Education Development Trust

Education Development Trust Highbridge House 16–18 Duke Street Reading RG1 4RU

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of professional development and training Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection N/A

p.1

provider?

ECTs receive effective training and support that enables them to apply what they have learned in the context of their subject, phase or setting. This is because knowledgeable facilitators contextualise training materials and build in opportunities for ECTs to discuss and probe scenarios relevant to them. ECTs have regular time to reflect with their mentor and are encouraged to articulate clearly how they apply the taught curriculum in their own setting. For example, they can explain how assessing pupils’ knowledge helps inform what they teach next. ECTs value the flexibility afforded through online training modules, which, in turn, enables them to prioritise and organise their workload.

p.1

provider?

ECTs develop their resilience and self-efficacy because the lead provider places great importance on developing these attributes. Consequently, ECTs build the right foundations to support longevity in the teaching role. The lead provider takes account of ECTs’ prior knowledge and current circumstances and then offers standard, reduced, or extended programmes. ECTs appreciate how the ECF builds on the core content framework studied as part of their initial teacher education training programmes.

p.1

provider?

ECTs benefit from a one-stop shop for all training content and resources through an online learning management system. This platform also provides ECTs with regular newsletters and fosters effective communication between all stakeholders.

p.1

Information about this lead provider

◼ There are 9,223 ECTs undertaking the lead provider’s ECT programme. Of these, 4,951 are in their first year of the ECT programme and 4,272 are in their second year. ◼ Education Development Trust works with 22 delivery partners, who deliver training to 8,771 ECTs. ◼ Delivery partners include 19 teaching school hubs, one multi-academy trust, one London borough learning federation, and one independent provider. ◼ Education Development Trust provides direct delivery to 452 ECTs.

p.2

Information about this inspection

◼ This inspection was carried out by seven of His Majesty’s Inspectors. The inspection was carried out through in-person meetings, online meetings, on-site visits to nine delivery partners and online visits to three delivery partners. ◼ Inspectors met with the lead provider’s representatives, including the director UK, the programme director for teacher development, partnership and recruitment managers, senior education advisers, the digital learning manager, and other senior leaders. The lead inspector also met with the chief executive officer, the education director, the chair of the teacher development advisory board, and the vice-chair of the delivery partner advisory board. ◼ Inspectors visited 12 delivery partners. ◼ Inspectors carried out focused reviews in primary programmes and secondary programmes. For each focused review, inspectors met with delivery partner leaders and facilitators, discussed training with groups of ECTs and mentors, met

p.2

Information about this inspection

with headteachers and induction tutors, watched online training, reviewed exemplified training materials and scrutinised documentation. Inspectors observed one session of live training. ◼ Inspectors carried out 12 focused reviews with Education Development Trust delivery partners. Inspectors also spoke to ECTs and mentors on the direct delivery route. ◼ The inspection team considered 1059 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for ECTs, 795 responses from mentors, 284 responses from school leaders and 52 responses from delivery partner leaders.

p.2

better?

Education Development Trust has developed training that enables teachers at the early stages of their career to gain the knowledge and skills set out in the ECF. Leaders and managers have made sure there is strong reference in the curriculum to current and up- to-date research. There is also a strong connection between what is taught in each block through webinars, self-study and face-to-face training sessions. The lead provider exemplifies the ECT curriculum with examples to underpin videos, suggested reading and discussion activities. These cover both primary and secondary phases, but in the main are limited to core subjects and history.

p.3

better?

ECTs appreciate how facilitators pitch training appropriately to their starting points. Mentors and facilitators guide ECTs to the required level of interaction with training when on reduced or extended programmes.

p.3

better?

Facilitators of training are subject to a rigorous appointment process to ensure their levels of expertise and credibility match the lead provider’s high standards. Once appointed they receive regular training and clear messages around their role in deepening learning and tailoring training to ECTs’ phase, setting or subject.

p.3

better?

Leaders and managers have newly embedded a suite of quality assurance processes, setting out what is expected of each delivery partner and what they will cover through their own annual visit. Together, they check the quality of professional development and training through joint observations and stakeholder conversations. Leaders and managers plan to triangulate their findings to fully inform improvement planning.

p.3

better?

The lead provider has developed a comprehensive training programme for mentors which provides a range of useful materials and prompts to support discussion and mentoring sessions. Mentors understand their roles and responsibilities, including supporting ECTs by exemplifying by subject, phase and/or setting. However, there is not a consistent approach to checking the developmental needs of mentors to inform the training programme.

p.3

better?

ECTs demonstrate they are learning the content of the lead provider’s curriculum and can apply it in the classroom. For example, ECTs know that building pupils’ knowledge incrementally ensures that working memory is not overloaded. School leaders reflect that ECTs are resilient, confident and ready earlier for positions of responsibility. They attribute this to the quality of the learning through the ECF programme.

p.3

better?

Leaders and managers ensure compliance with all relevant legislation. ECTs know how to raise concerns regarding safeguarding and equalities, or if they are concerned about any aspect of the training programme. All training materials include reference to and promote, equality, diversity and inclusion.

p.3

better?

ECTs appreciate the flexibility afforded when completing blocks of training. They state this well-considered approach enables a balance between home and work life and ultimately supports their well-being.

p.3

(Information for the lead provider)

◼ Leaders have now established clear systems for gathering qualitative data and have just completed their first round of annual visits to all delivery partners. However, they have not yet fully analysed what this information tells them about the quality of how their programmes are being delivered. The lead provider should now use this data to inform improvement planning and facilitate the sharing of best practice across delivery partners. ◼ The lead provider tracks mentors’ engagement with training, but does not have clear oversight of the quality of mentors’ work. This means leaders lack some information that would robustly inform improvement planning in this area. The lead provider should develop a consistent approach to ensuring mentors’ interactions with ECTs are of high quality and enabling ECTs to apply knowledge confidently across all subjects, phases and settings.

p.4

Lead provider details

This inspection was carried out by His Majesty’s Inspectors in accordance with the early career framework (ECF) and national professional qualification (NPQ) framework and handbook . The framework and handbook set out the statutory basis for ECF and NPQ inspections in England.

p.5

Lead provider details

Lead provider programmes offered ECF and NPQ

p.5

Inspection team

Alison Colenso, Lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Elaine Mawson His Majesty’s Inspector Emma Gater His Majesty’s Inspector Nick Turvey Senior His Majesty’s Inspector Sue Cox His Majesty’s Inspector Marcus Newby His Majesty’s Inspector Jayne Ashman His Majesty’s Inspector 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 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.5

Inspection team

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-

p.6

Inspection team

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

p.6

Inspection team

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

p.6

Inspection team

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

p.6