GLF Schools’ Teacher Training

GLF Schools’ Teacher Training Initial teacher education inspection report Inspection dates Stage 1: 14 May 2018 Stage 2: 12 November 2018

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This inspection was carried out by a Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI) and an Ofsted Inspector (OI) 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 the secondary provision 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: GLF Schools’ Teacher Training November 2018

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Information about the secondary partnership

 GLF Schools’ Teacher Training is a school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) provider. It is based at Glyn School in Epsom, which is part of the GLF Schools multi-academy trust (MAT). The ITE partnership is led by the trust. Glyn School is also a national teaching school and the lead school in the GLF Teaching School Alliance.  In its first two years of operation, the partnership offered secondary qualified teacher status (QTS) training through two training routes: School Direct and School Direct (salaried). There were 18 trainees at stage 1 of the inspection, undertaking training in history, English, physics, geography, computing, mathematics, physical education and modern foreign languages. Trainees who achieve QTS also have the opportunity to gain a postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) from the University of Roehampton.  In 2018/19, the partnership has expanded to offer training for primary phase

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Information about the secondary partnership

trainees and assessment-only routes for both phases, in addition to secondary training. There are currently 27 secondary trainees and 11 primary trainees. No trainees are enrolled on the assessment-only training route at present.  The programme is overseen by a partnership board made up of the chief executive officer, the director of education and the schools’ performance director for the MAT, as well as headteachers from partner schools. In 2017/18, the SCITT was led by two co-directors, one of whom left at the end of the year. The SCITT is currently led by the director, along with relatively recently appointed secondary and primary operational leads.  In 2017/18, the partnership consisted of four schools belonging to the MAT, as well as two schools from outside the trust. This academic year, three new secondary schools, all of which are part of the MAT, and nine primary schools, six of which are members of the MAT, have joined the partnership.

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Information about the secondary ITE inspection

 There were two inspectors at both stages of the inspection. Inspectors visited five schools and seven trainees at stage 1 of the inspection. With mentors, they jointly observed trainees teach and also met separately with these trainees and their mentors as well as with other trainees, mentors and professional tutors.  During stage 2 of the inspection, inspectors visited six schools, two of which had been visited at stage 1. Two of the schools visited were from outside the partnership. Inspectors observed seven newly qualified teachers (NQTs) teach and then met with them to discuss their training. Inspectors also met with two NQTs they had not seen teach, with a number of NQT tutors and a professional mentor and with a group of eight NQTs at the centre. ITE inspection report: GLF Schools’ Teacher Training November 2018  Inspectors took account of the final total of 18 responses to the trainee online

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Information about the secondary ITE inspection

questionnaire in 2018.  Inspectors, at both stages, scrutinised pupils’ work to ascertain the quality of trainees’ and NQTs’ teaching over time, and, at stage 2, met with pupils taught by NQTs.  Over the two stages of the inspection, inspectors held meetings with: SCITT directors; the secondary operational lead; groups of mentors, professional tutors and lead subject mentors; members of the partnership board and the quality assurance committee; groups of assessors and members of the assessment board; the external examiner; and the link tutor from the University of Roehampton.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentary evidence provided by the partnership, including leaders’ evaluations and improvement plans, assessment information and minutes of meetings when the effectiveness of the partnership was discussed. Inspectors held a separate meeting in order to make compliance checks on the initial teacher training (ITT) criteria and to make statutory

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Information about the secondary ITE inspection

requirement checks, including on safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Sarah Hubbard HMI (lead inspector) Christopher Lee OI (assistant lead inspector)

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Key strengths of the secondary partnership

 The leadership and management of the partnership are outstanding and have secured good and improving outcomes for trainees. A greater proportion of trainees were awarded the highest level against the teachers’ standards at the end of the course in 2018 compared with the previous year.  The partnership makes a substantial contribution to the supply of effective teachers in partner schools and in a widening pool of local schools. It recognises potential, including in people who have had successful careers outside of teaching. The support and guidance provided over the period of the course mean that NQTs make a good start in their teaching careers.  Training is strong, and elements are outstanding because of the excellent way that the SCITT director and the secondary operational lead have developed and refined training over time. As a result, many trainees made strong progress in most of the teachers’ standards, especially in the final term of their training.

