Bradford College ITE Partnership

Bradford College ITE Partnership Initial teacher education inspection report Inspection dates 11–14 June 2018

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This inspection was carried out by 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 on evidence from 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? The outcomes for trainees 2 The quality of training across the partnership The quality of leadership and management across the partnership ITE inspection report: Bradford College June 2018

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Information about the primary partnership

 Bradford College was last inspected in November 2017 and was judged to require improvement. The vast majority of trainees are from Bradford or the very close vicinity. Around two thirds of trainees are from areas of social deprivation, and almost 70% are the first in their family to enter higher education.  Bradford College is a college-based higher education and further education (FE) provider situated in West Yorkshire. It is one of a handful of FE colleges nationally to provide initial teacher training (ITT). Teesside University and the University of Bolton validate the college’s academic awards.  During 2017/18, the partnership offered five routes to the award of qualified teacher status (QTS): a three-year undergraduate BA (Hons) in primary education; a two-year undergraduate BA (Hons) in teaching and learning in the primary phase; a one-year, college-based postgraduate certificate in education

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Information about the primary partnership

(PGCE) in primary education; a one-year, school-based PGCE in primary education through School Direct (salaried and non-salaried) and an assessment- only route. All routes offer trainees the option to train in the three to seven, seven to 11 or five to 11 age range.  The partnership consists of 106 schools. These are across 12 local authorities, many of them located near Bradford. The partnership currently works with two teaching school alliances.  During this inspection, there were 35 trainees undertaking the final year of their undergraduate training (27 on the three-year route and eight on the two-year route), 45 trainees accessing the college-led postgraduate programme, 17 trainees following a School Direct programme and one trainee going through the assessment-only route.

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Information about the primary ITE inspection

 Inspectors visited 10 schools during this inspection, observing 16 trainees teach. Observations were conducted alongside school-based mentors. Inspectors analysed trainees’ evidence towards meeting the teachers’ standards.  Inspectors spoke to four newly qualified teachers (NQTs) by telephone in addition to speaking to their employing headteacher. Furthermore, inspectors held a face- to-face meeting with a different group of NQTs.  Inspectors spoke to a group of trainees from a range of different routes. They also held meetings with tutors, mentors, the primary partnership steering group (PPSG), headteachers and other college leaders.  A wide range of evidence was considered, including the partnership’s self- evaluation document, improvement plans, handbooks for schools and trainees, ITE inspection report: Bradford College June 2018 recruitment and selection documentation, course material, professional

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Information about the primary ITE inspection

development activities and trainee tracking and assessment information.  Inspectors considered 44 responses to the trainee online questionnaire, as well as the partnership’s own satisfaction survey.  Inspectors checked that the partnership was compliant with statutory requirements, the ITT criteria and safeguarding requirements.

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Inspection team

Suzanne Lithgow SHMI (lead inspector) Belita Scott HMI (assistant lead inspector) Kate Rowley HMI (team inspector)

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Key strengths of the primary partnership

 Leaders have rightly prioritised improvements in quality assurance processes which have significantly increased the effectiveness of link tutors. This rapid development has also enhanced the quality of school-based mentoring, which is now good. Trainees are now benefiting from clear, precise and focused feedback.  School-based mentors have accessed high-quality training within the partnership. They are now adept at identifying trainees’ areas for further development. Mentors continually check to make sure trainees are embedding their skills.  As a result of clear strategic planning, the trainees’ use of oral and written standard English has improved markedly. The raised profile and awareness of all tutors and mentors ensure that trainees swiftly access intensive support, enabling them to become good role models when speaking with and to pupils.  Recruitment and selection procedures for new applicants have been

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Key strengths of the primary partnership

strengthened. Newly established procedures include a thorough analysis of trainees’ pre-course needs. This has led to an innovative project to build new trainees’ confidence and life skills before their courses officially begin.  Colleagues in partner schools value the increased expertise of link tutors this academic year. The link tutors respond immediately when concerns are raised. They are supportive to trainees and school staff alike. School colleagues feel listened to. Their opinions are taken into consideration.  Trainees benefit from teaching in a range of schools within the local area. All trainees have opportunities to practise their skills in different socio-economic ITE inspection report: Bradford College June 2018 settings, as well as in schools judged to be good and outstanding and those causing concern.  Leaders’ and tutors’ fast response to individual personal and training needs helps

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Key strengths of the primary partnership

trainees to achieve their ambitions. This better practice is contributing well to the supply of teachers, both locally and regionally.

