Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance SCITT Partnership

Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance SCITT Partnership Initial teacher education inspection report Inspection dates Stage 1: 12 June 2017 Stage 2: 20 November 2017

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This inspection was carried out by Her Majesty’s Inspectors and Ofsted 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 on 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

Primary and Secondary QTS Overall effectiveness How well does the partnership secure consistently high-quality outcomes for trainees? The outcomes for trainees 2 The quality of training across the partnership The quality of leadership and management across the partnership ITE inspection report: Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance November 2017

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Information about this ITE partnership

 Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance SCITT partnership provides school- centred initial teacher training (SCITT) in the primary and secondary phases. The partnership includes 62 schools, all of which are in Lincolnshire except one which is in Leicestershire. The SCITT is part of the Priory Federation of Academies Trust. The Priory Academy LSST is the lead school for the secondary training programme. The range of schools within the partnership includes schools that Ofsted has judged to be outstanding, good and to require improvement.  The partnership recruited its first trainees for its secondary phase programme in 2015/16. The primary phase training programme commenced in 2016/17.  The partnership provides training through School Direct and the core SCITT programme. All trainees of both the primary and secondary phases follow a programme to gain qualified teacher status (QTS) and a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE), awarded by the University of Lincoln.

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Information about this ITE partnership

 At the time of stage 1 of the inspection, there were 79 trainees in total. There were 49 trainees in the primary phase and 30 in the secondary phase.  The partnership is an accredited three to 19 provider. At stage 1 of the inspection, the partnership was providing training in the primary phase, and in art and design, chemistry, design and technology, drama, English, geography, history, mathematics and physical education (PE). In addition, the provider currently offers places in biology, music and physics.  The partnership is part of the Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance.

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Information about the primary and secondary ITE inspection

 Over the two stages of the inspection, inspectors met with a wide sample of the trainees from the 2016/17 cohort. During stage 1 of the inspection, inspectors and the trainees’ mentors jointly observed 22 trainees teach. Inspectors observed mentors providing feedback to trainees. At stage 2, inspectors observed 15 newly qualified teachers (NQTs) teach, including those employed beyond the partnership. In all, of the 79 trainees receiving training at stage 1 of the inspection, inspectors had observed 30 teach by the end of the inspection. Inspectors also observed secondary phase training during stage 1 of the inspection, and met with secondary and primary phase tutors.  Inspectors held meetings with headteachers, other senior leaders, school-based mentors and tutors in the 12 partnership schools that they visited during stage 1. Inspectors also spoke with the headteachers of four further partnership

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Information about the primary and secondary ITE inspection

schools. ITE inspection report: Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance November 2017  Inspectors met with senior staff in the 11 schools that they visited at stage 2, including one school that is not part of the partnership. Inspectors also spoke by telephone with NQTs and senior staff at five schools, and a senior leader at a sixth. Five of these were not partnership schools.  Inspectors met with senior leaders from the partnership and members of the partnership board and the steering group. Inspectors reviewed documentation, including the partnership’s self-evaluation and improvement plans, the partnership agreement and a report by an external moderator. The lead inspector spoke with the external moderator by telephone at both stages of the inspection. Inspectors also looked at the provider’s assessment information, records relating to safeguarding children and the 35 responses to Ofsted’s online trainee survey for the year 2016/17.

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Inspection team

Simon Hollingsworth HMI (lead inspector) Daniel Burton HMI (assistant lead inspector, stage 1) Di Mullan HMI (team inspector, stage 1) Emma Hollis-Brown OI (assistant lead inspector, stage 2) Kim Bower OI (team inspector, stage 2)

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Key strengths of the primary and secondary partnership

 The good leadership and management of the partnership in the two years of operation have secured good outcomes for the trainees.  The high-quality training that trainees receive provides them with a keen insight into effective classroom practice and the theories behind it.  Completion and employment rates are high. In the two years that the secondary programme has been running, very high numbers of trainees have completed the training and almost all have secured permanent teaching posts. In the first year that the primary programme has been running, almost all trainees secured employment in education.  Engagement with the schools across the partnership ensures rigorous recruitment procedures and secures high levels of training and of support for the trainees.  The partnership’s commitment to equality and diversity ensures that trainees have a deep understanding of the particular needs of different groups of pupils,

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Key strengths of the primary and secondary partnership

including disadvantaged pupils, pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, and pupils who speak English as an additional language. ITE inspection report: Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance November 2017  The partnership’s senior leaders and the members of the programme board are committed to reviewing the quality of the programme’s provision regularly.  The partnership’s leaders are sensitive to the needs of the individual trainees. They quickly provide effective support to any trainees who are experiencing difficulties.

