainees make good progress from a variety of starting points.

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Recommendations

32. In order to improve trainees’ progress and attainment, the provider/partnership should: further develop trainees’ experience and confidence to teach in a culturally and linguistically diverse society sharpen quality assurance work across the partnership to make best use of current systems to improve provision and outcomes for trainees share and adopt the best practice that exists across subject areas to improve the consistency of experience for trainees.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

33. The overall effectiveness of the University of Hertfordshire in securing high quality outcomes for trainees is good. This confirms the accuracy of the provider’s own self-evaluation. Trainees have consistently attained well, over the last three years. Attainment has been rising slowly. Over 87% of the 2009- 10 cohort achieved good or better levels of attainment by the end of their training.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

34. The most notable strengths of trainees, at the time of the inspection, were their professionalism and their ability to critically reflect on their own practice. Trainees continually seek to improve their performance and conscientiously engage in the range of professional development opportunities available across the partnership. Careful selection and close working relationships with mentors and subject leaders result in high expectations. Trainees consistently strive to rise to these expectations, often with success. Reflection is deeply embedded in trainees’ day-to-day work and enhanced by carefully selected assignments which bring a longer term perspective to their training. Partnership documentation supports planning, feedback and evaluation and has a strong focus on the QTS Standards. This means trainees develop a good awareness of their progress towards meeting them. Partnership staff effectively model good

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

professional attributes and trainees develop into highly collaborative team players, which further enhances their employability. Headteachers and the local authority are keen to emphasise the numbers of University of Hertfordshire trainees employed locally and their role in the success of their schools.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

35. Good quality central training coupled to strong contextual training in schools, including three days in a special school, gives trainees a very good awareness of the range of special educational needs and/or disabilities. Trainees usually benefit from the opportunity to teach the full range of learners during their placements. The effective blend of training and practical experience results in trainees consistently planning and delivering appropriate tasks for the full ability range of learners in their classes. Behaviour management training is part of the core professional studies training at the university and is enhanced in subject specific sessions. Constructive feedback on the consistent use of school behaviour policies by mentors enhances, over time, trainees’ ability to proactively manage behaviour. Most trainees observed during the inspection displayed the ability to effectively manage behaviour. The few for whom this

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

was an evolving skill were seen to be developing rapidly.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

36. The success of recruitment processes over time is evident in the good reputation NQTs enjoy locally and the very high levels of employability in relation to national norms. The selection process is rigorous with university and school-based staff assessing candidates’ potential for training. The partnership has recognised that while recruitment to TDA allocations has been effective, over the last few years, retention has been problematic for some groups. The course team has rigorously analysed its data to understand why more minority ethnic and male trainees withdraw. Procedures have been refined and extra support has been provided. As a result, retention rates for the current cohort are now in line with those of similar providers. The trend of higher withdrawal rates by mature male trainees remains. Inspection evidence confirms this is almost exclusively to higher-paid former employment. Information gathered

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

from the recruitment and selection process is used to personalise training with suitable pre-course tasks and subject knowledge enhancement courses, for example, in physics and mathematics. However, the transfer to first placement schools of information gathered at interview is inconsistent between subjects. This means that first placement mentors sometimes need to gather similar information again to plan trainees’ individual school-based training.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

37. Training and assessment are good. The programmes have been carefully planned and structured over time to reflect feedback from trainees. Training experiences provide good continuity and cohesion between university and school-based training. The well-established partnership enjoys a good level of commitment, enthusiasm and shared sense of ownership from its partners. Partnership training events are well attended and, where mentors are unable to attend, link tutors compensate to provide in-school mentor training. Consequently, mentors are well-informed about their roles and school-based training is good. Most mentors focus extremely well on developing trainees’ practice to boost pupil learning through their lesson observations and feedback. All trainees receive and act on the good quality advice and guidance provided by mentors and other trainers whom they hold in high regard. Feedback to trainees, following lesson observations, is usually precise and well-focused on

