GORSE SCITT

GORSE SCITT Bruntcliffe Lane, Morley, West Yorkshire LS27 0LZ

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Inspection dates

27 February 2023 and 1 March 2023 to 3 March 2023

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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 Outstanding

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

The support that trainees receive on the GORSE school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) programme is exceptional. The determination that all pupils should receive the best education, regardless of background, pervades all aspects of the course. Course leaders share their high expectations regularly and clearly with everyone involved in training future teachers. They are relentless in checking that partner schools understand and uphold these expectations. As a result, trainees receive consistently high levels of support. Trainees appreciate the quality of the support that they receive. They know that both in placement schools and central training, staff are accessible, available and always willing to help. One trainee described how course leaders were like ‘confidants’.

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

Leaders use ‘enhancement days’ to widen trainees’ understanding of the educational landscape. These days include visits to alternative providers, special schools and phases outside their trainees’ specific remit. These visits cultivate a broad and well-developed understanding of education beyond mainstream schools. Leaders’ detailed curriculum planning ensures that trainees have a clear focus for these visits that informs their practice in their placement schools. Similarly, in relation to behaviour, trainees are given the chance to observe and speak with expert colleagues. Trainees therefore become confident in adopting different approaches to create a positive learning environment.

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

The design of the curriculum allows trainees to build up their teaching commitment sustainably over time. This means that central training can be applied with careful thought by trainees. It allows them to develop an understanding of different elements of teaching, including responsibilities in relation to safeguarding, and to move forward at a pace that supports their development. Leaders’ plans for bespoke experiences in the final phase of training mean that trainees get exactly the training that they need in readiness to enter the profession.

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

Many trainees are attracted to the SCITT by the clear moral purpose, evident at every level, that leaders outline. The training at GORSE SCITT is outstanding in preparing trainees to consider and meet the needs of all pupils, regardless of background.

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Information about this ITE provider

◼ In the 2022/23 academic year, GORSE SCITT has 142 trainees. This includes 113 in the secondary age-phase and 29 in the primary age-phase. Almost all trainees follow the SCITT route to gain qualified teacher status (QTS). Two primary-phase trainees are on the assessment-only route. ◼ Trainees on the SCITT route complete a Postgraduate Certificate in Education with the University of Sunderland. ◼ In the secondary age-phase, nine trainees are training to teach secondary-age pupils from 14 to 19 years old. All other secondary-phase trainees are training to teach secondary-age pupils from 11 to 16 years. In the primary age-phase, trainees train to teach pupils aged 5 to 11 years. ◼ GORSE SCITT currently has 53 partnership schools. Of these, 23 are primary schools and 27 are secondary schools. The remainder is made up of all-through schools, special schools and a post-16 provider. Secondary-phase partnerships cover the area of

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Information about this ITE provider

Leeds, Bradford, Hull and the east coast of England. Primary partnerships are based in Leeds and Bradford. All but eight of the partner schools are currently rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted. ◼ GORSE SCITT offers assessment-only and SCITT routes to gaining QTS.

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Information about this inspection

◼ This inspection was conducted by four inspectors, three of whom were His Majesty’s Inspectors and one of whom was an Ofsted Inspector. ◼ The inspectors spoke with the executive director of the SCITT, the principal of Leeds Teaching School Hub, and the chief executive officer and deputy chief executive officer of GORSE multi-academy trust. Inspectors also spoke with course leaders for the primary and secondary age-phases and partnership directors. Inspectors spoke with leaders responsible for safeguarding across GORSE SCITT. ◼ Inspectors spoke with 68 trainees in total. This included 20 trainees from the primary age-phase and 48 trainees from the secondary age-phase. These conversations included meetings with individual trainees and groups of trainees. Inspectors spoke to trainees from across a wide range of the geographical areas in which the SCITT works. ◼ For the secondary age-phase, inspectors conducted focused reviews in mathematics,

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Information about this inspection

geography, design and technology, modern foreign languages and chemistry. For the primary age-phase, inspectors conducted focused reviews in early reading and the foundation curriculum, with a particular focus on primary-phase history. ◼ Inspectors visited or had contact with 16 settings as part of the inspection.

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better?

