University of St Mark and St John ITE Partnership

May 2013 This inspection was carried out by six of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and two additional inspectors in accordance with the ITE Inspection Handbook. This handbook sets out the statutory basis and framework for initial teacher education (ITE) inspections in England from January 2013.

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The inspection draws upon evidence from each phase and separate programme within the ITE partnership to make judgements against all parts of the evaluation schedule. Inspectors focused on the overall effectiveness of the ITE partnership in securing high-quality outcomes for trainees.

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Inspection judgements

Key to judgements: Grade 1 is outstanding; grade 2 is good; grade 3 is requires improvement; grade 4 is inadequate

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Inspection judgements

Primary QTS Secondary QTS Employment -based routes

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Inspection judgements

Overall effectiveness How well does the partnership secure consistently high quality outcomes for trainees? 3 3 2

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Inspection judgements

The outcomes for trainees 3 3 2 The quality of training across the partnership 3 3 2 The quality of leadership and management across the partnership 3 3 2 University of St Mark and St John ITE Partnership Initial Teacher Education inspection report Inspection Dates 13–16 May 2013 May 2013 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school

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Inspection judgements

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. 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 May 2013

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Key findings

 Trainees possess high levels of professionalism and are highly reflective in developing their knowledge and skills to become good teachers.  Trainees receive good training in learning to teach students with special educational needs and they became competent and confident practitioners in meeting the differing needs of these students.  The partnership uses its networks locally, nationally and internationally to provide trainees with enrichment visits and contrasting school placements to support their knowledge and experience of teaching in different contexts.

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To improve the ITE partnership should:

 Ensure that the whole partnership is involved in using data to monitor, evaluate and support rigorous quality assurance processes in all partner schools, improving outcomes for all trainees.

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Information about this ITE partnership

 The University of St Mark and St John works in partnership with a wide range of schools in providing initial teacher education (ITE) courses for the primary age range, a range of subjects for the secondary age range and employment-based routes for primary and secondary training. Courses are full time and include three-year undergraduate programmes and a one- year postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE). All training courses lead to the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). PGCE trainees can also acquire Master’s level credits during their training.  At the time of the inspection there was a total of 629 trainees studying on the different programmes.  Most secondary PGCE courses are closing. From September 2013 the university will offer the PGCE route for PE and MFL and the BEd course for PE. May 2013

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Information about the primary partnership

 The university provides initial teacher training through a one-year postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) and through a three-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree. Trainees are assessed against the professional standards for teachers (the Teachers’ Standards). At the end of the course, successful trainees gain qualified teacher status (QTS). Unsuccessful trainees on the BEd course, when they complete, generally gain a BA degree but without QTS.  At the time of the inspection there were 104 PGCE trainees, most of whom specialised teaching in the 5–11 age range, with a number opting to specialise in the 3–8 age range. A few trainees each year specialise in teaching modern foreign languages (MFL). There were 350 trainees on the BEd course; around 40 specialised in teaching in the early years, 3–8 age range. The remainder were training to teach pupils in the 5–11 age range.  The university works in partnership with approximately 450 schools in six

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Information about the primary partnership

different local authorities spread across the south west of England. The university also has partnerships with schools in London, with local special schools and with schools abroad within the Service Children’s Education (SCE) service.

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Information about the primary ITE inspection

 At the time of the inspection, the PGCE trainees and third-year trainees following the BEd early years specialism were on placement in schools. Other trainees were based at the university.  Inspectors visited nine primary schools. Inspectors observed six newly qualified teachers (NQTs) teach, three who gained QTS through the PGCE course and three from the BEd course. Inspectors observed 14 trainees teach and held discussions in school with four other trainees.  Inspectors observed seven centre-based training sessions. They also watched and evaluated feedback led by university tutors, class teachers and mentors following observations of teaching.  Inspectors gathered and took account of the views expressed by former and current trainees. They evaluated the responses to the annual national surveys of NQTs between 2010 and 2012 and the 245 responses to Ofsted’s online survey. Inspectors held longer discussions

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Information about the primary ITE inspection

with three groups of BEd trainees following the 5–11 course, including those that had a teaching placement in London or abroad. May 2013  Inspectors held discussions with headteachers and school staff. They also held discussions with mathematics, English and professional studies tutors, and with senior leaders.

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Inspection team

Allan Torr HMI Lead inspector Lorna Brackstone HMI Assistant lead inspector Alan Cross Additional inspector

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The key strengths of the primary partnership are:

 The consistently good training and high level of school involvement in BEd early years course that enables trainees to achieve well against the Teachers’ Standards and teach well.  Trainees’ confidence and competence in teaching phonics (letters and the sounds they make) as a result of training that ensures they have frequent opportunity to observe good practice, frequent practise in school, and opportunities to evaluate their teaching.  The ‘challenging stereotypes’ conferences that extend trainees’ knowledge and thinking about diversity and pupils from a range of backgrounds.  The positive impact on trainees’ breadth of knowledge about teaching from placements in special schools, in schools in London and in schools used by the SCE service.  Trainees’ knowledge and understanding of how to teach pupils who speak English as an additional language and those that have special educational needs.  Trainees’ professionalism, keenness to improve and openness to self-

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The partnership should:

 Reduce the proportion of trainees whose attainment is judged to be less than good by the end of the course.  Increase the proportion of trainees who complete the course and gain employment as teachers. May 2013  Improve the quality assurance of school-based training to make sure trainees receive consistently good advice about how to improve their teaching.  Improve the use of data to identify how well trainees teach, and how well they are achieving against the Teachers’ Standards.

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Inspection Judgements

The outcomes for trainees require improvement.

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Inspection Judgements

1. Trainee outcomes require improvement because completion rates are below the national average; employment rates are not yet consistently high and a minority of trainees do not exceed the minimum level of practice expected of teachers.

