University of Greenwich

Initial Teacher Education inspection report

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Provider address Avery Hill Campus Mansion Site Bexley Road London SE92PQ

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Unique reference number Inspection number Inspection dates Lead inspector 23 – 27 May 2011 Christine Dick 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 teacher trainin g, 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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If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 Greenwich’s School of Education is located at the Avery Hill Campus, in South East London. This site has a history of teacher training which spans more than 100 years. Securely rooted in the university’s mission to widen participation in higher education, the school is successful in recruiting trainee teachers from a wide range of cultural, ethnic, religious, age and social backgrounds. The school has a clear commitment to providing access for under-represented groups on courses leading to qualified teacher status (QTS) in the primary and secondary age ranges and in training teachers in further education settings. Its success in this aspect is underpinned by strong support systems for the recruitment of prospective trainees and the retention of all. The provider works in partnership with schools in London, Kent, Essex and the South East of England and with over 20 colleges across a wide geographical

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A commentary on the provision

4. The outcomes for trainees on all routes are good and improving. This is consistent with improvements in many other aspects of the provision. The following are particular features of the provider and its initial teacher training programmes:

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A commentary on the provision

 the increasing success of the provider in boosting the supply of good teachers in local schools and in partner colleges  the strong focus on widening participation and securing equality of opportunity for all groups of trainees  the high level of personal support for trainees that contributes very well to good retention and improving outcomes across all phases  trainees’ effective practice in promoting good working relationships in their lessons to enhance children’s and young people’s learning  the good cohesion between administrative and academic functions, which supports the sharing of good practice across all phases and has strengthened communications with key partners.

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A commentary on the provision

5. There are particularly strong features in some programmes which could be applied to other phases or aspects of the provision.

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A commentary on the provision

 the good contribution made by primary school partners to improving the quality of training and assessment across the partnership.

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A commentary on the provision

 the systematic analysis of attainment data at all levels, and for all groups, leading to clarity and precision in identifying areas for improvement and in monitoring the impact of actions taken to address them  the very effective use of diversity in partnership schools, and within the secondary cohort, to ensure that trainees are prepared well to teach in a diverse society.

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A commentary on the provision

6. The following recommendations should be considered to improve the quality of the outcomes for trainees across all three phases:

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A commentary on the provision

 ensure that the quality of training offered in all partner institutions matches that of the best.  further strengthen trainees’ and trainers’ practice in the setting and recording of targets for improvement, to accelerate the progress of satisfactory trainees to good and of good trainees to outstanding.

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Context

7. The university works in partnership with around 200 schools in London, Kent, Essex and the South East of England to provide primary initial teacher training courses. There is a three-year, undergraduate Bachelor of Arts (BA) route, a one year postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) route and a flexible PGCE route which can be completed over four terms or can take up to three years. Trainees choose to focus on either the three to seven or five to 11 age groups. A primary French specialist route is available as part of the PGCE programme. Currently, around 342 trainees are on the undergraduate course, a further 122 trainees are on the postgraduate full-time course, including 11 who are specialising in French, and 69 on the postgraduate flexible course.

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Key strengths

professional, reflective trainees who are prepared to take risks in planning lessons that interest and enhance the enjoyment of learners, resulting in positive working relationships between them and their pupils

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Key strengths

the modelling of effective strategies by trainers and the coherence between the school- and centre-based training which enables trainees to make good links between practice and theory

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Key strengths

the contribution of school partners in ensuring high quality school-based training and in shaping and steering improving provision

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Key strengths

high quality pastoral, academic and individual support, and intervention which contributes well to trainees’ good progress

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Key strengths

well-planned opportunities for trainees to learn about and to experience a range of diverse and varied teaching contexts

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Key strengths

the good contribution of the provider in supplying teachers who are retained and enhance the quality of teaching in the local area.

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Required actions

9. In order to improve the quality of provision, the provider/partnership must: improve the quality of initial and mid-placement reviews so that mentors, trainees and link tutors have a shared understanding of what needs to be done to move satisfactory trainees to good and good trainees to outstanding.

