University of East Anglia

Initial Teacher Education inspection report

Provider address Partnership Office (Validated Provision) Elizabeth Fry Building University of East Anglia Norwich Research Park Norwich NR4 7TJ

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Initial Teacher Education inspection report

Unique reference number Inspection number Inspection dates Lead inspector 26–30 March 2012 Alan Winchcombe 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 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different forma t, 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

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Initial Teacher Education inspection report

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 East Anglia (UEA) offers a range of a well-established initial teacher education programmes. This inspection covers only the provision for those training to teach in further education and training.

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The provider

4. The University works in partnership with one further education college to provide part-time, two year in-service training programmes for teachers and trainers across the further education sector. Courses validated by UEA lead to the Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS). The courses meet the statutory requirements and are endorsed by Standards Verification UK. At the time of inspection, 51 trainees were following the in-service route, of whom 10% were from minority ethnic backgrounds and 54% were female.

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Key strengths

5. The key strengths are:  the accurate and rigorous identification of areas for improvement to the training programme, which provides a secure basis for raising the quality of trainees’ experience  the high quality of resources, and especially information and communication technology (ICT) resources, which support trainees’ developing skills to use resources efficiently and effectively to support teaching and learning  the strong support in the workplace which helps trainees to develop their subject specialist teaching skills  the drive and commitment of the teacher training team to secure further improvement in the programme and raise achievement.

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Required actions

6. In order to improve training and assessment, the provider must:  develop the consistency and cohesiveness of the different elements of the programme, including the quality of target-setting and the consistent use of electronic individual learning plans (e-ILPs) so that all trainees are enabled to reach their full potential.

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Required actions

7. In order to improve its capacity to improve, the provider must:  increase the pace of implementation of action plans in areas identified through self-assessment so that all trainees benefit from a high-quality experience.

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Recommendations

8. In order to improve trainees’ progress and attainment, the provider should:  extend trainees’ understanding of the nature and demands of teaching in different contexts in FE settings  develop trainees’ ability to promote equality and diversity actively in their lessons  develop the potential of the virtual learning environment (VLE) in order to create greater opportunities for trainee interaction and networking  extend the tracking and monitoring of trainees’ destinations and their progress towards Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

9. The overall effectiveness of the provider in securing high quality outcomes for trainees is satisfactory. Tutors know their trainees well and have an accurate view of their achievement. Success rates have improved since the previous inspection. Retention and success rates show a clear trend of improvement over the last three years, and success rates are now high. The large majority of the trainees successfully complete the programme and there is no significant variation in success rates between groups.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

10. Trainees develop good reflective and practical teaching skills which they employ well in their teaching to engage learners. In particular, they demonstrate good subject knowledge and develop good skills in teaching their subject area. Trainees understand and apply the principles of learning and teaching very well and are very aware of their own areas for development. They are confident in trying out new approaches which motivate learners and make their subject more relevant. Trainees develop sensitivity to individual learners’ needs and demonstrate this in their planning and delivery of sessions. They develop a good understanding of assessment, although a few trainees do not check individual learning sufficiently during sessions to be certain that all learners have made progress.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

11. Recruitment and selection arrangements are satisfactory. Individual and group interview procedures are comprehensive and well structured. Applicants receive clear information about the accreditation of prior learning. Since the previous inspection, the provider has taken additional steps to ensure that all trainees meet the minimum level of skills required in literacy and numeracy, as well as subject specialist expertise, to achieve well. Individual trainees’ strengths and areas for development in literacy and numeracy are clearly identified at selection through initial assessment and a diagnostic test. However, the results of this process are not always used effectively to establish detailed individual learning plans. Well-established procedures allow different entry points to the programme for trainees with prior accreditation.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

12. Training and assessment are satisfactory overall. The teacher training team is skilful, well qualified and very experienced in the FE sector. Trainers use resources effectively and routinely model good practice in their sessions. In particular, they link theory very effectively with practice through frequent reference to and discussion of trainees’ own teaching situations. Trainers provide good pastoral and academic support. Trainees receive constructive, accurate and encouraging feedback on their written assignments with detailed suggestions for improvement. They support each other well and value the opportunities on the programme to share experience and learn from each other. Trainees also receive high levels of informal workplace support. Mentors and workplace colleagues are committed to guiding and advising trainees in their subject teaching. Trainees value and learn from the frequent opportunities

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

to observe their mentors and colleagues teaching their specialist subjects to a wide range of learners. 13. The tracking and recording of individual trainees’ progress has improved since the last inspection but it is not yet sufficiently consistent. Although mentors agree well-defined targets for improvement with their trainees, these targets are not always recorded sufficiently clearly by mentors to enable tutors to track trainees’ progress effectively. Targets set by tutors are not always shared with mentors prior to observations. In the best cases, the increasing use of an e-ILP produces a clear holistic record of trainees’ feedback, progress and targets but the use of this system is not yet fully in place.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

14. Trainees increase their broad understanding of the nature of the lifelong learning sector effectively, and gain good awareness of current issues. However, not all trainees gain sufficient experience of learners and the teaching demands in other FE settings, and too few trainees observe peers outside of their own subject specialist area.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

15. Since the previous inspection, resources for learning have been further improved and are good. Trainees benefit from a good range of high-quality resources which contribute very effectively to improving their outcomes. A key feature is the user friendliness and accessibility of these resources. Classrooms are very well equipped and trainers and trainees make very effective use of information and communication technology in their teaching. Trainees have good access to an extensive range of current paper-based and electronic resources at the partner college and the university which they use to very good effect for research and in developing their understanding of theory and practice. Since the previous inspection, the learning resource centre at the partner college has been redeveloped to provide better study facilities for trainees. The VLE has also been improved and is extremely well organised with

