Northampton Teacher Training Partnership

Northampton Teacher Training Partnership Initial teacher education inspection report Inspection dates Stage 1: 21 May 2018 Stage 2: 5 November 2018

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This inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and one 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 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

Secondary QTS Overall effectiveness How well does the partnership secure consistently high-quality outcomes for trainees? The outcomes for trainees 1 The quality of training across the partnership The quality of leadership and management across the partnership ITE inspection report: Northampton Teacher Training Partnership October 2018

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Information about the secondary partnership

 The Northampton Teacher Training Partnership is a well-established school- centred initial teacher training (SCITT) consortium. The partnership works with 21 schools, including those with pupils in the 11 to 16 and 11 to 18 age range, located across two local authority areas.  The provider offers training in a range of subjects, including English, mathematics, sciences, humanities, languages, physical education, social sciences and arts subjects.  The provider offers qualified teacher (QTS). Successful trainees gain a postgraduate certificate in secondary education (PGCE) awarded by Newman University.  The numbers of trainees recruited onto the course has remained stable over recent years. At the time of the inspection, there were 24 trainees. The partnership is highly regarded by schools and makes a significant contribution to the recruitment and retention of teachers in local schools. The partnership is

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Information about the secondary partnership

based in the founding school, Northampton School for Boys.

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Information about the secondary ITE inspection

 Over the two stages of the inspection, inspectors met with a wide sample of trainees from the 2017/18 cohort. Mentors conducted observations jointly with inspectors over both stages of the inspection. Observations included trainees who have been employed in schools beyond the partnership. During stage 1 of the inspection, inspectors observed 10 trainees teach, out of a total of the 24 trainees. During stage 2 of the inspection, inspectors observed a further 11 newly qualified teachers (NQTs). They also spoke by telephone with one trainee and met with a number of trainees during the course of visits to schools.  Inspectors met with senior staff from a range of schools, including those employing NQTs which are not located within the partnership.  At both stages of the inspection, inspectors met with representatives of the strategic management group and lead subject mentor group.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including the partnership

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Information about the secondary ITE inspection

agreement and improvement plans. Inspectors checked the partnership’s compliance with the statutory criteria that providers of initial teacher training (ITT) must meet.  Inspectors considered assessment information on trainees’ progress and achievement, information on the training programme and safeguarding information. Inspectors reviewed the teaching files of trainees and NQTs. Inspectors also considered the 23 responses to Ofsted’s online trainee survey for 2017/18. ITE inspection report: Northampton Teacher Training Partnership October 2018

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Inspection team

Emma Hollis-Brown OI, lead inspector Jayne Ashman HMI, assistant lead inspector

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Key strengths of the secondary partnership

 Leaders demonstrate a clear and ambitious vision for the development of high- quality trainees. This has significantly enhanced recruitment and retention into the workforce of schools in the local and regional areas. Many former trainees have made significant progress in developing their careers.  Programme leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of the strengths and areas of development of the partnership as a result of sound quality assurance processes. They have developed a detailed and incisive improvement plan, which has been used to direct actions that have secured sustained success over time.  Outstanding leadership has secured strong outcomes for trainees’ attainment. Completion and employment rates are consistently above national and regional averages because trainees are well prepared for their future career.  The programme is characterised by high-quality training, including a comprehensive offer for each subject. Leaders ensure that the training is

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Key strengths of the secondary partnership

delivered by a range of specialists drawn from across and beyond the partnership. As a result, trainees demonstrate confidence in their subject knowledge and classroom practice.  Leaders work closely with partnership schools to ensure that trainees teach in a range of different schools. Consequently, trainees are well equipped to work in schools such as those in challenging socio-economic circumstances and those with diverse cohorts of pupils.  High-quality training for school-based tutors leads to outstanding coaching and pastoral support for trainees at different stages of the programme.  Programme leaders ensure that trainees have a secure understanding of the importance of keeping children safe in education, including online.  Leaders ensure rigorous and thorough recruitment and selection processes. They demonstrate clear passion and a commitment to ensuring that trainees demonstrate the appropriate skills to succeed.

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Key strengths of the secondary partnership

ITE inspection report: Northampton Teacher Training Partnership October 2018

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The partnership should:

 improve the effectiveness of plans designed to ensure a smooth transition between the training programme and the induction year by:  ensuring that end-of-programme targets are sharp, focused and measurable  providing further support for employing schools to ensure that NQTs make appropriate use of their targets  ensure that targets designed to develop trainees’ subject knowledge are identified at the earliest possible opportunity during the recruitment process and used to promote rapid progress.