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Recommendations

10. In order to improve the way it evaluates its effectiveness, plans and takes action for improvement, the provider should: build on the good practice in mathematics and English to improve the quality and impact of action planning across all key priorities for improvement

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Recommendations

systematically track and analyse all data relating to trainee outcomes, in order to identify specific areas of weakness, pinpoint the reasons behind trends and implement consistently rigorous and effective action plans which lead to further improvement.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

11. Most trainees make good progress from their starting points. Overall, the proportion of trainees judged to be good or better has been consistently high over a three-year period. The proportion of postgraduate trainees who are judged to be good is rising, with over 80% of the full-time cohort who completed in 2009/10 attaining at a good or better level. Early indications suggest an improving trend for the current undergraduate cohort.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

12. Trainees are reflective and self-critical. They plan good quality lessons and are prepared to take risks to extend their understanding of how their teaching influences children’s learning. In doing so, they use a range of strategies in order that pupils enjoy and are interested in their lessons. As a result, relationships between trainees and pupils are positive and productive. School- and centre-based training combine well to ensure that trainees demonstrate good subject knowledge, particularly in mathematics and English. Nevertheless, there are aspects, such as planning to meet the needs of different abilities, including those of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, where some trainees’ ability to implement practical strategies is not as well developed as their theoretical knowledge and understanding.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

13. The provider contributes a high proportion of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) who go on to teach locally and in partnership schools. Many trainees actively choose the university because of recommendations from serving teachers and because they want to teach in the local area with its variety of socially and ethnically diverse schools. As a result, applications are rising and the courses are heavily oversubscribed. Selection systems are rigorous and enable prospective trainees to demonstrate a range of important characteristics, such as team working, as well as their individual knowledge and skills. Robust selection criteria are applied to ensure that those trainees opting to specialise in teaching French have high levels of subject expertise. Pre-course tasks for PGCE trainees build their knowledge through guided reading and focused observations of experienced practitioners. These activities enable them to make

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

rapid progress from the start. There are good opportunities for trainees to complete the courses outside the normal timescales and this contributes to completion and onward employment rates, which are above average for PGCE trainees and have improved to around the sector average on undergraduate courses.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

14. Overall, trainees are very positive about the centre-based training. Nevertheless, there have been differences between undergraduate and PGCE trainees in their perceptions of the provision and in their satisfaction rates. Recent revisions to the programme are improving this. Current courses are designed carefully to ensure that theory and practice are well linked and that learning is strengthened and reinforced throughout the training. Lectures are followed by practical workshops in which tutors model good practice. This supports trainees in developing a bank of strategies which they use to identify the methods that best suit them and enable them to meet their pupils’ needs most effectively. They are encouraged to develop their ideas and reflect on what works and why. Consequently, they have a good understanding of the relationship between good planning for learning and pupils’ good behaviour in

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

15. The time trainees spend in the university, during periods of school-based experience, enables them to share and review aspects of their own professional development. This time provides valuable opportunities for further reflection, exploration of the links between theory and practice and facilitates the identification of new strategies for the enhancement of teaching and learning.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

16. Well-designed assignments and directed activities link theory to school-based experience very well. These are followed up by good quality feedback which provides useful guidance to the next steps needed to be taken by trainees to improve further. The assessment is rigorous of trainees’ progress against the QTS standards and of their subject knowledge and their teaching of mathematics and English, including early reading and phonics. Additional time for subject leaders has been focused towards assessing and tracking the quality of trainees’ teaching, identifying trends in attainment against groups of standards and in providing intervention in groups and in individual support sessions where necessary. This well-considered approach is instrumental in ensuring that trainees make rapid progress. The inclusion of an enrichment placement on undergraduate courses and third year options facilitates deeper

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

learning and caters for individual needs and interests very well.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

17. The quality of school-based training and link-tutor support is generally good and sometimes excellent. Link tutors develop good relationships with schools and play a valuable role in supporting and building the capacity of school-based mentors through coaching and training. Feedback from lesson observations is regular and makes good use of sharp targets to focus trainees’ attention on learning, to evaluate improvements needed and to identify immediate next steps to achieve this. Feedback is less helpful in identifying longer-term targets to establish clearly what needs to be done over time to move practice from satisfactory to good, or from good to outstanding.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

18. High quality documentation supports school-based training and this is enhanced further by the contribution of school colleagues in its development; for example, in providing material to support subject-specific lesson observations. There are explicit expectations about weekly meetings with mentors, regular observations, including subject-specific observations, wider learning opportunities and directed activities, for example case studies relating to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Quality assurance systems are rigorous and generally effective. Where the link tutor and mentor judgements relating to trainees’ performance are consistent and shared systematically, the trainees make good progress. There are a few instances when mentors and link tutors disagree in their evaluations and where this happens it causes confusion and slows the progress of a minority of trainees. There is no explicit expectation that joint tutor, mentor and trainee meetings

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

will take place at key points during the placement but when these do happen they provide valuable opportunities for all parties to discuss and agree assessment and share expectations.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

19. University staff are generous with their time and are very accessible. The speed of response and quality of communication across the partnership is much valued by schools and trainees. Individualised support for trainees is excellent, for example, to enhance subject knowledge development in mathematics or in taking account of personal circumstances regarding placements. Staff know the trainees well, are alert to difficulties and act promptly and effectively to support individuals.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