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Key strengths of the secondary partnership

 Subject knowledge training is exceptionally effective and NQTs and trainees have strong expertise in the subjects they teach. The SCITT leadership team has ITE inspection report: GLF Schools’ Teacher Training November 2018 ensured that lead subject mentors make a substantial contribution to the partnership, including by working closely with school-based mentors.  Highly effective quality assurance procedures and processes mean that the SCITT director and partnership board have a detailed understanding of how strong the provision is. They swiftly implement carefully focused changes to address any improvements that are required. As a consequence, trainees develop their confidence and expertise in teaching well during their school placements.  The quality of school-based mentoring is consistently effective due to the carefully planned training mentors receive and assiduous quality assurance.  Assessment processes have been developed very effectively and take account of

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Key strengths of the secondary partnership

a broad range of evidence. The SCITT director and secondary operational lead have included additional checks and balances so that assessments reliably identify any weaker standards. Precisely targeted additional support has assisted trainees in making progress in managing pupils’ behaviour and meeting the needs of different pupils.

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The partnership should:

 improve outcomes so that:  completion rates over time are well above national averages for the sector  an increasing proportion of trainees achieve higher levels  ensure that practice in setting, developing and reviewing start-of-career targets is consistently as effective as the best seen in the partnership  ensure that every trainee has the same rich opportunities to experience all aspects of the wider responsibilities of teaching that most trainees have.

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Inspection judgements

1. GLF is a dynamic and rapidly evolving new partnership that is excellently led and managed. Leaders across the partnership are totally committed to training teachers to the highest-possible standards. To this end, they continually enhance the quality of the training and the support they provide. Leaders are tireless in their pursuit of excellence and are determined that trainees become the best teachers they can.

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Inspection judgements

2. The partnership makes a considerable contribution to improving the supply of effective teachers in the region. Many schools in the locality struggle to recruit teachers. Headteachers of partner schools view the SCITT as crucial to the supply of good-quality teachers. The partnership has evolved so that it can continue to meet new and emerging recruitment needs. While leaders are ITE inspection report: GLF Schools’ Teacher Training November 2018 committed to the shared vision of meeting local and national demand for teachers, they ensure that assessments of trainees’ capabilities are accurate and trainees entering the profession are of high quality. The partnership is highly successful in meeting its vision and aims. Employment rates for trainees are above national averages for the sector. The majority are employed in partnership schools and all are employed in schools within the local area.

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Inspection judgements

3. The partnership works well with new partner schools, including new academies sponsored by the trust. Trainees and NQTs gain insight into how best to meet pupils’ different needs through the contrasting nature of their placements. For example, trainees’ placements include some schools that have a higher-than- average percentage of disadvantaged pupils. Due to a high proportion of single- sex schools in the partnership, many trainees benefit from the experience of working in boys’ and/or girls’ schools.

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Inspection judgements

4. Trainees and NQTs feel that the recruitment process is rigorous, especially elements that test the extent of candidates’ subject knowledge. During the last academic year, leaders further strengthened the recruitment process, for example candidates were asked specific questions on resilience and work–life balance and also met current trainees as part of the process. This helped prospective trainees gain a deeper insight into how challenging and rewarding teaching can be. Current trainees who were recruited during last academic year told inspectors that they feel well prepared for the challenges they are encountering.

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Inspection judgements

5. A higher-than-average proportion of trainees did not complete their training in 2017/18, despite the best efforts of the SCITT director and the secondary operational lead. The vast majority of trainees cited personal reasons that were beyond the partnership’s control, such as illness. There were no differences in completion rates and other outcomes between routes or between different subjects. Leaders provide extensive individual support for trainees, for example one-to-one sessions with a resilience coach. During the year, SCITT leaders acted upon the ongoing feedback that they received about the impact of the support they provided and refined it. In keeping with its strong culture of self- improvement, the care and support the partnership offers has been fine-tuned for the current group of trainees.

