Compton SCITT

Compton SCITT The Compton School, Summers Lane, North Finchley, London, N12 0QG

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Inspection dates 13 June to 16 June 2022

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Inspection judgements

Primary and secondary age-phase combined

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education and training Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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

Trainees enjoy an exceptionally rigorous and joined-up ITE curriculum. It inspires trainees about their future in the teaching profession and ensures that they gain a deep understanding of how pupils learn. Ambitious subject-specific training plays a key role in this. Working with experts, trainees strengthen their own subject knowledge and learn how to break down and teach key ideas within a subject. This includes early reading and systematic synthetic phonics (SSP).

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

Trainees’ development is underpinned by highly supportive relationships with partnership leaders and school-based staff. Well-being is prioritised every step of the way. Trainees learn to manage their workload and the practical realities of teaching. They were overwhelmingly positive about how there is always someone on hand to offer useful advice. This includes bespoke guidance through the high-quality mentoring programme.

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

Phase-specific modules in professional studies enable trainees to develop a detailed understanding of what it means to be a teacher. This includes how to promote high standards of behaviour, as well as safeguard pupils’ well-being. Meeting the needs of all pupils is also a clear focus. Trainees are very well equipped to make adaptive teaching an integral part of their classroom practice. The programme’s structure ensures that trainees revisit and apply the fundamentals of educational theories and practice. Trainees commented on how much they valued this.

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

Trainees develop as reflective practitioners. Right from the start, they are encouraged to engage in professional dialogue about the curriculum, including in their placement schools. Headteachers value the contribution trainees make.

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Information about this ITE provider

◼ This school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) partnership has 39 trainees. Currently, there are 10 trainees in the primary phase and 29 trainees in the secondary phase. ◼ From September 2022, the SCITT will be offering training to secondary-phase trainees only. ◼ The SCITT is based in North London and works in partnership with a number of local schools. There are nine primary, two all-through and eight secondary schools in the partnership. Almost all were judged as good or outstanding at their most recent Ofsted inspection. ◼ Trainees follow either the School Direct (salaried or non-salaried) route or the training route (unsalaried). Trainees also have the option to complete a postgraduate certificate in education.

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Information about this inspection

◼ The inspection was carried out by two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and one Ofsted Inspector. ◼ When The Compton SCITT was last inspected in June 2021, it was judged as requires improvement. ◼ Inspectors visited nine partnership schools in person. They met with 21 trainees and 12 early career teachers (ECTs). They met remotely with an additional two trainees. ◼ Inspectors met with senior leaders from the SCITT. They also held meetings with members of the strategic partnership board, a group of headteachers who use the SCITT, professional tutors, subject leaders and ECTs. They also met with the SCITT’s external moderator and local authority staff who contribute to the training programme. ◼ Inspectors carried out focused reviews in early reading and phonics, primary humanities (history and geography), mathematics (primary and secondary), secondary English and secondary geography. ◼ Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and trainees.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors also looked at the partnership’s own survey of trainees’ views and experiences.

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better?

Primary and secondary trainees get off to an excellent start in the teaching profession. SCITT leaders’ ambition and expertise mean that curriculum content is selected and sequenced meticulously. Over the duration of the course, this content gradually increases in complexity. This enables trainees’ understanding to develop layer by layer. For example, trainees are taught the fundamentals of how pupils acquire and retain knowledge, and then subsequently how to apply this when teaching specific subjects or phases. Trainees deepen their understanding further by using and applying the latest academic research into how pupils learn successfully.

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better?

All aspects of the training programme are overseen rigorously, both by SCITT leaders and a strategic partnership board. The board provides constructive challenge at a high level. SCITT leaders act quickly and effectively when they identify areas for further development. The requirements of the core content framework are complied with in full.

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better?

Headteachers are closely involved in shaping the ITE programme and are well represented on the strategic partnership board. Headteachers are effusive about all that the SCITT has to offer and value their role in the partnership. As one headteacher put it, working with this SCITT supports them to ‘grow their own high-quality teachers’.

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better?

In both the primary and secondary phases, subject-specific elements of the course are of excellent quality. Leaders’ skilful planning ensures that modules in professional studies link up purposefully with subject-specific training. The ITE curriculum is delivered by a team of expert staff. This is enhanced by carefully selected external speakers and up-to-date research into curriculum sequencing and progression in a subject. Subject leaders infuse trainees with an enthusiasm for engaging critically with research. Trainees are equipped well to make decisions about curriculum content and debate the merits of their choices.

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better?

In the primary phase, trainees benefit from first-rate training in early reading and SSP. In SSP, for example, trainees are taught about the use of accurate terminology and enunciation. They learn the importance of matching reading books to pupils’ stage in the SSP programme. Secondary trainees also learn about how to support pupils who fall behind in reading, including through the use of SSP. SCITT leaders ensure that centre- based training lines up seamlessly with training and advice provided in placement schools.

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better?

SCITT leaders know their trainees exceptionally well. Each trainee’s development is overseen closely. Trainees receive the feedback and guidance they need to meet the expectations of the course. Systematic and thorough quality assurance means that trainees are provided with clear, consistent messages, including from school-based mentors. If issues arise, SCITT leaders respond without delay, either by providing individuals with additional support or by refining the central training.

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better?

High-quality mentoring is prioritised. SCITT leaders recognise the vital role this plays in helping to steer trainees successfully through the training programme. They ensure that mentors are well trained and well informed about every part of the ITE course. This includes, for example, academic research and subject-specific content. Through SCITT leaders’ training and quality assurance, mentors are adept at consolidating and extending trainees’ knowledge. They also become highly skilled at helping trainees to identify for themselves what they need to work on next.

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comply with the ITE compliance criteria?

◼ The provider meets the DfE statutory compliance criteria.

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ITE provider details

Unique reference number 70299 Inspection number 10230668

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ITE provider details

This inspection was carried out 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 provider details

Type of ITE provider School-centred initial teacher training Phases provided Primary and secondary combined Date of previous inspection 14 June to 17 June 2021

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Inspection team

Lisa Strong, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Alice Clay Her Majesty’s Inspector Jeff Cole Ofsted Inspector

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Annex: Placement settings, schools and colleges

Inspectors visited the following schools as part of this inspection:

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Name URN ITE phases

Brettenham Primary School 146946 Primary Chalgrove Primary School 101309 Primary Fleecefield Primary School 136418 Primary Garden Suburb Infant School 101282 Primary Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School 101338 Primary The Compton School 136418 Secondary Finchley Catholic High School 101362 Secondary Southgate School 142727 Secondary Wren Academy 135507 All through (Primary and Secondary) 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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Name URN ITE phases

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Name URN ITE phases

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