20. Trainees benefit from good opportunities to work in a variety of contexts. As a result, they develop a good understanding of cultural, social and linguistic diversity as well as a range of individual needs and potential barriers to learning. This is supported very well by the initial module of the PGCE course which enables trainees to explore issues around diversity, inclusion and behaviour management that arise in complex, urban multicultural schools. They develop a good theoretical understanding of special educational needs and inclusion but do not consistently have the opportunity to apply this effectively in their practical teaching. There are some excellent examples of trainees using strategies to support pupils for whom English is an additional language but this is variable across the cohort. Undergraduates are less confident than PGCE trainees in their ability to teach learners from minority ethnic backgrounds,

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

21. The university’s aim of widening participation is reflected in the relatively high recruitment of trainees from non-traditional routes such as access courses and in the higher than average numbers of minority ethnic and older trainees. The recruitment of men into primary teaching is variable between the programmes but around the average for the sector overall. Male and minority ethnic trainees achieve similarly to others although trainees from these groups are more at risk of withdrawal or non-completion. In addition, men are less likely to take up places offered. The university has identified the issues but the factors underpinning these aspects are yet to be fully analysed to identify strategies to secure more consistent improvements.

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Grade: 2

22. The overall capacity for improvement is good. Senior leaders work well together with a shared understanding of what constitutes good teaching and effective provision. There are well-organised management structures and rigorous systems used to evaluate outcomes and provision. These involve a wide range of colleagues at strategic, subject and school levels. Previous analysis of weaknesses identified aspects in the training, for example in English, information and communication technology (ICT) and science, where improvements were required. As a result, specialist staff have been appointed, additional resources directed appropriately and there is good evidence of resulting improvements.

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Grade: 2

23. School partners are appropriately involved in sharing expertise and in evaluating and contributing to improvements in the provision. Quality assurance and moderation systems are enhanced by the link tutor role and the university is building good capacity in its partnership schools. This aspect has significantly improved since the last inspection. The university gathers and uses increasingly well-focused feedback from schools, trainees, tutors and external examiners to inform improvement planning. The analysis of this range of qualitative and quantitative data makes an effective contribution to the provider’s self-evaluation and actions taken lead to improvements. However, the systems are not fully embedded and the analysis is insufficiently probing in some aspects to provide evidence of sustained improvement across all areas of identified weakness.

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Grade: 2

24. The university nurtures its partnership with schools carefully and to good effect. It makes good use of the specialist expertise of school colleagues, for example in teaching early reading, phonics and in behaviour management, to enhance both centre- and school-based training across the provision. In other partnerships, the university is establishing arrangements with local authorities and NQTs in order to support education developments in the local area. The response to the Williams review of mathematics has been extensive and effective as is the university’s positive contribution to the teaching of French in primary schools. As a result of improvements in trainees’ understanding of, and confidence in, the teaching of mathematics, the university has introduced a popular specialist teacher of mathematics option for undergraduate trainees. This links well with the continuing professional development work for serving

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Grade: 2

specialist mathematics teachers already in place.

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Grade: 2

25. Action planning for improvement in mathematics and in early reading and phonics is practical and precise with measurable success criteria related to trainees’ outcomes and their ability to teach. This is another aspect which has improved significantly since the last inspection. Outcomes are assessed, provision adapted and the progress made provides secure evidence of positive impact. Feedback on the quality of trainees’ teaching is used very effectively to amend and improve provision during the course; for example, to support specific aspects such as attainment across groups of Standards, or to provide intervention to improve the progress of individual trainees.

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Grade: 2

26. Areas of previous weakness are being addressed, for example NQTs’ perceptions of how well their training equipped them to teach early reading and in the use of phonics in their lessons. Improvements in provision are raising current trainees’ confidence and ability in this aspect of their practice. Overall, the quality of action planning and implementation of actions to bring about further improvements are good. Nevertheless, this is not yet as consistently effective as it needs to be to raise standards even further. For example, differences in outcomes and in the perceptions of undergraduate and PGCE trainees have been identified and actions implemented are leading to improvements. However, there is still some work to do to identify fully the reasons underpinning these differences and in identifying effective action to address these differences securely in the longer term.

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Context

27. The university and its partnership provide training to teach in the 11 to 16 age range in: art and design, design and technology, ICT, mathematics, music, physical education and science (general science, biology, chemistry and physics). The training leads to a professional certificate in education with, currently, a minority of trainees opting into the masters-level postgraduate certificate. There is also an undergraduate route in design and technology leading to a BA. At the time of the inspection, there were 181 trainees on the secondary courses. The university works in partnership with a diverse range of schools and the provision is closely matched to meeting local needs.