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Inspection Judgements

2. The proportion of trainees that complete the course and gain QTS compared to the number that started (completion rates) has been below the national average for the last three years. However, there are recent signs of improvement. For example, the number of trainees dropping out of the BEd course is falling. Fewer trainees fail, drop out or do not gain QTS on the PGCE course and the gap between PGCE and BEd completion rates is closing. Trainees studying the modern foreign language (MFL) specialism attain better against the Standards and their completion rates are higher.

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Inspection Judgements

3. The proportion of trainees gaining employment as teachers (employment rates) is not consistently high. In 2010, the rate was average, but this fell to below average in 2011 before rising again in 2012. Over the last two years, the employment rates of men have been higher than those of female trainees.

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Inspection Judgements

4. Trainees’ teaching requires improvement. Although most trainees’ and NQTs’ teaching is good and occasionally better, in a minority of lessons, teaching requires improvement or is inadequate. In the better lessons:  pupils are fully involved throughout the lesson in purposeful and challenging activities  all pupils make gains in their skills, knowledge, understanding and their thinking  all pupils are motivated, interested and keen to learn. In an art lesson with Year 4 pupils, the trainee’s teaching was highly effective because pupils made rapid progress in their understanding of shade, tone, brush strokes and still life painting.

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Inspection Judgements

5. In lessons that require improvement: May 2013  some pupils do not make enough progress because, for example, the activities are too easy or the trainees’ teaching does not extend their learning  trainees are too concerned with pupils completing the task or meeting the learning objective, rather than making advances in their knowledge and understanding  pupils’ low-level disruptive behaviour affects learning and hinders their progress.

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Inspection Judgements

6. Most trainees and NQTs have at least good understanding of how to teach phonics and early reading, literacy skills and writing. In one lesson, for example, Reception pupils sat mesmerised by exciting teaching using a range of very well-chosen resources, enabling them to make good progress in their understanding of story structure. Pupils were fully involved throughout the lesson using their phonic knowledge to write and spell words and sentences on individual whiteboards. Trainees’ perceptions of this aspect of their training have improved significantly in the last two years. In the online questionnaire, over 90% agreed they were confident in using phonics and promoting pupils’ literacy skills.

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Inspection Judgements

7. Although trainees are confident in teaching mathematics, the quality of their lessons is variable. Some trainees focus too much on pupils meeting the learning objective they have set, but do not always notice that pupils are finding the task too easy and are not making any progress. Some former and current trainees’ teaching, however, is good. In one example in a Year 3/4 class, pupils were effectively challenged. They were fully involved and active throughout the lesson, selecting methods to solve mathematical problems. The NQTs set work normally expected of secondary school pupils following a session at the university about how to challenge higher ability pupils.

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Inspection Judgements

8. Trainees’ knowledge and understanding of how to teach pupils who have special educational needs are good. The trainees know, for example, about how to cater for different types of learning difficulty and how to deploy adults so the teaching assistant does not always sit and work with lower-ability pupils. Trainees’ knowledge and understanding of how to teach pupils with different types of physical disability and severe special educational needs are less well developed.

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Inspection Judgements

9. Trainees’ knowledge and understanding about how to make effective use of assessment require improvement. In some lessons, trainees did not pick up well enough pupils’ level of understanding to be able to extend or build on their learning. Many trainees had limited experience or knowledge about national data, school data or information about the achievement of different groups of pupils. For example, they knew little about how to teach pupils who are supported by the pupil premium May 2013 (additional funding for pupils from forces families, those looked after by the local authority and those who receive free school meals). Trainees complete observations of groups of pupils to determine how well pupils meet the learning objective. A majority of trainees do this well and clearly assess pupils’ skills, understanding and what the pupils need to learn next. However, in too many cases, trainees write about how well

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Inspection Judgements

pupils are engaged in the lesson or how well they complete the task rather than whether they have learnt anything. This weaker practice is sometimes not identified quickly enough by tutors, mentors or class teachers to improve trainees’ work.

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Inspection Judgements

10. High expectations of professionalism alongside self-reflection and evaluation are the fibre of the university’s work. Centre- and school- based mentors model good practice, which is transferred to trainees. Many trainees volunteer to take after-school clubs and become fully involved in the life of the school. They are very keen to improve their practice and they respond very well to advice, direction, guidance and training. They evaluate their own teaching well and stronger trainees assess how well their work impacts on pupils’ learning.

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The quality of training across the partnership requires improvement

11. The training requires improvement because, by the end of the course, trainees’ teaching is not consistently good; some mentors do not pick up quickly enough on weaker aspects of trainees’ teaching and assessments of trainees’ teaching are sometimes too generous.

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The quality of training across the partnership requires improvement

12. Although NQTs between 2010 and 2012 judged the quality of their training to be below average compared with other partnerships, in the online Ofsted survey the overwhelming majority of trainees agreed the training would help them to become a good or better teacher. There are clear strengths in the training; for example, the training enables them to become confident and competent in teaching English. One trainee said, ‘We are taught it, we practise it, we teach it and then we evaluate it.’ This comment was replicated by other trainees who confirmed the practical nature of the training and a clear link between the theory and practice of teaching. This model provides generally good coherence between the centre- and school-based training, but the coherence is particularly good on the BEd early years course and in the training in phonics.

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The quality of training across the partnership requires improvement

13. Tutors extend and consolidate trainees’ subject knowledge in English and mathematics and this starts before the beginning of the course. Tutors provide additional sessions to tackle any gaps in knowledge and there are frequent audits and tasks to identify any emerging weaknesses. In one excellent support session in English, trainees identified as needing extra help with grammar and punctuation worked May 2013 in small groups and had training personalised to their needs. They made rapid progress.