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Inspection judgements

1. Outstanding leadership has ensured that over recent years the number of trainees achieving at an outstanding level has risen steadily across all subjects. All trainees achieve the minimum level of practice against the teachers’ standards. Trainees often demonstrate strong skills in planning, teaching and assessment.

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Inspection judgements

2. Leaders demonstrate a strong grasp of the outcomes for different groups of trainees. Where male trainees and those who enter the programme as mature students have performed less well than their peers, leaders have responded with uncompromising ambition to diminish these differences.

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Inspection judgements

3. Over a significant period, completion rates have remained above national and regional averages, with no variation across subjects.

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Inspection judgements

4. Leaders adjust the training programme in response to trainees’ evaluations and developments in the broader field of education.

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Inspection judgements

5. Trainees were full of praise about the quality of training that they had received. Sessions which focus on teachers’ well-being and how children learn demonstrate leaders’ understanding of the pressing issues facing the profession.

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Inspection judgements

6. Trainees benefit from a well-designed training programme that includes a well- taught range of professional studies and tailored subject studies programmes.

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Inspection judgements

7. Partnership schools with expertise in working with groups of pupils with specific challenges offer tailored sessions designed to share their skills and experience. For example, professionals from schools with higher proportions of pupils who speak English as an additional language provide trainees with opportunities to develop their skills in planning to meet the specific needs of this group of pupils. ITE inspection report: Northampton Teacher Training Partnership October 2018 8. Tailored training enables trainees to understand possible barriers to pupils’ learning and how to challenge and motivate pupils. Trainees demonstrate high levels of confidence in making specific provision for pupils with special education needs and disabilities. Inspectors observed a number of outstanding examples of trainees’ teaching, including personalised activity design and skilful questioning in history and English lessons.

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Inspection judgements

9. Trainees report positively on their experience of focused training on behaviour management. As a result, trainees demonstrate a strong understanding of the features of a positive climate for learning.

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Inspection judgements

10. Leaders demonstrate strong commitment to the importance of providing detailed training on all aspects of effective safeguarding practice. School-based professionals provide wide-ranging input on the signs of abuse, e-safety, strategies to respond to bullying and procedures for making a referral to school leaders. Trainees demonstrate a good level of understanding of the characteristics of an effective culture of equality and diversity in schools and are well trained to understand the signs of potential radicalisation.

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Inspection judgements

11. Trainees are well prepared to accurately assess pupils’ progress and achievement using school assessment systems. NQTs demonstrate a good level of understanding of the specific demands of key stage 4 and 5 examination specifications. They use a vast range of information to plan appropriately in order that pupils in each phase of education progress as they should.

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Inspection judgements

12. Trainees undertake comprehensive training to promote and develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. School-based tutors closely monitor the development of trainees’ skills in these key areas of learning.

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Inspection judgements

13. Trainees spend significant time considering the purpose and characteristics of effective reflective practice. Leaders have ensured that trainees regularly review and then reflect on their practice. NQTs are keen to develop and review their teaching in order to continue to improve.

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Inspection judgements

14. Well-planned and fully comprehensive subject-studies training ensures that trainees are well equipped to teach pupils across the secondary key stages. Examples include training on the use of technology to record pupils’ performance in physical education and close attention to the importance of field studies in geography and science.

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Inspection judgements

15. Expert lead subject mentors work collaboratively with school-based tutors to set high expectations for ensuring the development of trainees’ subject knowledge. A well-designed subject knowledge audit ensures that trainees are tracking their progress from the point of induction. Inspectors observed a number of NQTs using strong subject knowledge to promote pupils’ learning. In a highly successful physical education lesson, pupils were asked to explore a range of gymnastic techniques, while in drama pupils enjoyed opportunities to engage in character development. ITE inspection report: Northampton Teacher Training Partnership October 2018 16. Assessment of trainees’ performance is accurate, and leaders track trainees’ progress against the expected standards at regular intervals. Where appropriate, performance information is used to plan interventions to promote trainees’ progress.

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Inspection judgements

17. Procedures for responding to difficulties faced by weaker trainees are clearly formulated and well understood by school-based colleagues. Targeted action plans are used effectively to ensure that trainees benefit from the appropriate level and types of support.

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Inspection judgements

18. School-based tutors demonstrate confidence in the use of partnership documentation to record meetings and observations of teaching. Weekly targets are well linked to the teachers’ standards and sharp in focus.

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Inspection judgements

19. The role of the professional tutor has been significantly enhanced over time. Opportunities for leaders to quality assure the work of school-based tutors are frequent and embedded within the programme. This ensures that there is close monitoring of the design and delivery of feedback on trainees’ teaching and the effectiveness of development meetings.

