Somerset SCITT Consortium

Initial teacher education inspection report Inspection dates Stage 1: 26/06/2017 Stage 2: 02/10/2017

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This inspection was carried out by two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors in accordance with the ‘Initial teacher education inspection handbook’. This handbook sets out the statutory basis and framework for initial teacher education (ITE) inspections in England from September 2015.

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The inspection draws upon evidence 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

Overall Effectiveness How well does the partnership secure consistently high quality outcomes for trainees?

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Inspection judgements

The outcomes for trainees The quality of training across the partnership

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Inspection judgements

The quality of leadership and management across the partnership inspects to 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 and 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 assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection judgements

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Inspection judgements

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Inspection judgements

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Inspection judgements

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted Somerset SCITT ITE Inspection October 2017 3

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Information about this ITE partnership

 Somerset SCITT provides school-centred initial teacher training in the primary (5 to 11) and early years (3 to 7) phases. The partnership operates with five local authorities. The majority of the partnership’s schools are in Somerset, North Somerset and Devon. The partnership currently comprises 100 schools, graded by Ofsted as outstanding, good or requires improvement. A significant proportion of these schools are located in areas facing challenging socio-economic circumstances, including coastal and rural deprivation. Heathfield Community School, Golden Valley Primary School, Bournville Primary School and The Duchy School are the lead schools within the partnership. The professional qualifications are awarded by the University of Worcester.  Somerset SCITT is a provider of School Direct and a core postgraduate route to qualified teacher status (QTS). Of the 48 trainees at the time of stage 1 of the inspection, 19 were on the School Direct route, 4 of

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Information about this ITE partnership

whom were salaried. There were 29 postgraduate certificate of education (PCGE) trainees, five of whom were specialising in the early years and four who were specialising in special educational needs. All trainees follow a programme to gain qualified teacher status from the University of Worcester. They also have the opportunity to gain credits towards a Master’s degree award.

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Information about the primary ITE inspection

 Over the two stages of the inspection, inspectors observed 11 trainees and 11 newly qualified teachers (NQTs). They met with school leaders, mentors, professional tutors, trainees and former trainees in 15 different schools.  Inspectors held meetings with members of the partnership’s senior leadership team and the management board.  Inspectors visited training sessions and observed part of the induction process for the 2017/18 cohort of trainees.  Inspectors reviewed the partnership’s self-evaluation information. They scrutinised evidence relating to training and the assessment of trainees, together with a wide range of partnership documentation. This included the partnership’s pre-course compliance checks on trainees to ensure that they have the correct qualifications and experience and are safe to work with children and pupils. Inspectors also considered the trainees’ responses to Ofsted’s online survey.

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Inspection team

Lorna Brackstone, HMI, lead inspector, Stages 1 and 2 Steve Smith, HMI, team inspector, Stages 1 and 2

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The key strengths

 Strong and collaborative partnership working leads to outstanding outcomes. Very high completion and employment rates for trainees, coupled with the excellent progress trainees make in their early teaching careers, are notable features.  The trainees reflect closely on the quality of their teaching, keen to ensure that they reach the highest standards. They attain and demonstrate the teachers’ standards very well. Trainees quickly develop the curriculum knowledge and practical skills required to be a successful teacher. They plan and teach well-structured lessons. They set high expectations which motivate and engage pupils in their learning.  Very high-quality training equips trainees and NQTs with the skills they need in school and the classroom very well. The training is strongly enhanced by the involvement of experienced practitioners from the partnership schools who share their day-to-day classroom skills with

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The key strengths

the trainees. This supports trainees exceptionally well in their development of knowledge as educators and their growth into confident professionals.  The partnership’s strong moral purpose is developed around meeting local and regional teaching needs. The partnership provides high- quality teachers who are committed to working in the local authority areas. The very high proportion of the high-quality NQTs who gain employment in schools judged to require improvement demonstrates the partnership’s important role in improving educational opportunities for young people in the south west.  A high proportion of partnership schools are in areas of socio- economic disadvantage. This enables trainees to gain experience of teaching pupils from a wide range of backgrounds. It helps them to develop techniques to manage more challenging behaviours and gain an understanding of how additional funds are used to support specific

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The key strengths

pupils in school.  Detailed evaluation processes ensure that the partnership is very responsive to feedback and identifies what it needs to do to improve. This leads to trainees’ very high rates of satisfaction with their training. It also demonstrates the partnership’s strong capacity for continual improvement. Somerset SCITT ITE Inspection October 2017 5  The individual guidance given to each trainee ensures that any gaps in knowledge and experience are rectified. Support plans are tailored to meet individual trainees’ requirements and are used successfully to supplement any additional training needs.  The shared vision for excellence across the partnership and the highly detailed planning for the future focus firmly on the needs of the trainees, pupils and schools in the local and regional areas.