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The quality of training across the partnership requires improvement

14. Centre-based training in mathematics, according to trainees, models good practice, and is good quality. In particular, the financial education project is effective in showing trainees how to increase and develop pupils’ awareness of personal finance, such as debt and money for life. There is, however, not enough coverage of some important survey reports by Ofsted about the quality of teaching in mathematics. Some school-based training in mathematics does not help trainees to develop a good understanding of how pupils progress in their mathematical understanding. As a result, some lessons taught by trainees do not stretch pupils’ thinking. In three out of the four mathematics lessons observed in the inspection, pupils’ low-level disrupted behaviour hindered their progress; trainees’ success in managing behaviour was limited.

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The quality of training across the partnership requires improvement

15. A strength of the training is the opportunity trainees have to extend their breadth and experience of teaching by being placed in schools in London, in a special school or abroad in a school covered by the SCE service. As a result, these trainees have a greater knowledge about inclusion, diversity, and pupils’ learning than those who have a more narrow range of placements. This wider range of placements makes the trainees more attractive to employers.

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The quality of training across the partnership requires improvement

16. The specialist training such as the ‘challenging stereotypes’ conference enables trainees to gain a good understanding about diversity and inclusion. Trainees select options such as a seminar about Gypsy Roma pupils, pupils with same sex parents, pupils who have special educational needs, and pupils from asylum seeker families. Trainees have a good understanding about how to tackle prejudice-based bullying, such as racism and homophobia, and how to establish a culture in their classes to celebrate pupils’ differences.

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The quality of training across the partnership requires improvement

17. The training for behaviour management has been improved in the last two years to respond to negative responses from NQTs. Trainees are given useful tips about how to manage behaviour in their classes by, for example, use of voice, positioning in the classroom and techniques to quickly regain pupils’ attention. For most trainees the training has been effective; however, in a few instances, behaviour management of the whole class was less secure.

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The quality of training across the partnership requires improvement

18. Headteachers, teachers and regional specialists contribute to the training. A headteacher, for example, provides training about how to apply for a job and what makes a candidate employable to a school. In the BEd early years course, teachers are responsible for the majority of the training. They mark trainees’ assignments, place trainees with May 2013 mentors they believe will help them make better progress and design training that meets the needs of individuals or groups of trainees.

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The quality of training across the partnership requires improvement

19. The partnership’s judgement about the quality of trainees’ teaching is sometimes over generous. In part, this is because mentors and university tutors are not taking into account the progress all pupils in the class make as a result of the trainee’s teaching.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

20. The quality of leadership requires improvement because the partnership does not yet use data rigorously to improve trainees’ teaching; systems to check on the quality of school-based training need improvement and trainee outcomes are not yet good.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

21. Since the previous inspection, there has been a greater focus on devising course reviews and improvement plans based on outcomes for trainees. The plan to improve the BEd course, for example, has a clear focus on national priorities, outcomes for groups of trainees and weaknesses identified by NQTs, trainees and school staff. NQTs for some years have judged the quality of the training and their preparation to teach pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) to be below the national average. Senior leaders and professional studies tutors have improved the training. Trainees now carry out extensive reading and complete an extended essay about how to teach this group of pupils. They complete a focused observation on a pupil for whom English is an additional language, evaluating their learning and get a pack of tips and advice about what to do if there is such a pupil in their class. Trainees who take up the option of a placement in London are

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

particularly confident in supporting, teaching and including pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

22. Although there is good use of data gleaned from the views of NQTs, trainees and school staff, the partnership still does not receive the data about the quality of trainees’ and former trainees’ teaching and how well they meet individual Teachers’ Standards. This, in part, is because the data needed to improve trainees’ teaching and progress over time do not link well enough to quantifiable data needed by the central university systems. Senior leaders have recognised the need to improve how well data are used. They have started to, for example, link the school Ofsted report with the attainment grade for each trainee placed there and link this to the information gained at interview. The data are being used to improve recruitment systems and to evaluate the quality of training in particular schools. May 2013 23. The university is committed to providing good quality personalised training for mentors. Despite some good mentor training, the impact of

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

the mentor training is not securing high levels of consistency in the quality of training for all trainees. Communication within and across the partnership is effective and ensures trainees and mentors get the support they need from the university. Despite this, too many school staff did not know about the partnership’s priorities for improvement and their place in making the improvements happen.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

24. Recruitment and selection systems have improved from an analysis of how well trainees attain by the end of the course. As a result, completion and employment rates are rising. Although the proportion of trainees from a minority ethnic background is well below average, the university has allocated extensive funds to advertise in sixth forms, colleges, employment fairs and conferences as far afield as Manchester and London. The proportion of males into primary is around the national average, but the partnership has been successful in recruiting trainees with a declared disability.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

25. Systems to check the quality of centre-based training are robust. Team teaching, coaching, working alongside colleagues and shadowing experienced tutors are all used effectively. The quality is also assured by checking on trainees’ views. However, the data collected do not allow senior leaders to measure whether the centre-based training has had a positive impact on trainees’ teaching.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

26. Quality assurance of school-based training needs improvement. Few schools receive feedback from the partnership about what they should do to or how well they train trainees. This is hampering improvements to the quality of school-based training. Mentors receive feedback about how trainees felt about the placement but not about what they need to do to improve their lesson observations, feedback and overall training personalised to each trainee. Systems do not pick up quickly enough the aspects of a trainee’s practice that needs to be improved. For example, in trainees’ files some forms relating to the assessment of groups of pupils were completed poorly, but these were not identified by mentors or tutors and, as a result, trainees’ assessment of pupils is one of the weaker aspects of their outcomes.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

27. The partnership’s self-evaluation takes account of the views of a wide range of groups including external examiners. However, because the partnership has some inaccurate data, some missing data about how well trainees teach, and some aspects of the quality assurance systems that need improving, the capacity for the partnership to improve is not yet good. However there are strengths. Senior leaders are knowledgeable, capable, and reflective and have shown they are able to react to improve the training. As a result, trainee perceptions have May 2013 improved, as has the training in national priorities. The quality of several aspects of the university’s work has improved since the last inspection.