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Key strengths

the outstanding recruitment and selection which secure trainees’ good progress and help to ensure that provision is well matched to meeting local needs

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Key strengths

the diversity of the cohort and the partnership and the way that these are used to prepare trainees for teaching a diverse range of learners

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Key strengths

the comparative achievement of all groups of trainees

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Key strengths

the breadth, rigour and precision of the analysis of data about the outcomes for trainees

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Key strengths

the use of this analysis in planning and taking actions to secure further improvements in the outcomes for trainees

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Key strengths

the approach to encouraging innovation and creativity that are realised in trainees’ teaching

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Key strengths

trainees’ ability to be critically reflective to improve their teaching

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Key strengths

the quality of personal support for trainees which leads to improvements in retention and in trainees’ attainment.

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Recommendations

29. In order to improve further the trainees’ progress and attainment, the provider should: show mentors how to provide more focused support for trainees to help them transfer their understanding developed in the university-based training to their teaching improve the quality of feedback and developmental target setting for trainees consider arrangements for the first school placement to ensure more rapid progress for trainees in the first phase of the course.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

30. The provider meets its recruitment targets and retention and successful completion rates are high. All trainees make progress throughout the course, and most attain at a good level. The proportion of trainees going on to secure employment is higher than the national average and recent research shows that a higher than average proportion are still teaching after three years.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

31. The provider’s assessment of trainees is accurate; university tutors make detailed and accurate evaluations of each trainee’s balance of strengths and areas for development. Overall attainment is securely good and has been consistently at this level for the past three years. However, over the three-year period, there has been a steady improvement in the proportion of outstanding trainees, testament to the provider’s focus on moving trainees from being good to outstanding. There has also been a marked reduction in the proportion of trainees who are satisfactory at the end of the training and more of them are now good or better. These improvements are consistent for all subjects and for all groups of trainees. Particularly notable are the significant improvements in the attainment of minority ethnic trainees, male trainees and trainees in the over-35 age group. There are no discernable differences in the attainment of

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

any groups. These improvements in attainment stem directly from the high quality of the provider’s analysis of data; as a result, they are sustainable and all indications are that the current cohort will maintain these improved levels of attainment at the end of the course.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

32. Trainees’ attainment is also analysed very carefully within clusters of the Standards for QTS; again, this analysis is undertaken for each subject and for all groups of trainees, overall and within the subjects. This enables the provider to identify those aspects of the programme that are working well and those requiring some attention. It also enables the provider to give highly focused support to trainees and to school-based mentors. However, some of this is still being implemented and is yet to have full impact on improving all the progress of all trainees.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

33. The provider makes excellent use of the diversity within the secondary cohort of trainees and within the partnership to ensure that trainees are extremely well prepared to teach a diverse range of learners. Trainees have a well- developed understanding of the relationship between the way they teach and the behaviour of their students. As a result, they form good working relationships with their classes and in their lessons behaviour is good and often very good. They also have a very good understanding of the complexities of teaching students with a wide range of special educational needs and/or disabilities; they know where to find specialist help and the questions to ask to support learning. While trainees have a good understanding of the difference between learning objectives (what they will teach) and expected learning outcomes (what students will learn) their ability to apply this to their planning

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

for the different groups of learners in their classes is often dependent on the support they receive from their mentors. This support is too variable in quality and sometimes lacks focus on the impact of trainees’ teaching on the learning of the students. All trainees reflect critically to improve their practice; this is a notable strength of many of them. Many trainees show creativity in their teaching and a willingness to take risks; this is promoted and supported well by the university tutors and by some mentors in partnership schools.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

34. Trainees have a secure understanding of how to teach their specialist subject. Their subject knowledge is developed well, with a strong focus on its application to teaching. In some subjects there is good progression from subject knowledge enhancement courses and, in others, from undergraduate programmes in the university. Trainees are generally supported well by mentors who give extensive practical feedback and guidance. They have access to good quality resources and, in many subjects, to the very good links the university has with other relevant organisations and institutions. Most trainees can explain why particular approaches to teaching work well, but their depth of understanding of subject pedagogy is variable and dependent on mentors supporting them in building on university-based training.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

35. Recruitment and selection are outstanding. There have been significant improvements in recruitment in recent years. The provider is now able to recruit from a good range of applicants, even in shortage subjects such as mathematics, design and technology, and science. The cohort has a good balance of both male and female trainees and the recruitment of trainees from minority ethnic backgrounds is well above both national and London averages. The university also recruits trainees from a wide age range. This all reflects the university’s aim of widening participation and provides excellent opportunities for potential teachers from a wide range of backgrounds to enter the profession and to meet the needs of local schools.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