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The partnership should:

 ensure that all subject training is of a consistently high quality across the primary and secondary programmes to make sure that employment rates continue to improve  ensure that the end-of-programme targets for all trainees, particularly those in the primary programme, focus sharply on identifying the next steps for developing their career as an NQT, with particular reference to the context of their employing school  strengthen trainees’ skills in planning and delivering lessons that provide sufficient challenge for the most able pupils, to ensure that they engage well with their learning and make good progress  fully embed the work that leaders have recently undertaken to ensure that all mentoring is of a consistently high quality.

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Inspection judgements

1. Trainees’ attainment at the end of the programme is good. Almost all trainees complete the programme as teachers whose teaching is at least good.

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Inspection judgements

2. Almost all trainees secure permanent teaching posts at the end of the programme. The majority of these posts are within partnership schools. This reflects the high regard that local schools have for the provider’s training and the success of the programme in preparing trainees to teach effectively. School leaders from schools beyond the partnership report satisfaction with the quality of the NQTs that they have recruited.

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Inspection judgements

3. There is no discernible difference between the outcomes of trainees on different training routes, as all trainees receive the same training and support.

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Inspection judgements

4. The SCITT director and her senior leaders provide clear and robust leadership. Their high expectations have ensured that the programme has produced teachers whose teaching is mostly good, with some that is outstanding. There is strong capacity within the SCITT’s leadership to secure further improvements to ensure that training is consistently of the highest quality and produces teachers who teach exceptionally well. ITE inspection report: Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance November 2017 5. Wide-ranging activities that are now in place to check on the quality of the training and mentoring ensure that SCITT leaders have a secure understanding of the quality of the provision. SCITT leaders regularly check on trainees’ progress, conduct joint checks on the provision with partner schools’ leaders, and listen to the views of the trainees. Leaders also engage with an external educational specialist to confirm the accuracy of their checks. SCITT leaders

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Inspection judgements

take action when they identify aspects of the provision that are not of high enough quality.

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Inspection judgements

6. There is strong collaboration across the partnership, which is enabling SCITT leaders to secure a good level of training across the programme. This is particularly the case in the new primary training programme, where the training occurs across different teaching school alliances. Strong communication links ensure that all staff involved in the delivery of both primary and secondary programmes understand the requirements of the training programme.

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Inspection judgements

7. Members of the partnership board are developing a secure understanding of the quality of the provision. They know the needs of the local area that the partnership serves. Members of the board make sure that the partnership meets these local needs, including through engaging in national initiatives to recruit trainees to shortage subjects. Members of the partnership board have ensured that all members of the partnership subscribe to the SCITT’s core purposes of raising pupils’ aspirations and of training effective teachers for schools in Lincolnshire and in other regions.

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Inspection judgements

8. The rigorous recruitment procedures fully involve members of the partnership schools. These procedures identify possible training needs of the successful applicants and enable SCITT leaders to match trainees well to schools for their training. This contributes to the high completion rate of trainees, particularly on the secondary programme.

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Inspection judgements

9. Trainees receive effective opportunities to develop their experience of teaching practice across a range of school settings. These include urban, rural, coastal, selective and non-selective schools. This range of settings is particularly effective in helping trainees to develop an understanding of the needs of different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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Inspection judgements

10. The partnership has ensured that training is good in the primary and the secondary programmes, particularly the training that focuses on trainees’ classroom practice. Primary trainees, for example, complete their weekly training in different schools. This gives them effective opportunities to observe classroom practice across a wide range of schools. Because of this, they are able to develop well their understanding of different teaching techniques, particularly in relation to meeting the needs of different groups of pupils. ITE inspection report: Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance November 2017 11. While much of the subject training is good, leaders have not yet ensured that it is of a consistently high level across all areas of the programme. For example, the early years training in the primary programme has not been fully effective in developing trainees’ secure understanding of this phase. In the secondary

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Inspection judgements

programme, the breadth of subject training that exists in some of the secondary subjects is not evident in all. This lack of consistency means that not all trainees receive comprehensive opportunities to become fully secure in their subject knowledge, to be able to perform at the highest level.

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Inspection judgements

12. A particular strength of the training programme is the contribution that the University of Lincoln provides to ensure that the trainees have a secure understanding of the theories behind classroom practice. Trainees are able to access the latest educational thinking and undertake their own action-based research. The trainees speak highly of the training that the university leads.

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Inspection judgements

13. Trainees in the primary programme receive effective opportunities to develop their skills in teaching phonics, literacy, mathematics and physical education (PE). Such training ensures that they have the necessary skills to ensure that pupils make good progress in developing their communication and numeracy skills, and in engaging in physical exercise. Trainees in the secondary programme also receive effective opportunities to learn about the use of phonics to secure pupils’ progress in their communication skills.