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Annex: Partnership schools

The following schools were visited to observe teaching: The Erme Primary School Chudleigh Knighton CE Primary School St Wenn Primary School High View Primary School Dobwalls Primary School Stoke Damerel Primary School Beechwood Primary School Shaugh Prior Primary School Salisbury Road Primary

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Information about the secondary partnership

 Trainees studying initial teacher training in the secondary phase are enrolled on full time courses: a one-year PGCE route in one of ten subjects leading to QTS, or the three-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) undergraduate route for mathematics or physical education (PE). Trainees who complete the BEd course but who do not attain QTS are awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree.  At the time of the inspection there were 121 trainees enrolled on secondary training courses.

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Information about the secondary ITE inspection

 Inspectors visited seven schools and observed lessons taught by 10 trainees and one newly qualified teacher (NQT). Inspectors held meetings in schools with mentors, professional tutors and senior leaders and interviewed trainees who were observed teaching. Inspectors also met with NQTs in schools.  Meetings were held with groups of first and second year BEd PE trainees and with a group of trainees from the modern foreign languages (MFL) PGCE course. Training sessions were observed for MFL and PE trainees.  Inspectors considered a range of documentary evidence including trainees’ e-portfolios, course handbooks, external examiner reports, enhancement plans and data about former and current trainees.  Inspectors met with senior leaders and interviewed subject leaders. The lead inspector for the secondary phase also met with members of the strategic partnership advisory group. May 2013  Inspectors also took account of published survey data including the NQT

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Information about the secondary ITE inspection

survey data for the last three years, university exit survey data and the 50 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire.

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Inspection Team

Joanna Beckford-Hall HMI Lead inspector and secondary phase lead inspector Adrian Lyons HMI Assistant phase lead inspector Anne Looney Additional inspector

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The key strengths of the secondary partnership are:

 Trainees’ very good ability to reflect on their progress, set themselves targets, listen to advice from all trainers and use feedback to improve their work; the trainees are highly reflective practitioners.  Good training and outcomes, sustained over time, for PE and MFL trainees, who are highly regard by partnership schools.  Most trainees’ good understanding of planning for and teaching disabled students and those who have special educational needs, supported well by contrasting school placements.  Trainees’ good competency in managing behaviour that is conducive to helping students to learn well.  Good communication between university staff and school-based trainers; trainers feel their ideas are listened to and valued by the university.  The new ‘hub’ training as a vehicle for enhancing subject-specific pedagogy and good use of mentors’ expertise to lead these sessions.

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The partnership should:

 Ensure that completion and employment remain above the sector norm for MFL and PE trainees.  Reduce the variability in the quality of training across the partnership so that all trainees can exceed the minimum level practice defined in the Teachers’ Standards, and teach at a consistently good level by the end of their training. May 2013  Ensure that the whole partnership operates robust quality assurance processes to assess and sustain good quality training within and across all schools.  Develop the partnership’s capacity to scrutinise and use data about trainees’ performance and the quality of training in all schools to drive improvement.  Make certain that all improvement planning is tightly linked to improving outcomes for all trainees.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

28. Outcomes for trainees require improvement because the numbers of trainees completing courses, securing employment and attaining a standard of teaching that exceeds the minimum level of practice expected of teachers, are too variable across secondary subjects. Not all trainees teach well by the end of their course. Completion rates for the secondary phase are too variable. Some secondary subjects are in line with or above sector averages, but others, for example mathematics and science, are well below. The partnership recruits a higher proportion of male trainees than found nationally but retention and completion of male trainees, especially those over the age of 35 in mathematics and science, fall below the national average. Fewer trainees have deferred or withdrawn from the secondary courses this year, showing some signs of improvement.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

29. Rates of employment for secondary trainees are not consistently high and are variable by subject. The proportion of trainees securing employment in 2011 fell significantly from the previous year. The partnership’s tracking of employment and destinations of recent graduates is improving. Employment data for 2012 show a better picture than the previous year, but there remain differences between subjects. The 100% employment rate of PE trainees last year is testimony to the good calibre of trainees who graduate from the two training routes for PE. The outcomes for PE and MFL trainees are better than for most other secondary subjects.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

30. The proportion of trainees and newly qualified teachers (NQTs) who teach at a level that exceeds the minimum standard required is not yet high enough. Over the last three years between 8% and 12% of trainees have not secured good attainment by the end of their training. Current partnership data indicate that this proportion will reduce this year, but some trainees are not attaining at a good level. Their teaching is not enabling students to make good progress because the pace of May 2013 lessons is slow and planning does not target individual student needs well enough. Trainees’ use of formative assessment and probing questioning to deepen students’ understanding during lessons requires improvement. Some trainees miss opportunities to ask searching questions to judge students’ understanding and application of subject knowledge. Too much emphasis is placed on meeting lesson objectives without judging the quality with which students meet the objectives.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

Inspectors found variance in how well trainees can evaluate students’ progress.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

31. The proportion of trainees judged as outstanding by the end of their training is rising. Trainees who exceed the minimum level of the Teachers’ Standards and consistently teach good lessons, planning well for different abilities and needs, are passionate about their subject and inspire students to do well. In a girls’ high jump lesson, the enthusiasm and good modelling by the PE trainee helped lower ability girls sustain their motivation to do well. They helped each other refine the technique of arching the back and propulsion from the run to jump higher over the bar. A good competitive spirit sustained the pace of the lesson.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