36. There have also been significant improvements in retention and successful completion rates for all subjects and for all groups of trainees; in all cases these are at least in line with, and often above, national and London averages. All cases of non-completion are fully investigated to see if any improvements can be made to selection procedures, the training or the support given to individual and groups of trainees. A recent longitudinal survey shows that at least 85% of trainees are still in teaching after three years; again, well above national and London averages.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

37. All trainees make progress throughout the course but a small minority do not make as much progress as they could. For these trainees, the key issue is often that mentors do not effectively support trainees in applying lessons from the consistently good, and often excellent, central training to their own practice. University-based subject training has a relentless focus on how and why approaches to teaching in the subject support learning but this is not evident in all school-based training. Despite the use of an excellent set of formative and summative criteria for monitoring progress, the quality of lesson observation feedback and target setting given by mentors – for lessons, weekly and at review points – is too widely variable. Feedback is not always sharply focused enough on the specific developmental needs of individual trainees or does not set high enough levels of challenge. At times there are too many

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

tasks to complete rather than targets to achieve. In some instances, the targets are not progressive and it is difficult to know if, when, why and how they have been achieved. There are strengths in the university-based professional studies, but in schools this is not consistently matched well to the particular developmental needs of individual trainees.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

38. The autumn term and the first school placement provide a well-managed introduction to teaching. However, for some trainees, progress through this phase of the course is not as rapid as it could be. While the end of the first school placement provides a very useful benchmark, this is a little too late to establish individual expectations to be used for monitoring future progress.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

39. University tutors and school-based trainers give extremely high quality support for the personal well-being of trainees. Enormous sensitivity is shown in the way individual cases are handled and the actions that are taken. Great care is taken with school placements to ensure that both the professional and personal needs of trainees are extremely well catered for.

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Grade: 1

40. The provider has outstanding capacity to sustain the improvements that have been made and to secure further improvement. Over a period of at least three years, there has been a significant trend of improvement in recruitment and in all of the outcomes for trainees: retention, successful completion and the attainment of all groups. There has been marked improvement in the attainment of some groups.

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Grade: 1

41. Programme and subject review and self-evaluation are outstanding. The improvements in outcomes are rooted in the rigour, precision and level of detail in the analysis of all, and especially attainment, data: for the whole cohort, by subject, by gender, ethnicity and age and within each cluster group of QTS standards. This extremely high quality analysis leads to sharp identification of what is working well and what needs to be improved, to clear actions and to the effectiveness of these as monitored through the impact on the outcomes for trainees. The depth and quality of the analysis mean that the attainment of even the smallest group of trainees within specific groups of QTS standards can be evaluated, the causes of underachievement identified and actions planned and implemented to improve the outcomes further.

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Grade: 1

42. Improvement planning clearly arises from the sharp and comprehensive analysis of data. Priorities are defined in terms of the analysis of outcomes for trainees, and clear monitoring and success criteria are defined in the context of the expected improvements in these outcomes. The provider also takes careful account of external evaluations, such as the Training and Development Agency survey of NQTs and reports from external examiners.

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Grade: 1

43. The leadership and management of the secondary programme, at all levels, have the capacity to secure further improvement and organisational structures support this well. Programme leaders have absolute clarity about the priorities for improvement as well as how to build on the current good practice and successes. Within the university, there is strong collegiality and a common sense of purpose in driving forward improvements. There is clear coherence between subject improvement plans and the overall programme plan. Many schools, but not all, are also clear about these priorities and about their role in helping to secure further improvement.

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Grade: 1

44. Alongside the highly effective quantitative approach to improvement planning, there is an equally important and comprehensive more personal approach. University tutors, and many school-based trainers, know the trainees well and involve them in ongoing discussions about the course. Similarly, tutors hold frequent formal and informal discussions with school-based staff and with the many former trainees within the partnership. This means that the actions planned and taken are highly sensitive to the circumstances and needs of trainees and schools. Improvement planning also takes full account of the university’s broader mission, particularly in widening participation and in meeting the needs of schools in the locality. It is clear that the success in providing opportunities for a wide range of trainees, often with non-traditional starting points, is deeply embedded and will be further developed. This is to be

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Grade: 1

45. The provider also responds well to external changes; for example, all subject programmes are fully up to date with current developments. The outward- looking nature of the university and the developing partnerships with other institutions support this well. The provider is also extremely well tuned into changes taking place in ITE and is positioning itself well to meet the challenges presented. As with many providers, variation in the quality of school-based training is a long-standing and difficult problem, exacerbated by the frequent and extensive staff changes in many partnership schools. The provider is building on the approaches used in some subjects and pilot studies to develop an extremely innovative approach to developing the partnership; this is deeply rooted in a clear understanding of what makes highly effective partnerships. This is securing the foundations to enable the provider to continue to make

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Grade: 1

highly effective use of the outstanding practice that already exists and to improve the quality of training where required, while making creative and flexible use of the diversity within the partnership matched very closely to the needs of trainees.