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Inspection judgements

6. Leaders have established a strong ethos of self-improvement across the partnership, including among trainees. Trainees seek to be the best teachers they can, have high standards and hold themselves to account. SCITT leaders have fully actioned all the areas for improvement that arose from stage 1 of the inspection, many of which had already been identified by the SCITT’s own stringent self-review processes. Leaders at all levels thoroughly check that changes are having their intended impact. ITE inspection report: GLF Schools’ Teacher Training November 2018 7. The quality of training and the impact it has on trainees’ teaching is systematically checked and evaluated by leaders. Leaders take time to ensure that their judgements are accurate by, for example, co-observing trainees teach and sharing their observations in order to standardise their judgements. An external moderator supports the process and makes sure judgements are

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Inspection judgements

8. SCITT leaders frequently gather trainees’ feedback on specific training events and more generally on the course. Changes made in response to feedback often have a positive impact on trainees. One example is the way that grading criteria were clarified and amended during the course last year. Trainees found the clarification helpful.

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Inspection judgements

9. The partnership board regularly reviews the effectiveness of the partnership. The board’s evaluations are stringent and based on a range of indicators that include trainees’ feedback, outcomes from quality assurance visits, and the grades trainees receive for each of the teachers’ standards at each assessment point. As a result, the board’s evaluations are accurate, well-evidenced and lead to tangible improvements. For example, during the last year, following feedback on some of the assessment processes and other aspects of the provision, the partnership board decided to add capacity to the leadership team. They appointed a secondary operational lead, who has a comprehensive understanding of assessment processes.

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Inspection judgements

10. Effective and carefully considered training enables trainees and NQTs to make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. Leaders in schools that employ NQTs are pleased with their professionalism. NQTs reflecting on their training praised the guidance they had received on safeguarding and equalities, as well as some other aspects of professional conduct. However, evidence from trainees’ files and discussions with NQTs indicate that not all trainees had the opportunity to fully demonstrate their capabilities in some aspects of their wider professional role. A number of NQTs mentioned to inspectors that they did not feel as fully prepared for their responsibilities as a form tutor as they did for other facets of their role.

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Inspection judgements

11. Trainees and NQTs praised the quality of mentoring and could identify times when mentors had given them self-belief and worthwhile subject guidance. Most commented that, although mentors had different styles, the quality of their guidance was consistently high. Leaders have strengthened this consistency by ensuring mentors from first and second placements jointly observe trainees towards the end of their first placement. This allows mentors to agree the support required when trainees move schools.

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Inspection judgements

12. Due to effective oversight and strong training, many trainees last year made strong progress from the start of the course to the end. At the final assessment point, nearly half were assessed at the highest level. NQTs described how, ITE inspection report: GLF Schools’ Teacher Training November 2018 when they collated evidence for each of the teachers’ standards towards the end of the course, ‘things just clicked into place’. In addition, in the third term, some of the changes made earlier in the initial stages of the training had bedded in. However, changes made to improve NQT targets are not fully bedded in across the partnership. While the process of setting targets and planning how to meet them is effective for some trainees, it is not yet consistently strong across the partnership.

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Inspection judgements

13. The partnership is outward-looking, and good use is made of external training and moderation. Mentor training, which is based on the national mentor standards, is delivered by a collaboration of local higher education teacher training providers. The certified training helps to ensure consistency in practice across the partnership. Leaders have worked closely with the University of Roehampton to ensure PGCE assignments link well with trainees’ placement experience. By encouraging trainees to analyse and reflect on their experiences in school, the assignments assist trainees in connecting theory to practice and thus enable them to improve the quality of their teaching

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Inspection judgements

14. Trainees develop subject knowledge exceptionally well. Subject lead mentors, many of whom lead subjects across the MAT, provide trainees with excellent opportunities to deepen their subject-specific knowledge and understanding. Trainees and NQTs praised subject enhancement training highly because it was tailored to their individual needs, as well as to the challenges presented by different subjects. Subject lead mentors are very closely attuned to trainees’ needs. They use the minutes from the weekly meetings that trainees have with their mentors to identify which aspects of subject knowledge need to be boosted. A good example of this is the subject knowledge training day that was focused on teaching A-level English, instigated at the request of trainees.

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Inspection judgements

15. NQTs and trainees impart their very strong subject knowledge to pupils in well- sequenced lessons. They are particularly adept at making sure pupils gain the subject-specific knowledge and skills required to complete the tasks they set for them. NQTs and trainees plan thoughtfully so that gaps in pupils’ subject knowledge are filled quickly. They ensure that pupils remember subject-specific vocabulary. For instance, pupils confidently and accurately used key terms relating to topography and economics when answering questions in geography. As well as promoting pupils’ literacy effectively, NQTs and trainees make sure pupils gain knowledge and skills in aspects of numeracy most relevant to the topic.