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

the QTS Standards. Targets for development are set conscientiously by mentors and trainees at weekly mentor meetings and recorded. These targets are e-mailed to subject leaders who monitor and provide feedback on the quality of targets set. This system has the potential to sharpen development targets for trainees and accelerate their progress. However, a minority of trainees indicated there are inconsistencies across subjects in the application of this system in practice. Inspectors also identified inconsistencies in the way feedback is shared with mentors and acted upon.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

38. While trainees receive good central training in diversity and teaching pupils for whom English is as an additional language, they do not always gain the practical experience necessary to feel completely confident in teaching pupils from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Trainees receive effective subject training at the university. A seconded teacher-tutor in each subject works alongside the subject leader to provide a valuable school–based context to central training. Coherence in subject training is provided by school-based mentors who work closely with subject leaders and teacher-tutors to develop trainees’ understanding of how best to teach their subject. Subject specific feedback to trainees, observed by inspectors, was always at least good and occasionally outstanding. The good quality of subject training is demonstrated by the fact that trainees develop a strong conceptual understanding of their

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

subject. There is, however, some inconsistency of approach to developing trainees’ ability to teach their subject using information and communication technology (ICT). In the majority of subjects, but not all, this is embedded in the approach taken to developing subject understanding. 39. University resources are of a good quality and are well utilised to support trainees’ progress. The faculty building provides excellent facilities for subject specific training. A comprehensive library provides access to the latest research and subject-related resources. Extensive on-line resources and discussion forums are available to trainees through the university’s VLE ‘StudyNet’. Partnership schools are well-resourced and trainees are clear they have access to the human and physical resources required for their professional development. Human resources are well deployed, although not all school- based trainers are completely clear about the demarcation of their roles in

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

40. The quality of provision across the partnership is good. Schools are keen to be involved in the secondary partnership. Professional development opportunities for mentors and professional tutors are generally well-regarded. Many school- based trainers are relatively recent ex-trainees who reflect their own training experience in their good quality mentoring. Communication across the partnership is strong with school-based trainers clear about their points of contact with link tutors and subject leaders. Regular visits to schools by subject and link tutors help to strengthen relationships across the partnership. Joint observations of trainees by subject leaders and mentors ensure consistency of judgements and that assessments are accurate. These processes also facilitate smooth transitions between placements. End of placement reports are accurate and provide second placement mentors with a good starting point to develop

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

trainees further. Link tutor visits ensure placements are suitable and are beginning to report on their quality. While professional tutors value the dialogue and role of link tutors the quality assurance information they provide is currently under-utilised in reporting on and improving school-based provision. Professional tutors effectively co-ordinate school-based training and trainees are positive about the high quality professional studies sessions in schools. However, the quality assurance work of professional tutors is inconsistent. Some are more proactive than others in working to develop the quality of training in their schools.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

41. There are no discernible differences between the outcomes for different groups of trainees. This is because the university has worked hard to ensure resources are well-used to support equality and diversity. For example, encouraging early disclosure has allowed the university to target support to trainees with dyslexia to enable them to successfully complete assignments. Trainees, including a group from minority ethnic backgrounds, were keen to stress the high levels of pastoral care and support they receive both from the university and in schools.

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Grade: 2

42. The provider has good capacity to sustain high quality outcomes for trainees. The self-evaluation process involves a range of stakeholders. Assessment of performance is based upon a range of accurate and reliable evidence both formal and informal. Informal feedback comes from the effective communications and good relationships between trainees, schools and subject leaders that exist across the partnership. More formal mechanisms include the careful analysis of data on trainee destinations and progress and benchmarking against NQT survey responses. The university also makes effective use of questionnaires including trainee exit surveys to gain trainees’ views on the quality of provision. Mentor and professional tutor views are appropriately shared at training meetings. The management team has a good understanding of current strengths and areas in need of further development. It carefully collects, collates and evaluates data about trainee outcomes and the evidence

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Grade: 2

of impact of a number of initiatives and pilot projects. External examiners attest to the accuracy of assessment systems and the consistency of their implementation and inspection evidence supports this view. However, the provider recognises that external examiner subject reports are of variable quality. The best sharply identify the areas most in need of attention. These reports are then used well as part of the action planning cycle to make improvements to the quality of provision and trainee outcomes.