The training course at GORSE SCITT is outstanding. Leaders have plotted with meticulous care exactly when and where trainees should receive specific information and experiences. Each of the four training phases across the year has a clear purpose. This allows trainees to move from building foundational knowledge about teaching and education to a deeper understanding as they progress. For example, trainees learn about statutory aspects underpinning support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As the course develops, trainees begin to apply learning from sessions on literacy across the curriculum. As a result of this, trainees understand how disciplinary literacy is important in helping pupils with SEND. This theoretical understanding means that trainees’ learning is applied judiciously in lesson planning and delivery.

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better?

While leaders ensure that the core content framework is clearly addressed, the curriculum goes well beyond this. Leaders provide trainees with an ‘enhancing phase’ that offers a bespoke curriculum that has been carefully mapped into the course curriculum. This phase is based on feedback from mentors and survey responses from trainees. There is detailed, formative assessment of trainees’ progress against curriculum-based targets. For example, checks on trainees’ work in key moments of learning ensure that the ‘enhancing phase’ allows all trainees to work on areas specific to their needs and interests.

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better?

The centre-based training outlines key concepts and components that trainees should learn. It is complemented by visits and lectures from external speakers who are leaders in their fields. This training is made available to school-based mentors. The exceptional provision in the SCITT therefore extends into schools and ensures that mentors are fully aware of the programme that trainees study. This is further enhanced through the training materials and information provided to mentors. The simplicity of these materials makes complex ideas clear and accessible for trainees. Conversations between mentors and trainees are shaped through key questions and specific areas of focus. It is made very clear for mentors what content SCITT leaders want them to cover with trainees. The systems used to quality assure the conversations and targets that arise from mentor meetings are rigorous. Leaders provide regular, high-quality feedback to both mentors and

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better?

trainees. School leaders recognise this quality and are incredibly positive about the work of the SCITT in preparing trainees to enter the profession. One school leader described GORSE SCITT as ‘the best SCITT we currently, or have ever, worked with’.

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better?

For trainees in the primary age-phase, there is a strong focus on the teaching of early reading. Trainees are taught the theory and background that underpin this. They demonstrate a clear understanding of how to apply principles of phonics in lessons and are ready to work with partner schools to deliver whichever phonic programmes may be in place.

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better?

Across the primary and secondary age-phases and the wide range of partner schools, trainees whom inspectors spoke with were unanimous in their praise for the quality of training. Inspectors agree. In taught sessions, staff place a clear focus on the work of key theorists. Trainees explore how to use what they have learned to help pupils with SEND or those who face other barriers to learning. Leaders constantly strive to review and improve the quality of their provision. Leaders’ willingness to seek and listen to feedback from trainees means that the training is constantly being refined and improved. For example, leaders moved taught sessions on resilience to a time when trainees felt they could better learn from some of the challenges they may have experienced. This relentless drive to be better underpins leaders’ ambition to provide the best quality of teachers to the regions in which they work.

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better?

A further way in which leaders ensure that the course is purposefully integrated is through the training of professional mentors, who are colleagues who act as key links between schools and the SCITT. This model ensures that training is cascaded through schools consistently and gives schools a voice in the SCITT. These colleagues help with trainee recruitment. SCITT leaders are keen to ensure that they hear other voices and bring in expertise wherever they can find it. Course subject leaders are drawn from schools across the partnership. SCITT leaders apply the same rigour to selecting partner schools and colleagues to work with as they do to the design of the curriculum. This means that quality, consistency and clarity are ubiquitous in every aspect of the course. The end result of leaders’ exceptional approach is that trainees are well prepared to teach the age-phase and subjects in which they have been trained.

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the ITE compliance criteria?

◼ The provider meets the DfE statutory compliance criteria.

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ITE provider details

Unique reference number 70328 Inspection number 10262780

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ITE provider details

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 Primary Secondary Date of previous inspection 19 June and 20 November 2017

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Inspection team

Matthew Vellensworth, Lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Jenny Thomas His Majesty’s Inspector Julie McGrane Ofsted Inspector Katherine Spurr His Majesty’s 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 phases

Bruntcliffe Academy 142056 Secondary Carlton Bolling 147100 Secondary Cockburn School 142585 Secondary Christ Church Church of England Academy 139201 Primary Morley Newlands Academy 141797 Primary The Morley Academy 136392 Secondary The Ruth Gorse Academy 140565 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

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 phases

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Name URN ITE phases

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Name URN ITE phases

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