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Inspection judgements

20. Leaders actively pursue a vision for excellence in the design and delivery of the programme. Leaders base their actions on a rich and accurate understanding of local, regional and national needs, and a clear-sighted analysis of the strengths and areas for development in the partnership.

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Inspection judgements

21. Leaders demonstrate strong capacity to continue to improve the partnership at pace and build on their reputation for excellence. Between the two stages of the inspection, they reflected on their own learning and this led to significant changes to their expectations of trainees’ portfolios.

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Inspection judgements

22. Leaders demonstrate clear-sighted understanding of the specific issues and challenges facing schools. They actively engage in local and national partnerships, including the local School Direct Network and teaching school alliance network, to develop and enhance to their work.

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Inspection judgements

23. Trainees benefit from the work of a well-established partnership of schools, which includes a number of high performing teaching schools. Trainees are placed in a range of settings including schools in challenging socio-economic circumstances. Leaders ensure that placements provide opportunities for trainees to gain a breadth of skills.

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Inspection judgements

24. Leaders regularly review the composition of the partnership and collaborate closely with partners to review the range and suitability of the subjects offered. Leaders ensure that the needs of trainees are a high priority and placements are secured in schools that demonstrate the capacity to support trainees to a high standard. ITE inspection report: Northampton Teacher Training Partnership October 2018 25. Arrangements for training school-based tutors and professional tutors are comprehensive and well considered. Colleagues benefit from coaching on the demands of documentation and are asked to consider the characteristics of effective mentoring. As a result, the quality of mentoring is now a key strength of the partnership.

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Inspection judgements

26. Arrangements for the quality assurance of the work of trainers are well considered, embedded and designed to improve the quality of provision. Leaders track the quality of recording of meetings, lesson observation feedback and trainees’ reflections. The assistant to the programme facilitators skilfully oversees the conduct of this process.

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Inspection judgements

27. Leaders’ plans are effective in ensuring that trainees have a strong understanding of the safe use of technology and social media.

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Inspection judgements

28. The work of the strategic management group is sharply focused and priorities are reviewed at regular intervals. This group is highly effective and plays a key role in driving the improvement priorities for the partnership.

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Inspection judgements

29. The views of all stakeholders in the partnership are captured at regular intervals. Leaders carefully consider and use responses to develop provision. The annual report includes a precise evaluation of actions taken.

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Inspection judgements

30. Processes designed to recruit and select trainees are effective and meet the requirements of the ITT criteria. In specific cases and subjects, trainees are required to undertake subject knowledge enhancement training. Selection tasks are collaboratively designed by programme leaders and are carefully targeted to check the skills of applicants.

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Inspection judgements

31. The partnership currently meets the requirements of all aspects of statutory criteria and relevant legislation, including equality, diversity and safeguarding.

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Inspection judgements

32. The administration of the training programme is outstanding and contributes to high levels of confidence among trainees and partnership schools.

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Inspection judgements

33. Inspectors agreed with school leaders’ judgements that the partnership effectively supports the recruitment and then retention of highly effective teachers, including in shortage subjects, for example mathematics. Nevertheless, targets relating to the acquisition of trainees’ subject knowledge could be identified earlier in the recruitment process as a means of securing faster progress during their training.

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Inspection judgements

34. Trainees are very well prepared for the next steps of their careers. Employment rates are above national and regional averages. From the most recent cohorts, all trainees have been retained within the profession. Many of those trained have themselves become mentors and trainers. They act as outstanding ambassadors for the partnership. Nonetheless, the plans that are prepared to support trainees’ induction into their first year of teaching could be sharper; this ITE inspection report: Northampton Teacher Training Partnership October 2018 could help employing schools to ensure that appropriate use of made of targets to ensure that a smoother transition is made into the profession.

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Annex: Schools involved as part of the inspection

The following schools were involved during the inspection or were visited to observe trainees’ and NQTs’ teaching:

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Annex: Schools involved as part of the inspection

Northampton School for Girls, Northampton

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Annex: Schools involved as part of the inspection

Northampton School for Boys, Northampton

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Annex: Schools involved as part of the inspection

Sir Christopher Hatton Academy, Wellingborough

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Annex: Schools involved as part of the inspection

Thomas Becket Catholic School, Northampton

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Annex: Schools involved as part of the inspection

Wollaston School, Wellingborough ITE inspection report: Northampton Teacher Training Partnership October 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 21–23 May 2018 5–7 November 2018 Emma Hollis-Brown SCITT Secondary 13 June 2011 https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/41/70054

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ITE partnership details

Northampton School for Boys Billing Rd Northampton NN1 5RT Phone: 01604 230240 www.ncttsa.co.uk ITE inspection report: Northampton Teacher Training Partnership October 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 .

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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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