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Inspection judgements

16. Work in pupils’ books is generally high quality and the vast majority of pupils taught by trainees and NQTs show pride in their work. Pupils’ books also indicate that NQTs and trainees set tasks that enable pupils to apply their knowledge at a deeper level, to link ideas and to practise the skills required at GCSE. The detailed understanding NQTs and trainees have of GCSE specifications mean that they are able to explain very clearly to pupils how their ITE inspection report: GLF Schools’ Teacher Training November 2018 work supports them in being successful in GCSE examinations. Pupils are highly motivated by this.

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Inspection judgements

17. Assessment supports trainees very well and is accurate. Over the last academic year, processes were clarified, and mentors applied grading criteria more consistently. The director and the operational lead work closely with a team of well-trained assessors to ensure that termly assessments are reliable. Assessors in turn make sure their assessments are based on a broad and deep range of evidence. They helpfully meet one-to-one with trainees, so they can ask them to explain the evidence and provide further exemplification.

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Inspection judgements

18. Assessors are effectively overseen by an assessment board, made up of two headteachers from partner schools. The assessment board carefully scrutinises files from a sample of trainees, which includes trainees who are on the border between two grades. Additional checks and balances such as these mean that assessment is reliable. Members of the assessment board gain a profound insight into the quality of training, which is systematically fed back to the partnership board. The partnership board uses this information well when holding SCITT leaders to account. Trainees and NQTs could identify how the assessment process as a whole, as well as its component parts, had accelerated their development as teachers.

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Inspection judgements

19. NQTs and trainees use effective assessment approaches in their own teaching. They often carefully match assessment methods to the subject and purpose of the assessment. Trainees and NQTs were observed targeting specific pupils with carefully crafted questions so that pupils could build on what they already knew. Trainees and NQTs establish a positive rapport with pupils, and this, along with their high expectations of pupils’ learning, means that pupils often ask them speculative and hypothetical questions. The free flow of ideas between pupils and NQTs or trainees contributes to the vast majority of pupils being very engaged in their learning.

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Inspection judgements

20. The professional studies training sessions enable NQTs and trainees to gain expertise in managing pupils’ conduct. Inspectors observed trainees and NQTs using a range of different techniques, including non-verbal signals and praise. NQTs feel that they had a good grounding in different approaches to managing behaviour and can follow schools’ policies confidently. They are able to reflect critically on situations where the approach they have chosen has not worked as well as they expected and can identify what they need to do differently.

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Inspection judgements

21. Communication is very effective. Of note is how well-informed professional tutors, subject lead mentors and mentors are about the relative strengths and weaknesses in trainees’ practice. This is because the director and the operational lead regularly collate information about common stronger and relatively weaker aspects of trainees’ practice and circulate it through the ITE inspection report: GLF Schools’ Teacher Training November 2018 partnership newsletter. Professional mentors in schools make very good use of this information to ensure any training they provide is relevant.

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Inspection judgements

22. Weekly professional training delivered by leaders from partnership schools is similarly bespoke. It often focuses on aspects that have been identified as less strong, as well as taking account of the ITT core content framework. In the summer term last academic year, there was an emphasis on developing trainees’ understanding of the different needs pupils have, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and how best to support all pupils in making progress. As part of this, trainees also learned about ways of supporting pupils who have experienced bullying and other issues that affect pupils’ sense of well-being. Professional studies training successfully supports trainees and NQTs in identifying and meeting the needs of different groups. It also enables them to acquire a developed understanding of how equalities legislation underpins their work as teachers.

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Inspection judgements

23. Trainees and NQTs praised the quality of their professional studies training. They have benefited from the extensive safeguarding training, which formed a substantial element of this training. Trainees’ files and observations show them making good use of their knowledge of pupils’ cognitive development when planning lessons and developing resources.

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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

St Philomena’s Catholic High School for Girls, Sutton

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Annex: Partnership schools

The Bishop Wand Church of England School, Sunbury-on-Thames ITE inspection report: GLF Schools’ Teacher Training November 2018

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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 14–16 May 2018 12–14 November 2018 Sarah Hubbard HMI SCITT Secondary Not previously inspected N/A

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ITE partnership details

GLF Schools Claygate House Esher Surrey KT10 9PN ITE inspection report: GLF Schools’ Teacher Training November 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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