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The partnership should:

 improve the quality of training further and ensure that trainees:  provide challenge for all pupils, especially the most able  have a good understanding of the barriers to learning faced by disadvantaged pupils and provide effective learning experiences to overcome them  have experience of assessing pupils’ progress over time from their starting points

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The partnership should:

 further improve the quality of leadership and management by:  ensuring that members of the PPSG use their skills to challenge and support leaders more rigorously  refining improvement plans to ensure that they include measurable targets by which progress can be measured incisively.

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Inspection judgements

1. Leaders have an unrelenting commitment to providing opportunities for potential applicants who live locally, sometimes in challenging contexts, and who may need additional support and help for them to realise their ambitions to become teachers.

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Inspection judgements

2. Since the previous inspection, leaders have rightly prioritised the vital areas for improvement which will have the biggest impact on the development of trainees’ skills. Action has led to improvements in the quality of the training and outcomes for trainees. Crucially, the quality of mentoring has improved as a direct result of better-quality training and quality assurance processes.

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Inspection judgements

3. Mentors now access high-quality training. This is offered at the college or in schools. Some partnership schools have used this to their advantage and trained whole-staff teams. This is empowering teachers and giving them the skills to take the next steps in their own leadership careers.

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Inspection judgements

4. Quality assurance processes have been revamped and strengthened. The appointment of a new partnership quality manager has driven forward the developments in this area at a rapid pace. A core team of senior leaders now ITE inspection report: Bradford College June 2018 rigorously holds link tutors to account for consistent, high-quality practice. Consequently, the partnership has higher expectations of the actions of mentors in schools.

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Inspection judgements

5. The PPSG has recently been overhauled to focus on strategic rather than operational management of the partnership. Although early days in the PPSG’s current form, the recruitment of leaders from successful schools in the partnership is strengthening this aspect of leadership and management. These leaders are enthusiastic and determined to continue the partnership’s improvement journey. They are well placed to start to use their skills to support and direct college leaders in strategic improvement planning, while challenging and holding them more rigorously to account for their performance.

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Inspection judgements

6. A range of schools, encompassing varying socio-economic backgrounds, are used to give trainees experience of the different challenges faced by school colleagues. This is further enhanced by trainees experiencing life in schools of different sizes, as well as schools which are outstanding and good and those requiring improvement and causing concern. This breadth of placements is good preparation for trainees entering the teaching profession.

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Inspection judgements

7. Trainees benefit from a wide range of training sessions focusing on all aspects of the national curriculum. They use their good subject knowledge and skills well, particularly in teaching phonics and literacy and, for those specialising in ages three to seven, the teaching of early reading and mathematics. Trainees manage pupils’ behaviour effectively. They use taught behaviour management strategies, alongside procedures given in schools’ individual policies.

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Inspection judgements

8. Taught sessions are delivered by college-based tutors as well as specialists from a range of partner schools. Delivery of the mastery approach to mathematics and assessment of pupils’ progress has recently benefited trainees on all ITT routes. Trainees said that they feel more confident now when practising the mastery approach in mathematics, and adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils more effectively in this area. This was borne out during the inspection.

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Inspection judgements

9. Trainees have opportunities to visit schools to look at best practice and to practise their own skills through curriculum-in-action days. They have observed teaching and learning in science, phonics and physical education (PE) in this way. In addition, leaders enhanced the PE training by securing input from the Football Association and Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Trainees appreciate that this gives them added knowledge and skills in preparation for teaching these aspects of PE in their NQT year and beyond.

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Inspection judgements

10. Trainees complete their training with additional skills and qualifications which help them to gain employment. For example, all trainees complete the child exploitation and online protection training, and many have taken up a voluntary ITE inspection report: Bradford College June 2018 accreditation in personal and social education. In addition, trainees build up their expertise in using free computing software; this enables them to have a bank of knowledge and skills which can be used to teach computing, including coding.

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Inspection judgements

11. Link tutors visit trainees on placement very regularly. Link tutors have received training themselves more recently to up-skill them and to ensure that they are up to date with current educational expectations. They make additional support visits at the request of placement schools. School colleagues speak highly of the work of link tutors and appreciate how quickly they respond to any concerns that are raised. School mentors feel valued as mentors because their views and opinions are listened to and acted upon by college staff.