32. Those trainees and NQTs who attain at a good and outstanding level set high expectations for behaviour and are firm in challenging behaviour that falls below expectations. A trainee teaching a Year 11 religious education revision class had good command of the classroom because her well-planned and carefully paced activities kept students testing their knowledge for examination preparation. Over 90% of trainees responding to the Ofsted survey agree or strongly agree that they know how to use a range of behaviour management techniques in their teaching. When this falters it is because trainees or NQTs do not set high enough expectations for student conduct or readiness to learn. In a lesson observed during inspection, the boisterous manner of students was not curtailed and the disorganisation at the start of the lesson affected the continuity of activities and the pace of learning, hampering students’ progress.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

33. Most trainees are adept are resourcing their teaching, making certain, for example, that visually impaired students have individualised resources. Trainees have good skill in using information and communication technology (ICT) to promote learning. PE trainees are complimentary about their training at the university in how to use video cameras and visual analysis software to analyse performance. Despite good confidence with these resources, some PE trainees are frustrated by the lack of resources in school. They feel this inhibits their creative potential to use the good ICT skills learnt in university training.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

34. A key strength is the quality of training to develop trainees’ understanding and ability to teach disabled students and those who May 2013 have special educational needs. The partnership has established a good model of partnership working, with trainees visiting special schools and receiving input from experts to complement their own academic research. The foci for written assignments give trainees good opportunity to explore the teaching of disabled students and those who have special educational needs through case study students. Assignments show a good link between theory and practice. PE trainees also comment favourably about their training for teaching physically disabled students. They have first-hand experience of adapting their planning and teaching ideas.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

35. Inspectors judged that the partnerships’ grading of a small minority of trainees and newly qualified teachers as outstanding practitioners is too high. Not all trainers are ensuring that sufficient emphasis is devoted to analysing the impact of trainees’ work in securing at least good progress of the students they teach, neither in individual lessons nor in the quality of their teaching over time

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

The quality of training across the partnership requires improvement.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

36. The design and content of the secondary BEd and PGCE courses provide a complementary training package of school placements, professional studies sessions and subject specific pedagogy sessions. The new development this year of subject ‘hubs’, with schools delivering some subject specialist sessions for trainees, is being well received by most trainees, mentors and professional tutors. Although travelling time for some trainees is high, the quality of these sessions outweighs any inconvenience. Mentors feel their expertise is valued in delivering such sessions. Trainees enjoy going to these sessions located in schools other than their placement schools and ‘hubs’ give trainees a regular point of contact to share experiences, review their work and try out new teaching ideas. This work by leaders to better integrate the taught components with school-based placements is addressing the negative responses expressed by NQTs last year.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

37. Most trainees and NQTs are positive about the general professional studies sessions taught in schools. They find input from their professional tutors and senior leaders beneficial for key areas such as behaviour management, as well as preparation for job applications and interview techniques.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

38. Trainees studying to teach RE, PE and MFL are very pleased with opportunities to teach their peers at university and refine teaching techniques before they go into schools. Inspectors watched good quality taught sessions for MFL and BEd PE trainees. These were highly practical, engaging trainees in creative thinking and helping trainees try out teaching methods with constructive peer feedback. In discussions May 2013 with inspectors, science and mathematics trainees and NQTs were much less positive about central training. They want more opportunity to teach each other and to try out different strategies in the company of their peers. Science NQTs report too much emphasis upon theory and not enough focus on teaching strategies for different contexts.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

39. Trainees and NQTs are largely positive about the contrast in their school placements and additional experiences in primary schools, special schools, and post-16 colleges. Trainees feel the handover between placements is well managed so that placement reports and targets from one placement to the next are generally understood by trainers and trainees. Some placement reports are too generous about trainees’ overall contribution to the placement, as opposed to the impact of their teaching on students’ learning and progress.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

40. Most trainees confirm that contrasting placements stretch their ability to teach students with differing behaviour needs, as well as disabled students and those who have special educational needs. Current trainees and NQTs have mixed views about their preparedness to teach in ethnically diverse schools and teach students who speak English as an additional language (EAL). Positive responses to the NQT survey have for several years scored below the national average. The partnership is trying to address this through placements in London schools and linking academic study to school-based tasks, but this area requires improvement. Employment of trainees in ethnically diverse schools outside the south west region is rising. Course leaders invite these graduates to meet with trainees and talk about working in urban, diverse schools; there is greater scope to capitalise on these opportunities to enrich training experiences.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

41. Course assignments contribute well towards the achievement of Masters level credits and evidence for achievement of the Teachers’ Standards. Since the previous inspection leaders have refined topic areas and made certain that trainees undertake school-based research to underpin material cited in their assessments and portfolio evidence. Trainees make good use of the e-portfolio, ‘Mahara’, and university tutors monitor feedback by school-based trainers and can see how well trainees are using their individual learning plans.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

42. The ongoing assessment of trainees’ progress by university tutors and school-based trainers using the individual learning plan (ILP) and the six review points is not yet good because:  some targets in ILPs are too broad and do not give concrete steps to guide trainees on knowing exactly how to move their teaching from requiring improvement to good, or from good to outstanding May 2013  trainees plateau and teach good lessons, but are not stretched quickly enough to push forward and teach a higher proportion of outstanding lessons  feedback is not incisive enough about the key strengths and weaker areas of trainees’ practice, limiting the partnership's understanding of how well each cohort of trainees progresses against the Teachers’ Standards.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

43. Most mentors judge that the mentor training is helping them set more precise, specific subject targets to help trainees deepen students’ knowledge and skills over time. Inspectors observed some good quality feedback by mentors with trainees following joint observations with inspectors. Feedback drew out the trainee’s views of their lesson and a dialogue was shared equally between mentor and trainee whilst assessing progress against targets. This good practice was not consistent in all feedback observed. The teasing out of an evaluation of students’ progress during lessons was less secure in some of the feedback by mentors.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