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Context

46. The university’s department of professional learning and development (PLD) offers training for teachers in the further education system and is one of four departments within the School of Education. Provision is offered as: a full-time, one-year pre-service mode at the university; a part-time in-service mode, with trainees working in further education, adult or community education or work- based learning and attending on one day or evening per week for two years; or a flexible in-service mode, where trainees working in a range of providers across the country attend compulsory induction and registration days and optional study days, and receive support from regionally dispersed tutors. The university approved network of 22 partner colleges across the country offers a mixture of the part-time in-service and flexible modes of attendance.

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Context

47. Colleges are organised into five clusters, each with a university link tutor to support provision, with provision overseen by a network coordinator. Frequent network events focus on sharing information and evaluating practice as well as quality assurance. The programmes offer a range of initial teacher training awards at Levels 4, 5 and 6: Level 4 - Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS); Level 5 - Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (CTLLS); Level 6 - PGCE: Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS); Level 5 - PCE: Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS); Level 5 - Additional Diploma offered in a ‘concurrent’ route in Literacy, Numeracy or English for speakers of other languages, providing a route to qualification in both the ‘generic’ DTLLS plus Level 5 specialist Diploma in one of the Skills for Life subjects. Graduates complete a

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Context

Level 6 Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and non- graduates complete a Level 5 Professional Certificate in Education (PCE).

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Context

48. There are over 930 trainees following university-validated courses across the partnership. The full-time pre-service mode at the university has around 100 trainees; approximately 70 trainees are registered for the part-time mode, and 300 for the flexible mode.

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Key strengths

49. The key strengths are:  the rigorous recruitment and selection which contribute to trainees’ good retention on university courses

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Key strengths

 good subject support which enables trainees to make good progress

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Key strengths

 effective training and assessment which result in trainees’ development of good skills in reflecting on the impact of their teaching on their own students’ learning

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Key strengths

 trainees’ well-planned lessons which take into account their students’ differing abilities and individual learning needs

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Key strengths

 good tutorial support for trainees on flexible and distance-learning programmes

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Key strengths

 effective measures to improve provision and trainees’ outcomes since the previous inspection.

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Required actions

50. In order to improve further trainees’ progress and attainment the provider must:

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Required actions

 secure further consistency in mentors’ evaluation of trainees’ performance through mandatory training and rigorous application of quality assurance arrangements

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Required actions

 further improve trainees’ and mentors’ practice in setting targets for improvement so that all trainees have clear, precise, challenging and time-bound targets

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Required actions

 improve the accuracy and use of data in network centres in order to promote greater consistency in the effectiveness of centre-level reviews and the systematic engagement of all colleges in programme development.

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Recommendations

51. In order to improve further the quality of provision, the provider should:  improve trainees’ access to, and the quality of, the virtual learning environment

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Recommendations

 assist network partners in the development of strategies to increase the participation of under-represented groups in teacher education in colleges

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Recommendations

 enhance trainees’ understanding of the wider lifelong learning sector, and the career and progression opportunities available beyond the more traditional further education settings  develop further the successful link tutor role so that good practice is shared uniformly across the partnership.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

52. The overall effectiveness of the provider in securing high quality outcomes for trainees is good.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

53. Trainees’ progress, attainment and completion rates have all improved across the period since the previous inspection. Progress in these aspects is now good overall. Trainees join the programme with a very wide range of backgrounds, entry qualifications and experience. On part-time and flexible routes at the university, trainees’ progress is particularly good. Across the provision, many trainees make rapid progress from different starting points and quickly develop confidence and a range of professional skills that prepare them well for their teaching. Attainment is good overall and predicted attainment for the current year shows a similar level of outcome.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

54. The large majority of trainees successfully complete the course. In 2009/10, 86% of trainees completed their courses, an increase of around 10% on the previous year. There was little variation in completion rates across university or network provision in 2009/10, with 86% of network trainees, and 87% of those on university courses completing successfully. If trainees do not complete in the expected period of study, they are supported to complete successfully the next year. Retention has been very good across the past three years with little variation between modes or centres and there are further improvements in the current cohort.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