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The partnership should:

 ensure that mentors provide sufficient and explicit judgements about the impact trainees’ teaching has on pupils’ learning and progress over time.

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Inspection Judgements

1. The rigorous selection process recruits well-motivated graduates who are eager to join the teaching profession. Partner schools are fully involved in the recruitment process. The Somerset SCITT looks for applicants who not only have had prior experience working in schools but who also demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching and are ambitious for their future careers. Together with the high levels of individual care and support given to trainees, the partnership ensures that trainees’ completion rates are consistently above average. 2. Very well-structured and cohesive training programmes enable trainees to gain the knowledge and skills that they need to become successful teachers. All trainees, regardless of route or age phase, surpass the teachers’ standards by the end of their training. There are no significant differences between groups and all have equal opportunity to reach their full potential. NQTs from this partnership are in high demand and,

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Inspection Judgements

consequently, the partnership has above average employment rates. 3. Trainees and NQTs demonstrate high-quality skills in planning appropriate, interesting and well-structured lessons which motivate pupils to learn. They use assessment effectively to identify what pupils have learned in each lesson. The most effective trainees and NQTs who were assessed as outstanding tend to use this information well when planning for future lessons. 4. Trainees and NQTs display highly professional conduct. They confidently establish highly effective classroom rules and routines. Trainees and NQTs are positive in their approach and quickly gain the respect and trust of the pupils they teach. They are reflective, listen to feedback carefully and respond positively by making revisions to their practice. 5. Trainees and NQTs are well-equipped with the skills they need to teach across the primary and early years curricula. They model Standard

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6 October 2017

English well and teach phonics effectively. Trainees and NQTs confidently teach literacy and early mathematics. They gain confidence teaching physical education because they gain practical experience, often working alongside specialist coaches. Trainees also have the opportunity to complete additional training, for example through the Football Association, and this enhances their skills. They confidently extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different subjects across the curriculum as a result of the highly effective subject-specific training that trainees receive in the partner schools. 6. Senior leaders and mentors in employing schools report that NQTs have strong behaviour management skills as a result of the very high-quality behaviour management training from both SCITT central training and Bournville Primary, a teaching school. Trainees learn directly from skilled and experienced practitioners and this ensures that they gain the

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confidence to deal with different types of behaviour, including bullying. 7. Trainees and NQTs have a strong knowledge of their role in safeguarding their pupils. They know how to identify and respond to issues such as child sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation and neglect. Inspectors also found that trainees and NQTs had a clear understanding of their responsibilities in respect of the ‘Prevent’ duty. They exhibit a very secure understanding of how to promote fundamental British values and know how to keep pupils safe from harm, such as when using information technology. 8. Trainees and NQTs display a strong presence in their classrooms and develop positive relationships with their pupils, enabling them to create effective teaching environments which encourage and support learning. Trainees and NQTs establish productive working relationships with support staff and this has a positive impact on pupils’ progress.

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6 October 2017

9. Trainees and NQTs use resources well to capture pupils’ enthusiasm for learning. For example, during a personal, social, and emotional development session in a Reception class, the NQT skilfully used the class cuddly toy to demonstrate the importance of sharing and being considerate to each other. In a Year 2 mathematics lesson, cereal rings were used as an effective aid to support pupils to place numbers in a sequential order. 10. Most NQTs adapt easily to the individual requirements and expectations of the schools in which they are training or are employed as a result of the diverse range of school placements that are available during their training. For example, some opt to work in challenging socio-economic circumstances, including coastal settings, where there is a high proportion of disadvantaged pupils. Others work in rural settings or schools that have been judged to require improvement. Regardless of