44. For trainees studying to teach MFL the central training is comprehensive and up to date. It prepares trainees well for working with students with a range of learning needs. The subject leader makes good use of expertise from within, and outside, the partnership to ensure trainees get a broad perspective on current practice. The ‘hub’ training, which takes place during placements throughout the course, is valued by trainees for the opportunities it provides for sharing good practice and for the additional injection of new ideas. Since the previous inspection the MFL training has benefited greatly from the appointment of a skilled and experienced advanced skills teacher. Mentors’ feedback on lessons is clear on what trainees do well in their MFL teaching, what they need to do to improve and how trainees’ teaching is impacting on the progress made by their students. The best verbal feedback is based on

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

skilled questioning which leads trainees to reflect deeply on exactly how well their students have progressed in their lessons.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

45. Whilst lesson feedback to MFL trainees is consistently regular and rigorous, the target setting in both the progress review diaries and the individual learning plans is more variable. Some targets do not identify specifically enough what trainees need to do to make rapid progress. Ongoing assessment by school-based and central trainers of trainees’ teaching for MFL is accurate, well referenced to the Teachers’ Standards and well moderated. It is less clear whether the judgements made by the subject leader at the six review points in the course are aspirational, or snapshots of attainment at that point. Not all trainees and mentors have a clear understanding of what hard data are informing these judgements. The final gradings of some of the best trainees are over generous. Great care is taken to ensure the second placement, in May 2013 particular, meets trainees’ needs. Whilst trainees teach a broad range of

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

classes, a minority of trainees is not having enough opportunity to teach in an extended fashion at Key Stage 4.

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The outcomes for trainees require improvement

46. Despite several strengths in the secondary training, there is too much variation in trainees’ experiences in schools and in aspects of their courses for the quality of training to be good and lead to good outcomes for all trainees.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

47. Leaders recognise underperformance in some secondary subjects in recent years and have made tough decisions to discontinue secondary teacher training in all subjects apart from physical education and modern foreign languages, from September 2013. At the time of the inspection the Dean of the Faculty was supporting staff through a significant period of transition and restructuring.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

48. The quality of leadership and management of the partnership requires improvement because: processes for checking the quality of training in schools are not sufficiently robust to give a comprehensive picture of quality across the partnership; the auditing of how to improve mentors’ and professional tutors’ roles as expert coaches is underdeveloped; the partnership is not using quantifiable data well enough to examine trends over time and use these to plan together to drive improvement, linked clearly to outcomes for trainees.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

49. Recruitment and selection processes check trainees’ aptitude for teaching through a range of tasks, and the inclusion of school personnel on interview panels continues. Systems for checking that trainees are cleared and safe to work with students are good. The proportion of trainees recruited from minority ethnic backgrounds remains below that found nationally, but the reverse is true for the higher proportion of trainees who enrol and successfully complete wth a declared disability. Some trainees benefit from subject knowledge enhancement courses but others need more support to continually upgrade gaps in their subject knowledge.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

50. At individual school level the internal quality assurance processes, coupled with visits by university tutors, ensure that there is moderation of trainees’ work. Mentors often observe trainees’ teaching with university tutors and they work together to guide trainees’ improvement. Occasionally, mentors and professional tutors jointly observe trainees and NQTs, but rarely do professional tutors observe and critique the quality of feedback by mentors to trainees. Leaders recognise that the ‘bigger picture’ of assessing quality across the whole partnership could May 2013 involve professional tutors and mentors working more collaboratively across schools to standardise training. There is a need to use what university leaders describe as ‘a community of practice’ to ensure that all schools are fully involved in assessing the quality of training and planning how best to secure high levels of consistency in good training

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

51. Most mentors feel well supported by university tutors and feel that there is good communication with the university secondary team. However, few mentors or professional tutors can talk about the strategic priorities in the secondary enhancement plan. The partnership’s self-evaluation is generous. Inspectors recognise that leaders have decided to close courses for subjects other than PE and MFL. The impact of low completion rates and variable quality of training in some of the subjects now closing has resulted in trainees’ experiences and outcomes being less than good.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

52. Leaders collate and analyse data from trainee perception surveys, a range of quantitative benchmarking activities and feedback from school- based trainers. The feedback is considered with recommendations from external examiners and the secondary and subject enhancement plans include targets, timescales and success criteria to address key areas requiring development. The partnership is not rigorous enough in scrutinising all types of data to judge how well training accelerates trainees’ progress, especially for trainees who have the ability to move their practice far in excess of the minimum level of expectation defined by the Teachers' Standards.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership

53. The partnership meets the compliance criteria for initial teacher training.

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Annex: Partnership schools

The following schools were visited to observe teaching: All Saints Church of England Academy Eggbuckland Community College Notre Dame Roman Catholic School Tavistock College Hele’s Trust School Plymstock School King Edward VI Community College May 2013

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Information about the employment-based partnership

 This is the final year of the graduate teacher programme managed by the University St Mark and St John. It offers routes to QTS for primary and secondary teachers through employment-based initial teacher training. At the time of the inspection there were 38 primary trainees and 16 secondary trainees on the programme studying to teach a range of subjects in the 11 to 16 age range, with some post-16 experience. All places are funded by the Teaching Agency. The training takes place at the university and in partnership schools. The university is currently working with 52 primary schools and 20 secondary schools, spread across Devon, Cornwall, Torbay, Plymouth and Somerset. These schools are organised into regional clusters.