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

specific course based resources and clear electronic links which direct trainees to carefully selected additional external resources. However, the provider recognises that the interactive use of the VLE by trainees and tutors is underdeveloped, for example in relation to establishing online trainee forums.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

16. The quality of provision is satisfactory. On-going improvements to trainees’ progress, achievements and outcomes are apparent. The recently extended teaching team shows high levels of commitment to introducing improvements which ensure that trainees make good progress and attain well. Selection is more rigorous, and all mentors have received satisfactory training. Learning resources have been further improved by, for example, the redesign of the learning resource centre. Overarching procedures for the review of provision across the partnership are robust. However, the detailed monitoring of the quality of the different elements of the programme, for example the clear recording of targets, the consistent use of e-ILPs and the breadth of trainees’ experience of the different FE settings, are underdeveloped.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

17. The promotion of equality and diversity is satisfactory. The provider closely evaluates data relating to the selection of trainees, and to their progress and outcomes. The proportion of trainees from minority ethnic backgrounds closely reflects the regional population, and there is no significant difference in the outcomes or attainment of different groups of trainees. Trainees feel respected and fairly treated, and able to raise any concerns with their tutors. They have a clear understanding of inclusive learning, and gain an increased awareness of how to relate to learners with a wide range of learning needs and abilities. Trainees also develop a good awareness of equality and diversity, but their not all know how to promote equality and diversity fully in their teaching. In one better session observed, a trainee actively promoted understanding of equality and diversity through clear reference to the dietary requirements associated

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 3

with different religious beliefs. However, most trainees do not plan sufficiently to create relevant opportunities to promote equality and diversity within learners’ vocational areas and trainees miss naturally occurring opportunities to do so.

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Grade: 3

18. The provider has satisfactory capacity to take the actions required to secure improvements where necessary. This is demonstrated in the progress made in areas such as recruitment and selection, and the retention, progress and success of trainees. Trainers and managers are closely involved in the self- assessment process and are committed to improving provision. Actions have been taken since the last inspection to bring about greater consistency of trainees’ experience across the programme through increased monitoring of mentor arrangements and the introduction of the e-ILP to bring greater coherence to the tracking trainees’ progress. However these improved arrangements are not yet fully in place and it is too early to measure their impact.

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Grade: 3

19. The current self-evaluation document (SED) is very accurate and self-critical. On-going review by managers, external examiners and consultants has resulted in particularly close scrutiny of the programme and has led to detailed action plans with well-defined targets for improvement. These targets are closely and frequently monitored by the partner college and through the provider’s established quality systems, including the very effective annual monitoring review. Feedback from trainee module evaluations and trainee surveys is also used routinely to inform changes to the programme. The teaching team is very committed to improving the programme and to building stronger links between tutors, mentors and trainees so that trainees achieve their full potential. The tracking of trainees’ progress on completion of their programme is satisfactory but the progress of those trainees external to the partner college is not always

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Grade: 3

recorded. The tracking of trainees’ progress towards QTLS is also underdeveloped. In contrast, the progress in the careers of those trainees from within the partner college who have completed the programme is closely monitored. One particular feature is the careful tracking of the teaching performance of successful trainees in the partner college, relative to other teachers in the partner college, in order to demonstrate the positive impact of the DTLLS programme. 20. The provider anticipates change well, responds effectively to national and local initiatives and monitors the national external environment at strategic level extremely closely. It has contributed frequently to collaborative regional developments and initiatives focused on the development of teaching within FE. For example, for the last three years the provider has organised a successful annual conference which has brought together teachers, trainers

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Grade: 3

and external experts to share best practice and to extend awareness of key developments in the FE sector. Tutors at the partner college keep themselves up to date with current initiatives in further education and communicate these effectively to trainees. Since the previous inspection, the provider and its partner college have jointly completed a detailed review of the sustainability of the programme in the light of revised funding arrangements for higher education. The outcome of this review is that the present partnership agreement relating to FE teacher training programmes is being terminated at the end of this academic year. The provider and its partner college are taking steps to ensure a smooth transition to alternative arrangements for the provision of FE teacher training programmes. It is too soon to judge the impact of these steps on provision for trainees.

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Grade: 3

21. The effectiveness of the partnership in planning and taking action for improvement is satisfactory. Leaders at all levels have a very clear understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the provision and have taken measures to bring about improvement. Since the previous inspection, the provider has introduced changes to the programme, leading to improved recruitment and selection, higher rates of retention of trainees, a steady trend of improving success rates for trainees and good trainee progress. Existing action plans to bring about greater consistency in the programme have been continuously refined. At the same time, local factors including staffing changes in the previous year have limited the pace at which some of the planned developments have been introduced across the programme. These planned changes to the programme are now being introduced more quickly but the full impact of these improvements on trainees’ attainments is not yet

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Annex: Partnership College

The partnership includes the following college:  City College Norwich

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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? Trainees’ attainment How well do trainees attain?

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Overall effectiveness

Factors contributing to trainees’ attainment To what extent do recruitment / selection arrangements support high quality outcomes? To what extent does the training and assessment ensure that all trainees progress to fulfil their potential given their ability and starting points? To what extent are available resources used effectively and efficiently? The quality of the provision To what extent is the provision across the partnership of consistently high quality? Promoting equalities and diversity To what extent does the provision promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and eliminate harassment and unlawful discrimination?

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

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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 July 2008; Reference no: 080128. set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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