Wessex Schools Training Partnership

Wessex Schools Training Partnership WSTP SCITT, Poole High School, Wimborne Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 2BW

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Inspection dates 27 February to 2 March 2023

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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 provider?

Trainees at Wessex Schools Training Partnership (WSTP) feel well supported throughout their training. One trainee encapsulated the views of many others, saying that they have had ‘amazing support’. School leaders comment on the high levels of professionalism that trainees show from the start of their placements.

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

An early curriculum focus on positive mental health and well-being helps trainees to manage the competing pressures of their training year. Trainees learn practical strategies that help them to manage their own workloads during training and as they join the profession.

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

Trainees learn about the key principles that underpin effective teaching. However, some of this is too generic. It does not draw on a broad enough range of educational research. This limits trainees’ understanding of specific approaches in the subjects that they are training to teach.

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

Effective communication between WSTP and school partners means that trainees get a cohesive experience that enables them to consolidate their understanding and skills.

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

Trainees are well prepared to start their teaching careers. For example, the first-aid course that all trainees take, and what they learn about well-being, enhance their understanding of how to keep pupils safe. Many past trainees have taken on leadership roles at an early stage.

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Information about this ITE provider

◼ WSTP provides teacher training for the secondary phase (pupils aged 11–16). ◼ There are 27 trainees enrolled in the 2022/23 academic year. ◼ All of the 16 schools in the partnership were judged to be good or outstanding at their most recent Ofsted inspection. ◼ The partnership offers the following routes: School Direct (salaried), School Direct (fees), school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) and assessment only. Trainees also have the option to complete a Post-graduate Certificate in Education. At the time of inspection, there were no trainees following the assessment-only route.

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Information about this inspection

◼ The inspection was carried out by one of His Majesty’s Inspectors and one Ofsted Inspector. ◼ The inspectors met with senior leaders from WSTP. They also held meetings with governors, headteachers from partnership schools, school representatives (senior staff for initial teacher education (ITE) in partner schools), subject knowledge coaches, and pedagogy- and school-based mentors. ◼ Inspectors carried out focused reviews in art, geography and mathematics. ◼ Inspectors visited seven partnership schools. They met with nine trainees and eight early career teachers. Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and trainees. ◼ Inspectors visited subject-based training and viewed samples of provider and trainee documents.

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better?

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is coherent and well sequenced. It fully includes the core content framework. Trainees learn about behaviour management and how to adapt the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at an early stage in the course. They are proficient in using a range of approaches to promote good behaviour among pupils.

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better?

School partners know what trainees are learning in centre-based training. This enables them to support trainees to develop their classroom practice in a way that is aligned to the WSTP curriculum. The ongoing assessment of trainees supports them in building their understanding incrementally and ensures that they are ready to gain qualified teacher status. Early career teachers who trained with WSTP know exactly what their development needs are as they begin their teaching careers.

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better?

All those involved with the partnership have a strong understanding of the particular teaching principles that leaders have put at the heart of their training. Targets set for trainees in their placement schools are well linked to these principles, enabling trainees to use them to underpin their own teaching. However, some trainees have limited knowledge of educational research, particularly that which is pertinent for the specific subjects that they teach. This means that they cannot use this knowledge to make decisions about their teaching.

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better?

Trainees receive high-quality mentoring that focuses on their individual development and links closely to the centre-based curriculum. The training and guidance that mentors receive from WSTP lead to consistently strong mentoring. Leaders check that trainees are getting the support that is expected from their mentors. They act promptly on the rare occasions that the quality of mentoring does not meet their expectations.

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better?

Subject-knowledge coaches help trainees develop the specific knowledge they will need to teach. They provide bespoke support for trainees based on their existing subject knowledge and gaps. However, they do not always ensure that trainees know enough about the research that informs teaching in their particular subjects.

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better?

Leaders check on the quality of all aspects of the programme. They identify, and act on, areas that need improvement. They use their knowledge of partner schools to make decisions about the placements of trainees and which subject mentors might need further development. However, leaders do not ensure that they use the expertise of all those involved in the partnership to review and refine the curriculum.

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better?

Trainees have a secure understanding of their wider professional responsibilities from an early stage in their training. They feel part of their placement schools’ communities as soon as they start, while also maintaining strong links to WSTP staff. Headteachers value trainees highly and feel that they make a significant contribution to the educational landscape in the local area.

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phase?

◼ Trainees’ understanding of the academic research that underpins teaching in their subjects is not fully developed. Consequently, some trainees cannot always choose the most effective approaches to take when they are teaching. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum has the academic rigour to develop trainees’ knowledge of all aspects of the subjects that they are training to teach. ◼ Leaders do not draw sufficiently on the expertise of all those involved with the partnership to inform strategic planning. As a result, they do not always identify the most pertinent areas to improve. Leaders should ensure that they develop their work with all stakeholders, in line with the partnership agreement, so that they can more systematically evaluate all aspects of the provision.

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compliance criteria?

◼ The provider meets the DfE statutory compliance criteria.

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ITE provider details

Unique reference number 70189 Inspection number 10249848 This inspection was carried out in accordance with the ‘Initial teacher education inspection framework and handbook’.

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ITE provider details

This framework and handbook set 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 Secondary Dates of previous inspection Stage 1: 30 June and 1 July 2014 Stage 2: 20 and 22 October 2014

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Inspection team

Sarah Favager-Dalton, Lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Iain Freeland Ofsted Inspector

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Annex: Placement schools

Inspectors visited the following schools as part of this inspection:

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Name URN ITE phase

Poole High School 113907 Secondary Poole Grammar School 136850 Secondary Bournemouth Collegiate School 113937 Secondary Glenmoor Academy 140008 Secondary Parkstone Grammar School 136368 Secondary Wye Valley Academy 147291 Secondary The Bourne Academy 136125 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 phase

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 children looked after, 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 or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-

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Name URN ITE phase

government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Name URN ITE phase

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Name URN ITE phase

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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