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Information about the employment-based ITE inspection

 Inspectors observed six lessons taught by trainees and one lesson taught by a newly qualified teacher (NQT).  Inspectors held discussions with individuals and groups of trainees, NQTs and former trainees working in partnership schools; trainers, leaders and managers; headteachers and members of the School Direct partnership group.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentary evidence, including information related to recruitment and selection, statutory safeguarding and compliance with the initial teacher training criteria, tracking and assessment, trainees’ teaching evidence and assignments, analysis of outcomes for trainees, evaluations and improvement plans, external moderator reports and the partnership’s website.

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Inspection Team

Philip Mann HMI Lead inspector Grahame Sherfield HMI Assistant lead inspector

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The key strengths of the employment-based partnership are:

 The good outcomes for trainees by the end of the course, including very high completion and employment rates.  The highly reflective trainees, who demonstrate a strong professional understanding of how schools work, and their commitment to become good or better teachers. May 2013  The ability of trainees to develop very positive relationships with the pupils they teach and the effective management of their behaviour in lessons.  The effectiveness of training to ensure trainees are equipped to teach phonics, literacy and mathematical skills in a wide range of school settings across an extensive geographical partnership.  The rigorous recruitment and selection of trainees with high level qualifications and good prior experience of working in education settings.  The leadership by programme leaders who have implemented some successful initiatives to develop provision further to sustain a trend of improvement in provision and good outcomes for trainees.

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The partnership should:

 Ensure greater levels of consistency in mentoring and school-based training by; - implementing robust quality assurance procedures across the partnership - providing mentors with good opportunities to observe, discuss and share best practice in giving high quality feedback to trainees - providing schools with formal feedback about the impact of their ITE provision.

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Inspection Judgements

54. Trainees demonstrate a good understanding of the Teachers’ Standards and a desire to become good and outstanding teachers. Since the last inspection, the partnership has both increased and sustained the numbers of trainees whose attainment is good or better by the end of the course. Trainees achieve well because training effectively meets their individual needs from the start of the course. There are no significant differences in the performance of different groups of trainees in both the primary and secondary programmes. Completion rates are above the sector norms and employment rates are high.

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Inspection Judgements

55. Trainees make good use of their experience and skills developed in other careers before training to become teachers. Many have worked May 2013 previously in schools, for example as teaching assistants. All trainees quickly gain a strong professional understanding of how schools work from the outset of the course. They are highly reflective and use their detailed lesson observations well to improve their own practice.

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Inspection Judgements

56. Lessons are well planned to ensure that the needs of pupils are met. This is especially so for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. However, sometimes the needs of more able pupils are not fully catered for in primary lessons. Trainees make good use of resources to support their teaching and engage pupils in the learning process, such as using tablet computers in Reception classes and interactive whiteboards. They effectively use small group work and discussions in physical education to promote pupils’ progress. Lesson observations confirm that trainees make good use of questions to check pupils’ understanding and assess progress. However, in the weaker lessons seen, trainees do not make enough of use of questioning techniques to deepen pupils’ understanding and advance their learning.

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Inspection Judgements

57. The management of pupil behaviour is a strength as a result of effective training. All trainees quickly establish very positive relationships with pupils in lessons and use a wide range of strategies to manage the behaviour of pupils effectively. This ensures that teaching moves along at a brisk pace, such as in a physical education lesson to develop the skills of Year 7 pupils in throwing and catching a rounders ball. In this lesson, the trainee ensured that transitions between each activity were rapid, giving very little opportunity for pupils to misbehave.

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Inspection Judgements

58. Subject knowledge related to the age ranges and subjects taught is good overall. Evidence files are well organised, contain a wealth of background research undertaken throughout the course and support trainees’ good achievement against the Teachers’ Standards. All trainees demonstrate secure knowledge and understanding about how they would support pupils who speak English as an additional language. Primary trainees are effective at teaching phonics and demonstrate good subject knowledge in the teaching of mathematics. Some aspects of subject knowledge in physical education are less secure. Consequently, opportunities are missed to demonstrate specific techniques to ensure pupils always make rapid progress in lessons.

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Inspection Judgements

59. Observations of NQTs and discussions with them during the inspection confirm that their teaching is at least good and often outstanding. They contribute effectively to the progress that their pupils make. Discussions with senior staff in partnership schools confirm that these NQTs are making a positive contribution to the schools in which they work. May 2013 The quality of training across the partnership is good.

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Inspection Judgements

60. Lead schools provide high quality training opportunities for all trainees on this employment-based route. Trainees are valued members of staff and readily included in continuing professional development for all staff as well as in the wider life of the school. Trainees are pleased with the opportunities for further training provided in their second school placements. These usually offer a contrast in size or context and are of similar quality to the lead schools. Often, second schools involve swaps within a cluster, although sometimes this has not worked well and wider links have been exploited to establish a second placement of similar quality; for example, the provider worked to secure a second placement for a secondary physical education trainee in London.

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Inspection Judgements

61. Trainees benefit from good support and challenge from their school- based mentors. They are observed teaching each week and most observations are detailed, linked to the Teachers’ Standards and focused sharply on agreed targets. Success in addressing targets is carefully considered in the perceptive and well-handled feedback provided. Trainees are supported well in reflecting on their teaching and identifying strengths and areas for improvement for themselves. Some mentors show exceptional skills in coaching their trainees and helping them to make good progress. Assessment of trainees is accurate and is based on weekly observations and the regular reviews of progress.

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Inspection Judgements

62. The new individual learning profile is an effective tool that is completed by trainees assiduously and is a continuing focus for discussion with mentors and with visiting university tutors. The profile supports an individualised approach to training well. University tutors visit trainees regularly, check their progress carefully and conduct joint lesson observations with school-based mentors. Tutors are highly regarded by schools and trainees. Although they observe trainees jointly with another tutor on occasion, for example when a trainee is causing concern and needs extra help, joint observations are not always used to compare judgements, share practice and further improve the quality of mentors’ skills. Furthermore, tutors who are not on the staff of the university are not systematically appraised by managers.

