Tudor Grange SCITT

Tudor Grange SCITT Tudor Grange Academy Solihull, Dingle Lane, Solihull B91 3PD

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Inspection judgements

Primary and secondary age-phase combined

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education and training Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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What is it like to be a trainee at this ITE partnership?

Trainees receive a bespoke programme of training and support, tailored to their individual needs. The curriculum is well coordinated around the ‘Tudor Grange Core Five’ statements which underpin the content of all the training and experiences for trainees.

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What is it like to be a trainee at this ITE partnership?

Tudor Grange SCITT selects trainees’ two placement schools carefully. This ensures trainees receive consistent and effective mentor support and an experience of contrasting settings.

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What is it like to be a trainee at this ITE partnership?

Leaders think carefully about ’trainees’ workload, including the number of lessons trainees teach. They consider personal circumstances, but also enable trainees to gain a realistic view of the role.

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What is it like to be a trainee at this ITE partnership?

Training for special educational needs and/or disabilities and English as an additional language is extensive. Trainees experience high-quality training based on up-to-date research which they apply in their subject training sessions. Understanding the inclusion of pupils runs throughout the course. Trainees understand their safeguarding responsibilities. They can develop their experience further where they have responsibility for a form or class.

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What is it like to be a trainee at this ITE partnership?

Trainees are well prepared to teach systematic synthetic phonics in the primary phase. In secondary, well-qualified and knowledgeable subject leaders ensure that trainees are well prepared in pedagogy and practice to teach their subject. There is regular and effective communication between training leaders, school leaders and mentors.

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Information about this ITE partnership

◼ There are 17 trainees training this academic year. Ten trainees are in the secondary phase and seven are in the primary phase. ◼ The school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) provider has 15 partner schools. There are eight in the primary phase and seven in the secondary phase. ◼ The Ofsted inspection judgements of the partner schools which have placed trainees this year range from outstanding to requires improvement. ◼ There are two pathways for those wishing to train to teach in the primary sector (age range 5 to 11) – primary or primary generalist with mathematics. Secondary training is in the 11 to 16 age range. All trainees follow the post-graduate non- school direct route. Primary and secondary initial teacher training courses at Tudor Grange SCITT offer a Post-graduate Certification in Education in teaching and learning in partnership with a local university.

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Information about this inspection

◼ The inspection team consisted of three of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. ◼ The inspection activities were a combination of face-to-face and remote meetings. ◼ Inspectors met with the SCITT director and other leaders and staff within the partnership. ◼ Inspectors met with six SCITT secondary subject leaders and three primary subject leaders. ◼ They also met with two members of the SCITT executive and senior leaders from Tudor Grange Academy Trust. ◼ Inspectors visited a secondary professional studies session and a number of subject studies sessions. ◼ Inspectors visited seven partner schools to observe trainees. They spoke to senior leaders, professional mentors, subject leaders and mentors from nine partner schools in total. ◼ Inspectors spoke to a representative from Birmingham City University. ◼ Inspectors spoke to 15 trainees and nine former trainees, including five early careers teachers. ◼ There were no responses to Ofsted’s online trainee survey or its online staff survey.

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Information about this inspection

◼ Inspectors conducted focused reviews into early reading and geography in the primary phase and English, mathematics, computing and humanities in the secondary phase .

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better?

The ambitious curriculum ensures that trainees are well equipped to teach their phase or subject. The partnership achieves this by closely aligning generic learning, such as planning a series of lessons, with how they apply in trainees’ subjects or phases. Leaders plan courses that are well sequenced to build up trainees’ knowledge and experience. This enables trainees to be ready to meet the ’teachers’ standards by the end of their training.

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better?

The partnership complies fully with the core content framework. The statements are coordinated and applied through key themes and strands, ‘The Tudor Grange Core Five’. This helps inform trainees about their strengths and next steps as part of an effective ongoing assessment process.

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better?

Subject and phase leaders are up to date with relevant research to ensure that the training programme is current. Primary trainees are well trained to teach early reading, including systematic synthetic phonics. Primary trainees also receive suitable coverage for each subject they will be required to teach.

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better?

Leaders check systematically the quality of the training provision. This has been through regular visits to partner schools or through the ‘e-portal’ where they access details of trainees’ lesson observations and discussions with mentors and review the targets set. Consequently, they can determine whether the quality of mentoring and support is of consistently high quality.

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better?

Mentors in schools are aware of the themes covered in the central course through discussions with trainees and the information they receive from the SCITT. However, there is some inconsistency in the degree to which mentors are familiar with the course content. Mentors are able to set appropriately linked targets for trainees, but they are not always familiar with what trainees are studying.

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better?

Leaders are highly responsive to feedback, for example by ensuring trainees’ assignment deadlines do not clash with other deadlines. They are mindful of managing workload for trainees. Leaders prioritise trainees’ care and well-being and will make flexible adjustments to ensure trainees can continue with the course if necessary.

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better?

Partner schools contribute to the partnership, for example by hosting ‘experience days’ for trainees or taking part in the recruitment and selection process. Although all are invited to the strategic SCITT executive board, some partners do not engage regularly.

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better?

Trainees understand the principles of inclusion and fundamental British values, which they demonstrate in their conduct and teaching. However, some have a limited understanding of the protected characteristics and types of discrimination set out in the Equality Act 2010.

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and secondary combined phase?

◼ Not all partner schools consistently send a representative to all executive board meetings, as is expected. Consequently, not all partners have been able to contribute to strategic decision-making through this strategic body. Leaders should ensure that all partner schools are fully engaged, in line with the expectations of the SCITT’s partnership agreement. ◼ Some mentors do not access the content of the central training sessions, relying on SCITT information or what trainees tell them. As a result, mentors are not fully aware of what trainees are expected to study. Leaders should ensure that all mentors have first- hand knowledge of the content of the centre-based training to further enhance their support for trainees . ◼ Some trainees have limited knowledge or recall of the Equality Act 2010, which was presented as part of wider training received on inclusion early in the course. Therefore, they are not sufficiently aware of some of the groups with protected characteristics who

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and secondary combined phase?

are at risk of direct or indirect discrimination. Leaders should ensure that all trainees have a clear understanding of the Equality Act 2010 and its implications for their practice.

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comply with the ITE compliance criteria?

◼ The partnership meets the DfE statutory compliance criteria.

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ITE partnership details

Unique reference number 70274 Inspection number 10213946

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ITE partnership details

This inspection was carried out by Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) in accordance with the ‘Initial teacher education inspection framework and handbook’. This framework and handbook sets out the statutory basis and framework for initial teacher education (ITE) inspections in England from September 2020.

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ITE partnership details

Type of ITE partnership SCITT Phases provided Primary and secondary combined Date of previous inspection 19 to 22 May 2014

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Inspection team

Mark Sims, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Wayne Simner Her Majesty’s Inspector Jane Spilsbury Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Annex: Partnership settings, schools and colleges

Inspectors contacted trainees and staff at the following schools, as part of this inspection:

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grade

Alderbrook School 136994 Secondary September Good

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grade

King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls’ Academy 138937 Secondary September Outstanding

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Kingshurst Primary School 135139 Primary September Requires Improvement Sharmans Cross Junior School 104049 Primary September Good

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Shirley Heath Junior School 104050 Primary January Outstanding

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Tudor Grange Academy, Solihull 136310 Secondary September Outstanding

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Tudor Grange Primary Academy, St James 139007 Primary September Outstanding guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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