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Inspection judgements

14. The provider’s commitment to developing equality and diversity has ensured that trainees have developed a thorough understanding of how to promote good achievement for different groups of pupils. This includes disadvantaged pupils and pupils who speak English as an additional language. Primary trainees, for example, receive high-quality training about the barriers to learning that pupils who speak English as an additional language experience. Trainees learn to plan to meet these pupils’ individual needs. One NQT provided effective support to help these pupils to use correctly complex mathematical terms, including ‘denominator’ and ‘identifier’, in their work.

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Inspection judgements

15. Training about pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is highly effective. Trainees consider different aspects of the educational provision for these pupils, taking into account the latest research on the provision for these pupils in Lincolnshire. Trainees plan effectively for these pupils’ learning.

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Inspection judgements

16. Trainees have received well-targeted training on strategies to assess pupils’ understanding and to plan teaching that ensures that pupils of all abilities make at least good progress. However, leaders have not ensured that all trainees are secure in planning sufficiently challenging work for the most able, to ensure that they make rapid progress.

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Inspection judgements

17. Trainees receive comprehensive training in behaviour management and in promoting positive attitudes to learning. Because of this, trainees have a firm ITE inspection report: Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance November 2017 grasp of different strategies to manage pupils’ behaviour. Trainees also understand the need to apply schools’ behaviour policies consistently. Leaders have not ensured that all trainees fully understand the role of effective lesson planning in managing pupils’ behaviour, by setting work that engages all pupils, particularly the most able, with their learning.

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Inspection judgements

18. Most trainees value the high-quality mentoring that they receive. They recognise how the guidance that their mentors provide helps them to become reflective practitioners. At stage 1, inspectors identified some inconsistencies in the quality of mentor support, particularly for mentors new to the role. Such inconsistencies led to some trainees receiving targets that were not sharp enough to enable them to become fully reflective classroom practitioners. SCITT leaders have been quick to resolve this, by providing more comprehensive training for current mentors, including opportunities for mentors to share best practice. All mentors now have an accurate understanding of their role. Occasions of inconsistency in the quality of mentoring are now rare.

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Inspection judgements

19. SCITT leaders’ care for the welfare of their trainees is a particular strength. This is especially the case when trainees experience difficulties, including those of a personal nature. On such occasions, partnership leaders provide effective support to ensure that trainees continue to engage well with the training and complete the programme. Trainees are appreciative of the support that they receive, including the follow-up work that SCITT leaders undertake to check on the progress and welfare of the trainees during their first weeks as NQTs.

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Inspection judgements

20. The partnership provides comprehensive information about trainees to their employing schools. Within this documentation there are targets that provide most trainees with appropriate guidance to support them in their first year of teaching. However, for some trainees in the primary programme, their targets do not focus sharply enough on what they must do in their employing school to ensure that they are fully effective in their role.

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Inspection judgements

21. Trainees receive comprehensive training about keeping pupils safe. They learn about the different types of abuse and the signs to look for that indicate all is not well with a pupil. Trainees understand their responsibility to keep pupils safe and to teach them how to be safe. Trainees have received comprehensive training on preventing radicalisation and extremism.

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Inspection judgements

22. The provider complies fully with the statutory criteria that all providers of initial teacher training must meet.

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Annex: Partnership schools

The following schools were visited to observe trainees’ and NQTs’ teaching:

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Annex: Partnership schools

Brant Broughton CE and Methodist Primary School, Brant Broughton ITE inspection report: Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance November 2017 Branston Community Academy, Branston

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Annex: Partnership schools

Metheringham Primary School, Metheringham

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Annex: Partnership schools

Sir Francis Hill Community Primary School, Lincoln

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Annex: Partnership schools

The Priory City of Lincoln Academy, Lincoln

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Annex: Partnership schools

Waddington All Saints Primary School, Waddington

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Annex: Partnership schools

Witham St Hughs Academy, Lincoln ITE inspection report: Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance November 2017

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ITE partnership details

Unique reference number Inspection number Inspection dates Stage 1 Stage 2 Lead inspector Type of ITE partnership Phases provided Date of previous inspection Previous inspection report

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ITE partnership details

Provider address 12–13 June 2017 20–22 November 2017 Simon Hollingsworth HMI SCITT Primary and secondary N/A N/A

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ITE partnership details

Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance The Keyworth Centre, The Priory City of Lincoln Academy, Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln, LN6 0EP ITE inspection report: Lincolnshire Teaching School Alliance November 2017 regulates and 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses 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 format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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ITE partnership details

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ITE partnership details

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ITE partnership details

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