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Grade: 2

43. The provider prepares and responds well to national and local initiatives. It has demonstrated success in introducing changes across the partnership that have had a positive impact on improving trainees’ practice. For example, a drop to below sector average responses in the 2010 NQT survey for the 2008-9 cohort of trainees resulted in decisive action to improve identified aspects of training. As a result, the provider’s exit survey for the 2009-10 cohort showed a dramatic improvement in trainees’ views on all aspects of training. The provider is taking a measured approach to current uncertainties affecting the sector with regard to the future of secondary ITE to ensure continuity of provision for local employers. Leaders have responded well to the TDA’s national priorities, including improved training for special educational needs and/or disabilities, improved provision for literacy, the development of effective behaviour

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Grade: 2

management training and revised programmes in a number of subject areas to meet national subject initiatives. Recent government reviews have also been reflected well in adjustments made to central training programmes.

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Grade: 2

44. Plans for improvement and related actions, which are based on improved self- evaluation, are leading to a gradual trend of improvement in the attainment of trainees. Progress has been made in relation to the points for action and consideration in the previous inspection report, although in some respects, progress has been rather slow and lacks consistency across subjects. For example, the quality assurance role of professional tutors remains inconsistent across the partnership and the relationship between the role of link tutor and professional tutor in respect of quality assurance is not always well understood in schools. Good systems have been put in place to improve the quality of target setting to support trainees’ progress. However, the implementation of these systems has again been somewhat inconsistent across subjects. The systematic sharing of information gathered at interview, with first placement

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Grade: 2

schools, has improved in some, but not all, subject areas. However, good progress has been made in developing business studies resources and in developing a consistently detailed approach to action planning. Action plans now clearly and consistently identify areas for improvement, success criteria, time scales and how they will be monitored.

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Grade: 2

45. The provider has recognised that progress on improving aspects of its provision has been slower than it would have liked. The recent creation of a new ITE management structure and the appointment of a number of new staff have led to a sharper focus on improvement and more rapid progress on areas for development. The provider is strengthening and sharpening its self-evaluation systems and is using this information to plan and take action for improvement . Progress on identified areas for development is frequently reviewed by managers. This includes local authority and school-based representatives . There is an effective steering group to bring relevant expertise into the partnership and to guide developments. The partnership is responsive to new developments and there is a very positive trend in trainees’ views of the quality of their training experience. Improvements are reflected in trainees achieving

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Grade: 2

higher levels of attainment and much improved retention rates. The majority of trainees make good progress from their starting points. They remain in high local demand and employment rates continue to be very high. All of this indicates that the provider has sustained and improved upon its previous good performance.

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Summary of inspection grades 1

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding; grade 2 is good; grade 3 is satisfactory; grade 4 is inadequate.

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Overall effectiveness

How effective is the provision in securing high quality outcomes for trainees? 2 2

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Overall effectiveness

Trainees’ attainment How well do trainees attain? 2 2 Factors contributing to trainees’ attainment To what extent do recruitment / selection arrangements support high quality outcomes? 2 2 To what extent does the training and assessment ensure that all trainees progress to fulfil their potential given their ability and starting points? 2 2

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Overall effectiveness

To what extent are available resources used effectively and efficiently? 2 2 The quality of the provision To what extent is the provision across the partnership of consistently high quality? 2 2

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Overall effectiveness

Promoting equalities and diversity To what extent does the provision promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and eliminate harassment and unlawful discrimination? 2 2

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Capacity to improve further and/or sustain high quality

To what extent do the leadership and management at all levels have the capacity to secure further improvements and/or to sustain high quality outcomes? 2 2

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Capacity to improve further and/or sustain high quality

How effectively does the management at all levels assess performance in order to improve or sustain high quality? 2 2 How well does the leadership at all levels anticipate change, and prepare for and respond to national and local initiatives? 2 2

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Capacity to improve further and/or sustain high quality

How effectively does the provider plan and take action for improvement? 2 2

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Capacity to improve further and/or sustain high quality

1 The criteria for making these graded judgements are in the Grade criteria for the inspection of ITE 2008-11; Ofsted November 2009; Reference no: 080128. set out in the guidance ‘Complaints about school inspection’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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