55. Trainees develop good reflective and subject-based skills. They employ these successfully to engage their own students in learning. They are confident in the use of ICT and other specialist technologies particular to their subject areas. Trainees have a good awareness of the learning needs of their students and demonstrate this in planning their lessons. Some lesson plans and schemes of work showed a sophisticated consideration of individual needs and trainees were able to talk with confidence about the ways in which they plan to engage students in learning. Across the provision, trainees have a good understanding of assessment and use a wide range of methods to monitor progress and motivate students. Their skills in setting clearly defined learning targets for their students are not as consistently well developed, with some trainees reproducing the vagueness of targets found in their own professional

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

development records (PDRs). The university has identified this area for improvement.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

56. Rigorous selection and recruitment processes support the good retention and success rates across provision. Trainees value the range of information they receive about the training and the options available, and they appreciate the time spent with tutors during interview and enrolment processes. Interview and selection procedures are comprehensive, with clear criteria for selection applied across the network and in the university. Trainees from an exceptionally wide range of professional backgrounds are recruited for the flexible and part-time modes, with good consideration of their needs and abilities which helps them to achieve good outcomes. In network centres, initial assessment arrangements to identify literacy, numeracy or language needs are providing tutors with an adequate diagnostic tool, but some trainees are not given sufficiently clear instructions on their use or how to access the outcomes

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

57. Training and assessment are good overall. They make a strong contribution to the development of trainees’ teaching skills and good reflective practice to bring about further improvement. Although trainees in the same cohort are often drawn from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, training is well matched to individual and whole group needs. Trainees speak of highly enjoyable provision and of the gains they have made as a result of their courses. Typically, they find their courses challenging, relevant and rewarding. Trainees from university and network settings frequently comment on the positive ways that training prepares them to meet the needs of their students and builds their confidence in managing classrooms and other training environments.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

58. The highly qualified and skilled university team is valued by trainees for its experienced practitioners, good support and effective tutoring. Most feedback on written assignments is clear, constructive and identifies strategies for further improvement. Although the trainees’ professional development records provide a useful tool for reflection and the recording of progress, not all tutors and trainees use the section devoted to target setting consistently well. In the most striking cases, targets lack clarity and incisiveness, and fail to stretch and challenge trainees to improve within clear and achievable timescales.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

59. Trainees receive very high levels of personal and subject support from their mentors, and most are able to identify ways in which mentor guidance has helped shape and improve their professional practice within their subject area. Trainees value the frequent discussions they have with mentors, and feel very well supported by more experienced subject-specialist colleagues. Links between tutors and mentors are generally productive and also help to improve trainees’ experience. However, at some centres, written feedback following mentor observations lacks specificity on ways for trainees to improve further; written comment often fails to capture the clear points for improvement that mentors provide with greater consistency in oral feedback. Guidance for mentors is good, with clear handbooks and a range of supplementary materials available. Mentors generally feel well briefed and supported by university

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

colleagues. However, across the network there is insufficient monitoring of the take-up of mentor training. Some mentors choose to attend training events held at their college or at the university, while others undertake online training, but a few undertake no training. Consequently, there is need to strengthen this aspect of the quality assurance of the provision to address some aspects of weaker mentor practice. 60. Resources for learning are good and contribute effectively to improving trainees’ outcomes. Classrooms and other teaching spaces at the university are generally well equipped and maintained, allowing trainees to experiment and develop good skills for supporting learning. The university library provides a very good, well stocked and efficiently managed learning resource. In network centres, while physical resources vary from very good new-build facilities to older buildings and equipment, all offer trainees at least satisfactory areas to

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

develop their skills. Trainers provide very good resources, especially on part- time and flexible routes. Handbooks, CD-based materials and guidance documents are generally good, and are valued and well used. All trainees have access to the university virtual learning environment (VLE), but most trainees prefer to make use of their own college or institutional networks. In general, the VLE does not serve trainees’ needs well, and sometimes provides slow or partial access to the many useful online resources.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

61. Promotion of equality and diversity is good overall, though satisfactory in some network settings with small numbers of trainees. The university training team has a good understanding of the performance of identifiable groups, and a good range of reliable data upon which to base judgements. Action taken to deal with performance gaps between groups has been largely successful, though success and completion rates for minority ethnic trainees at a small number of network centres are still slightly below those of other groups. The variety of attendance and study modes offers good access to provision for mature trainees and for those seeking a second or new career in teaching. In network provision, around 40% of current trainees are aged over 40. Flexible and part-time attendance modes also promote opportunities for those who may otherwise be unable to undertake training because of domestic or other personal commitments. Trainers, mentors and tutors effectively model good

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

practice in their approaches to equality and diversity in the classroom. The majority of trainees have a good knowledge of equalities legislation, and all have at least a satisfactory understanding of rights and responsibilities with regard to equality and diversity. However, this awareness is not always translated into best classroom practice to broaden trainees’ own students’ understanding of diversity in their vocational or professional areas.

