Setting

Sarah Brewer The Riverway Centre Riverway Stafford ST16 3TH

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Lead provider monitoring visit (LPMV) of Capita

Following my visit with Louise Walker and Jackie Stillings, Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI), on 13 to 15 June 2022, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the LPMV findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you have taken to date.

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Lead provider monitoring visit (LPMV) of Capita

This inspection was the first LPMV since the start of your delivery of the early career framework (ECF) programme. It was carried out under part 8 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

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Lead provider monitoring visit (LPMV) of Capita

Having considered the evidence, I am of the opinion that, at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

towards ensuring that the ECF training is of a high standard.

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The lead provider should take further action to:

◼ enhance existing materials and resources to support facilitators and mentors in exemplifying and contextualising the learning of early career teachers (ECTs) so that it is relevant to the phase teach ◼ ensure that robust quality assurance mechanisms enable leaders to evaluate the impact of the training programmes on ECTs’ and mentors’ ability to apply what they have learned and use this information to identify any additional development needs; and in doing so continue to be mindful of ECT and mentor workload.

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The lead provider should take further action to:

I am copying this letter to the Department for Education.

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The lead provider should take further action to:

This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 Textphone 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Context

Capita is in its first year of offering the ECF programme. Capita is working with 13 delivery partners based across London and the Eastern, South East, South West, West Midlands and North East regions. There are currently 578 participants on the ECT programme.

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Report

◼ Leaders have worked closely with the lead academic partner to design a curriculum that maintains fidelity to the ECF. They have constructed it to ensure that the content of the ECF is taught comprehensively and exclusively. Leaders use ECTs’ learning from their initial teacher training as a starting point, emphasising and building on this in the context of their role as an ECT. Programme leaders and education experts from the lead academic partner work hand in hand to constantly review and refresh the ECT clinics, mentor-boost sessions and action learning sets that are important strands of the curriculum. This continual review and collaborative approach are indicative of leaders’ constant pursuit of excellence. ◼ Leaders have responded swiftly to feedback from ECTs and mentors. For instance, some ECTs reported that the fixed structure of the self-study content meant that they were unable to access resources when these were of greatest

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Report

value to them. Leaders listened to this feedback, and made prompt and appropriate changes to address the concern raised. ◼ Leaders, in conjunction with the lead academic partner, have produced high- quality resources that help mentors and facilitators deliver the curriculum. The materials help ECTs to consider how they can apply what they are learning in their own setting. Mentors are systematically introduced to the model of ‘instructional coaching and deliberate practice’ that they will use with ECTs. Some ECTs have fed back that further examples that relate to the specific educational phase they are teaching would be helpful. Leaders are acting on this feedback, for instance by developing a range of examples taken from specialist school settings. ◼ Facilitators are selected carefully and trained well. They benefit from carefully planned briefing sessions. Leaders guide facilitators skilfully through the content

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Report

that they will be delivering to ECTs and mentors. As a result, facilitators know what is expected of them and are thoroughly well prepared. ◼ Leaders have established effective systems for managing the day-to-day delivery of the programme. These systems are multi-faceted and well integrated. They ensure that information flows well between all stakeholders in an efficient way. Delivery partners, mentors and ECTs told inspectors that the lead provider has acted swiftly to iron out initial issues with the learning platform. ◼ Leaders have not left the delivery of the programme to chance. They have a range of effective mechanisms to check that all the components of the programme are being implemented well. These include the review of programme data, visits to training sessions and the collection of stakeholder feedback. Leaders use this information well in discussions with delivery partners. However, at the moment, leaders do not have a clear understanding of the reasons why

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Report

some mentors are not attending certain elements of the training and therefore have yet to address this. ◼ Leaders are committed to ensuring that ECTs can raise concerns about safeguarding or equality. They have ensured that there are clear arrangements in place, and leaders continue to reiterate and restate these to ECTs. ◼ Some ECTs and mentors were concerned about the additional pressures and workload that the programmes place on them. Leaders are mindful of these concerns and continue to work towards minimising any unnecessary workload. ◼ The governance structure has changed and evolved during the academic year. Initially, the focus and expertise centred on the systems and processes needed in order for the programme to start. As the year has progressed, this focus has changed. It has shifted to ensuring that those responsible for governance have the educational expertise to provide the accountability needed as the programme

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the lead provider’s work, scrutinised documents and met with lead provider representatives, delivery partner senior leaders, facilitators, ECTs and mentors to discuss the ECF training programme that the lead provider delivers. The lead inspector met with those responsible for governance and with key staff from the lead academic partner.

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Evidence

Inspectors visited some training sessions and reviewed training materials. They took account of the responses of delivery partner leaders, ECTs, mentors and school leaders to Ofsted’s inspection survey about the ECF training programme.

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