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Inspection Judgements

63. Mentor training is well attended and provided through the year in Plymouth and in Cornwall. There is a sharp focus on procedures; for example, arrangements for the second school placement, and on evaluating trainees’ targets, lesson plans and weekly reviews. Currently, there is no detailed attention to comparing judgements on the quality of teaching, or sharing skills in providing feedback; for example, through the use of video clips of the teaching of phonics or mathematics. Cluster days, introduced last year and further developed in 2012/13, provide good opportunities for trainees to compare experiences and a forum for May 2013 schools to share expertise, such as the recent presentation in the Plymouth cluster on teaching pupils with English as an additional language. The clusters are seen by the partnership as offering scope for mentors to work together to share practice, but it is recognised that this

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Inspection Judgements

aspect of their work has not yet been fully developed.

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Inspection Judgements

64. Trainees regard university-based training as a valuable complement to the opportunities in lead and second schools, and to activities in cluster meetings. Provision is linked well with activities trainees are expected to undertake in schools. For instance, ‘Marjon learning opportunities’ and reflective writing provide structure to support trainees’ own work to develop their skills and knowledge, such as in teaching disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Discussions with trainees, the Ofsted questionnaire and the partnership’s own data indicate that training is well regarded by trainees. They report that it is mostly practical, helpful and provides approaches to support them in developing their practice in the classroom. The training in the teaching of systematic synthetic phonics, mathematics and in ‘challenging stereotypes’ were singled out for particular praise by many trainees.

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Inspection Judgements

Training in phonics is supported well by the phonics training agreement introduced this year. This sets out clearly the various aspects of training in schools, at the university and in cluster meetings.

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Inspection Judgements

65. The partnership places a high priority on developing trainees’ subject knowledge from the outset as part of selection arrangements. Trainees appropriately take responsibility for checking their own subject knowledge and mapping out clearly what needs to be done to address any gaps. They tackle these carefully and undertake much further reading and other activities to deepen understanding. Progress is checked by mentors and university tutors, supported by tests arranged by the university.

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Inspection Judgements

66. Trainees benefit from effective personal and pastoral support. For example, one trainee encountered problems in her lead school due to significant staffing changes. Another lead school was arranged and the trainee continues to make good progress. The e-portfolio, ‘Mahara’, allows key documents to be stored electronically and supports easy access for monitoring progress by staff based at the university. This is very effective. The virtual learning environment, Learning Space, is well developed, although it is used variably by trainees on the employment- based route, who tend to consult materials in their schools or purchase their own. May 2013

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership is

67. Programme leaders provide effective leadership and the necessary drive for improvement in the context of national change within initial teacher education. Teamwork is a strength and this has ensured that previously high outcomes for trainees have been sustained during a period of change in the leadership of this phase. The current improvement plan clearly identifies key priorities for further development within specific timescales and linked to outcomes for trainees. It is based on the accurate self-evaluation of training provision. Key responsibilities are identified against success criteria to support effective performance management. This is an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. The national training priorities have been developed well through the programmes for both primary and secondary trainees. Programme leaders have been strategically proactive with key partners in the region to develop the employment-based provision further as part

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership is

68. The partnership is highly effective in the recruitment and selection of high quality trainees with the potential to be good teachers. Headteachers and senior leaders of lead placement schools are very closely involved in the process. For instance, potential trainees are interviewed in schools following an observation of them teaching pupils. Robust safeguarding and qualification checks are in place and applied with rigour. The effective promotion of equality of opportunity is reflected in the absence of any discrimination. Schools are keen to employ trainees from the provider because they know that these trainees will become good, and often outstanding, teachers.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership is

69. There are some good arrangements for recording the quality of training provision across the partnership. For example, a detailed profile of each placement school is maintained to support the careful match of schools to the individual needs of trainees. Annual reviews are informed effectively by a wide range of evidence, including internal and external satisfaction surveys. The course is regularly reviewed at programme meetings and findings are used well to initiate further improvements to the current programme, for example the content for the mentor training days and subject knowledge training for trainees.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership is

70. Programme leaders have been innovative in their use of ICT to remotely monitor the progress of trainees against the Teachers’ Standards, for example through the regular scrutiny of mentor observations and progress reviews of each trainee. As a result, any dips in trainee achievement are identified quickly and effective support is provided to those trainees giving cause for concern. May 2013 71. In contrast, not enough use is made of quality assurance procedures to eliminate any remaining inconsistencies in mentoring in all partnership schools. There is not enough focus on ensuring training procedures and the associated documentation are applied rigorously. For instance, not all lesson observations are linked closely to the Teachers’ Standards and sometimes pre-set targets for trainees are not referred to in all lesson observations. The provider formally seeks the views of placement schools about the quality of its own initial teacher training provision.

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The quality of leadership and management across the partnership is

However, placement schools are not provided with any written feedback about the strengths of their school-based training and what might be improved to make it even better for future trainees. Furthermore, data linked to the Teachers’ Standards are yet to be analysed in detail to support further self-evaluation and improvement planning.

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Annex: Partnership schools

The following schools were visited to observe teaching: Oldway Primary School St Cleer Primary School Yealmpstone Farm Primary School Widewell Primary School Hyde Park Infant School Coombeshead Academy Stoke Damerel College Liskeard School

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ITE partnership details

Unique reference number Inspection number Inspection dates Lead inspector Type of ITE partnership Phases provided Date of previous inspection Previous inspection report

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ITE partnership details

Provider address 13-16 May 2013 Joanna Beckford-Hall HMI HEI Primary, Secondary and Employment based 14-18 June 2010 http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find- inspection-report/provider/ELS/70131 Derriford Road Plymouth Devon PL6 8BH

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