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Grade: 2

62. The provider has good capacity to sustain high quality outcomes for trainees, where these already exist, and to take the actions required to secure further improvements where necessary. Since the previous inspection, the university has established a good track record of continuous improvement. In every area and mode of study, effective steps have been taken to improve provision and access. Attainment, success and progress have all shown a steady improvement over the past three years. 63. Managers and course leaders have worked successfully to restructure provision to secure high quality outcomes for trainees. The refocusing of management roles has led to greater clarity in quality improvement systems and self- assessment pathways. Course leaders are visible and maintain very good contact with tutors, staff and managers at partner institutions. Communication within the network is good, and all partners are involved in development work

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Grade: 2

64. The self-evaluation document (SED) is accurate and self-critical, and provides managers and network colleagues with a good base upon which to plan for improvement. Each network partner now provides a good quality, detailed annual programme monitoring report which contributes to the formation of judgements in the overall SED. All partners recognise their provision and the priorities for improvement in the SED. Most training teams at partner colleges have a clear idea of the areas for improvement in their provision. Across the partnership network, there is a shared understanding of the focus on continuous improvement of outcomes and training quality.

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Grade: 2

65. The university team makes good use of comprehensive data to identify areas of strength and areas for improvement, but there are some network settings where data are used less successfully. In a very small number of colleges, training teams do not have easy access to reliable performance data, and do not routinely use data to monitor the quality of provision.

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Grade: 2

66. Good use is made of trainees’ evaluations of the provision overall. Trainees’ comments and views are carefully analysed and action taken as a result. For example, significant changes were made to assessment schemes and structures following feedback from trainees. However, full evaluations of trainees’ views are only conducted towards the end of the programme each year, and this results in a loss of valuable early feedback to improve provision at this stage.

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Grade: 2

67. The provider anticipates change well and responds effectively to national initiatives. The well-informed management team at the university makes good use of network events and collaborative research projects to inform partners about national and sector-wide developments. Over the past three years several productive research projects have been undertaken with network centres and other partners. The outcomes have encouraged college teams to challenge their own practice, seek new ways of working and shift provision in positive directions.

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Grade: 2

68. The introduction of cluster and link tutor roles enables the university team to monitor quality more effectively and to communicate more effectively with partners. Network centres value the link tutors and identify ways in which the role has helped bring about improvements in provision at their institution. While the link tutor role does provide a focus for improvement and review of practice, there is still insufficient sharing of good practice between and across partner institutions. The university has acknowledged this area for improvement with plans to prioritise the sharing of good practice through link tutor and cluster group events. 69. Some early planning has been carried out by the university to deal with what appears to be the shifting demographic of trainees away from more traditional further education settings. However, there is currently insufficient information available to inform trainees about career opportunities in the wider lifelong

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Grade: 2

learning settings, so that they may more easily find paid employment or broaden their teaching experience. Trainees from non-traditional further education providers and trainees from a few minority specialist areas currently lack support for networking and subject-specific communication with others in a similar situation.

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Grade: 2

70. Measures to review and improve provision are effective within the university and across the network. Leaders at all levels have a very good understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the provision. Effective partnership agreements allow the university team to identify and work with those who need support. Where there are performance gaps between network colleges, managers have a good understanding of what aspects of training need attention. Plans are in place to support the few partners whose progress has been less consistent since the previous inspection. Data collection across the school has improved significantly and analysis has resulted in better data ownership and accuracy within the university and across most of the partnership.

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Annex: Partnership colleges and services

The partnership network includes the following colleges:

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Annex: Partnership colleges and services

Bexley College Bracknell And Wokingham College Brockenhurst College Bromley College Brooklands College Canterbury College Couldson College Guildford College Havering College Hertford Regional College Itchen College Kingston College North West Kent College Penwith College Peter Symonds College Reigate College St Vincent College Totton College Uxbridge College West Herts College K College Wiltshire College

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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 2

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Overall effectiveness

Trainees’ attainment How well do trainees attain? 2 2 2 Factors contributing to trainees’ attainment To what extent do recruitment / selection arrangements support high quality outcomes? 2 1 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 2

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Overall effectiveness

To what extent are available resources used effectively and efficiently? 2 2 2 The quality of the provision To what extent is the provision across the partnership of consistently high quality? 2 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 1 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 1 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 1 2 How well does the leadership at all levels anticipate change, and prepare for and respond to national and local initiatives? 2 1 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 1 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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