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6 October 2017

the context, employing headteachers are very impressed with the NQTs’ readiness for teaching and their adaptability. As a result, they quickly become valuable members of staff. Somerset SCITT ITE Inspection October 2017 7 11. Training is delivered very well by a combination of expert leaders and managers, leading teachers, consultants and specialist lecturers. Trainers understand the importance of trainees being able to ‘have a go, receive feedback and reflect’ on what they have done. Structured tasks are used very well to support trainees’ professional development and help to link with school-based training experiences. For example, an excellent session for trainees focusing on teaching global dimension was not only packed full of handy teaching tips but also provided a context for an assessed task which trainees would be required to complete in the future. 12. The partnership draws successfully on the particular strengths of

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6 October 2017

specialist providers within the south west to support the training programme. For example, those trainees following the early years programme gain specialist training from an outstanding nursery and children’s centre in Bristol. Visits and placements to an outstanding special school in Yeovil also provide high-quality opportunities for the trainees to gain an understanding of working with pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities which require specialist support. 13. At stage 1, inspectors confirmed the accuracy of the assessments of trainees made by the partnership. By the end of the summer term, all trainees exceeded the minimal level of practice expected in the teachers’ standards and were awarded QTS. However, it was noted that mentors and tutors did not refer to the impact that trainees had on pupils’ learning and progress over time. 14. Inspection evidence at stage 2 indicated that, although the partnership

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made accurate, moderated assessments about the award of QTS, some of the assessments around the grade 1 and grade 2 boundary were overgenerous and too heavily based on lesson observations. The partnership is now working hard with tutors and mentors to ensure that feedback and assessments of trainees focus sufficiently on the impact of their teaching on all groups of pupils’ learning and progress. 15. Inspection evidence at stage 1 indicated a need to share the expertise of the best professional tutors and school mentors to ensure that all those who take responsibility for training have a clear understanding of the expectations of the role. Inspection evidence at stage 2 confirms that training events for tutors and mentors have been refined. Financial penalties are now made against those who do not attend. 16. At stage 1 of the inspection, both trainees and partner schools reported that communication with the SCITT required improvement. At stage 2,

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they reported that it had improved significantly with more regular newsletters and key training events notified well in advance. 17. A comprehensive programme of quality assurance, review and development planning supports continual improvement very well. Somerset SCITT ITE inspection report

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8 October 2017

Trainees, NQTs and partner school leaders consistently provide extremely positive feedback which acknowledges the SCITT’s responsiveness, support and personal approach. 18. Leaders and managers of the partnership are ambitious for the future and have a determined commitment to teacher education. This is demonstrated by the success of their bid to create training hubs in the economic regeneration programme within West Somerset. 19. The management board holds the partnership leaders to account effectively. They are driven by a moral determination to meet the needs of the local area and are justifiably proud of their family of partner schools and their moral purpose which is to support the future of the profession. 20. Leaders and trainers are relentless in their drive to provide effective strategic and operational leadership of the partnership. Improvement plans draw consistently on a wide range of evaluative information. They

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8 October 2017

actively seek and are very responsive to feedback from a range of stakeholders. For example, actions from stage 1 of the inspection have been swiftly tackled. Induction sessions have been modified this year as a consequence of feedback provided from last year’s trainees. 21. The partnership complies fully with the initial teacher training (ITT) criteria and meets the statutory requirements for promoting equality and diversity, eliminating discrimination and for safeguarding.

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Annex: Partnership schools

The following schools were visited to observe trainees’ and newly qualified teachers’ (NQTs’) teaching: Axbridge CE First School Academy, Somerset Birdwell Primary School, North Somerset Bournville Primary School, North Somerset Golden Valley Primary School, North Somerset Herons Moor Academy, North Somerset Mead Vale Community School, North Somerset St Anne’s CE VA Primary School, Hewish, North Somerset St John’s CE Primary School, Midsummer Norton, Somerset St Peter’s CE Primary School, Bristol Uphill Primary School, North Somerset Walliscote Primary School, North Somerset Westbury-on-Trym CE Academy School, Bristol Somerset SCITT ITE Inspection October 2017 9 West Monkton CE Academy School, Somerset Westover Green Community School, Somerset Worlbury St Paul’s CE Primary School, North Somerset

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ITE partnership details

Unique reference number 70066 Inspection number 10022250 Inspection dates Stage 1 26/06/2017 Stage 2 02/10/2017 Lead inspector Lorna Brackstone HMI Type of ITE partnership SCITT Phases Provided Primary Date of previous inspection 28/01/2016 Previous inspection report https://report.ofsted.gov.uk/70066

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ITE partnership details

Provider address The Taunton Academy Cheddon Road Taunton TA2 7QP

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