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Inspection judgements

12. Trainees are observed teaching core and foundation subjects on a weekly basis. This ensures that any training and development needs are picked up quickly. Trainees are invited and expected to attend top-up and intervention sessions to address their identified needs. Recently, these sessions have been in mathematics, special educational needs (SEN) and assessment. As a result, trainees’ teaching over time has improved, and the vast majority are exceeding the minimum requirements when assessed against the teachers’ standards.

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Inspection judgements

13. Trainees are growing in confidence when assessing the progress made by the pupils in their classes, from the time that they started teaching them. However, trainees do not have a deep knowledge of pupils’ progress from their individual starting points from the end of the early years or end of key stage 1. Furthermore, trainees lack opportunities to evaluate progress in pupils’ books over time.

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Inspection judgements

14. Trainees are knowledgeable about the SEN of individual pupils in their classes. On occasion, their knowledge of SEN is limited because of the timings of placements and taught sessions.

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Inspection judgements

15. Trainees are not prepared well enough to ensure that appropriate challenge is given to pupils across the curriculum, especially the most able pupils. This area has started to be tackled through mastery in mathematics. However, it remains a concern in other areas of the curriculum. Plans for improvement in this area are weak. This has led to ineffective action since the last inspection.

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Inspection judgements

16. Trainees are too often confused about the barriers to learning faced by pupils who are disadvantaged. Without this understanding, they do not consider critical aspects, such as pupils’ experience and knowledge, when planning and delivering the curriculum. Trainees often confuse disadvantaged pupils with other vulnerable groups of pupils. This is leading to weaker provision for disadvantaged pupils. ITE inspection report: Bradford College June 2018 17. Leaders and other staff respond positively to trainees’ concerns and suggestions. Recently, Year 1 undergraduates expressed a view that there was an inconsistent approach to preparing trainees for school-based tasks. This was addressed by allocating specific time for each tutor to tackle this concern. Furthermore, trainees now have the ability to provide feedback about the quality of mentoring during placements. College staff triangulate this vital information to identify any further training and development needs.

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Inspection judgements

18. The provider uses a range of strategies to support trainees as they search for teaching jobs, and in their first and second years of teaching. For example, trainees are supported with their letters of application, and they attend mock interviews. They are also invited to an NQT conference. Attendance at this conference quadrupled this year.

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Inspection judgements

19. Improved target-setting for trainees as they become NQTs is in place. All link tutors and mentors have had additional input about the need for targets to be measurable and achievable in a timely way. This year, all trainees have agreed that these career-entry targets will be sent directly to their new employers.

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Inspection judgements

20. Recruitment and selection procedures for the 2018/19 round of applications have been strengthened. A summer school for successful applicants has been arranged for this cohort. This is intended to improve their life skills, broaden their experiences and increase their confidence.

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Inspection judgements

21. The quality of spoken and written standard English is now taken into consideration during recruitment and selection. During the inspection, the vast majority of trainees used standard English as a matter of course. This is because of intense support for those requiring it, and a much-raised profile, leading to higher expectations from all staff.

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Inspection judgements

22. Published completion rates are above national benchmarks for undergraduates, but not for postgraduates. The opposite is the case for employment rates. When combined, they are broadly in line with the sector’s averages. However, more recently, both completion and employment rates have improved. Furthermore, a very large majority of trainees who defer their courses complete them in the following year with appropriate support and guidance from college staff.

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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

Dixons Marchbank Primary School, Bradford

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Annex: Partnership schools

Harehills Primary School, Leeds ITE inspection report: Bradford College June 2018 Lilycroft Primary School, Bradford

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Annex: Partnership schools

Mount Pleasant Primary School, Huddersfield

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Annex: Partnership schools

Otley All Saints CE Primary School, Otley, Leeds.

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Annex: Partnership schools

Woodlands Primary School, Bradford ITE inspection report: Bradford College June 2018

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ITE partnership details

Unique reference number Inspection number Inspection date Lead inspector Type of ITE partnership Phases provided Date of previous inspection

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ITE partnership details

Provider address 11–14 June 2018 Suzanne Lithgow, SHMI SCITT Primary 12–14 June 2017 20–22 November 2017 https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection- reports/find-inspection- report/provider/ELS/70134

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ITE partnership details

Great Horton Road Bradford West Yorkshire BD7 1AY ITE inspection report: Bradford College June 2018 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 . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format

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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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