Teach Lead Bolton

Teach Lead Bolton University Of Bolton, Deane Road, Bolton BL3 5AB

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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 Inadequate

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

Trainees receive high levels of pastoral support during their training year. Trainees welcome leaders’ focus on their well-being. Overall, trainees are positive about their ITE programmes. They explained that communication across the ITE partnership is a strength.

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

Trainees experience a well-designed ITE curriculum at Teach Lead Bolton. Most trainees were positive about their training programme and the close-knit relationships that they forge with course tutors and subject mentors. Typically, trainees achieve well. They are well sought after by employers in the local area.

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

Overall, trainees are well prepared to teach their chosen subjects. Trainees discuss and debate pertinent research. Trainees also debate how to plan and deliver a sequence of lessons, focusing on the essential knowledge that pupils must learn.

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

Trainees benefit from suitable and contrasting secondary school placements. These placements enable them to apply the generic principles of teaching while developing further their subject knowledge for teaching. Where appropriate, trainees also access suitable subject knowledge enhancement courses.

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

The ITE curriculum equips trainees with the knowledge and skills that they need to adapt the delivery of the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Trainees learn about how to safeguard themselves and pupils, and how to create a positive climate for learning.

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

Overall, the quality of mentoring is effective. Trainees value their weekly mentor meetings, which enable them to develop the skills to become reflective practitioners. In particular, trainees value the target-setting process. This is integral to helping them to improve their teaching practice. Trainees benefit from leaders’ well-designed system, which pinpoints their progress on the journey to achieving qualified teacher status (QTS).

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Information about this ITE provider

◼ The Teach Lead Bolton partnership was established in 2020. ◼ The partnership is based at the University of Bolton. It provides secondary age- phase training in the 11 to 16 age range. ◼ In the 2022/23 academic year, there were 24 trainees enrolled on the partnership’s ITE programmes. Trainees were preparing to teach the following subjects: English, mathematics, computing and modern foreign languages. ◼ Those trainees who successfully complete their training are awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at master’s level and QTS. ◼ In 2022/23, two candidates were enrolled on the assessment-only route. ◼ In 2022/23, the provider was working with 31 schools across 15 local authorities. ◼ The partnership works with schools that have been graded outstanding, good and requires improvement by Ofsted.

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Information about this inspection

◼ When Teach Lead Bolton was last inspected by Ofsted in May 2022, it was judged as inadequate in the secondary age-phase. ◼ The inspection was carried out by two of His Majesty’s Inspectors and one Ofsted Inspector. ◼ Inspectors met with the following staff: the Dean of Education; the academic operations leaders; the PGCE course leaders; members of the strategic steering board and members of the governing body; and the assistant vice-chancellor of the University of Bolton. ◼ Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation relating to the ITE programmes. This information included: documentation relating to the ITE curriculums in the secondary age-phase; trainees’ files and examples of their assignments; trainees’ records of meetings with mentors, including examples of target setting; external examiner reports; internal quality assurance documentation; self-evaluation documentation and improvement plans; information relating to how

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Information about this inspection

the partnership fulfils the requirements of the Department for Education’s (DfE’s) ITT criteria and supporting advice; information relating to candidates on the assessment-only route; information on the provider’s website; information about recruitment and selection procedures; and documentation about how the partnership improves trainees’ experiences. ◼ An inspector observed a training session which was attended by eight trainees. ◼ Inspectors carried out focused reviews in English, mathematics, computing and modern foreign languages. ◼ Inspectors spoke with 22 trainees individually, or in small groups, to discuss their experiences of the training programme. ◼ An inspector spoke with the two candidates on the assessment-only route. ◼ Inspectors met with three early careers teachers, who had previously completed their teacher training with the provider. ◼ Inspectors visited three schools as part of the inspection. On school visits, inspectors

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Information about this inspection

spoke with professional mentors, trainees, subject mentors and headteachers. ◼ Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for trainees and staff.

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better?

Leaders are relentless in their commitment to providing trainees with highly effective ITE programmes. For example, since the previous inspection, leaders have wasted no time in introducing rapid and sustainable improvements to the quality of the ITE curriculum. In particular, they have completed a root-and-branch review into the appropriateness of school placements. Leaders have also ensured that the standard of mentoring is typically effective. Overall, leaders have made sure that the ITE curriculum at Teach Lead Bolton successfully prepares trainees to embark on their journey as early career teachers.

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better?

The ITE curriculum is ambitious, well organised and it goes beyond the requirements of the DfE’s core content framework. The centre-based training sessions are securely underpinned by generic pedagogy and pertinent educational research. For example, the centre-based training is effective in teaching trainees how to promote inclusion. Trainees also benefit from a rich training experience in relation to adaptive teaching, for example for those pupils who speak English as an additional language and for those pupils who are disadvantaged. Trainees enjoy debating how best to adapt the delivery of their subject curriculums for these pupils while reflecting on the most up-to-date research in this area.

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better?

Across the partnership, trainees are taught by subject experts. These experts skilfully support trainees to translate generic pedagogical practice into what is distinctive about their subject specialisms. For example, trainees are well prepared to teach the subject- specific knowledge which underpins their chosen discipline. They are also trained in how to design the most appropriate learning activities to enable pupils to acquire new knowledge and skills. Overall, course tutors enable trainees to become confident in planning and delivering a sequence of lessons in their chosen subject.

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better?

Although course tutors are very clear about the subject-specific knowledge that trainees must learn, some tutors do not provide leaders and mentors with sufficient information about the exact content of the subject-specific sessions that they deliver. The subject- specific content is not mapped out as effectively as it should be. This means that leaders do not have all the information that they require to quality assure this aspect of the ITE curriculum. This prevents leaders, including members of the strategic steering board, from knowing whether this element of the training programme is having the impact that it should on trainees’ learning and development. It also means that some mentors are less adept in identifying the gaps in trainees’ subject-specific knowledge as quickly as they could. Nonetheless, trainees achieve well.

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better?

The curriculum is underpinned by a strong enrichment programme, which includes weekly masterclasses. Trainees also benefit from exposure to the primary and post-16 age- phases. This enables trainees to see how their chosen subject is taught in the phases immediately before and after the 11 to 16 age-phase. Trainees also relish the opportunity to experience a diverse placement, for example in a special school or in an independent school.

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better?

Throughout the training programme, leaders ensure that trainees have a strong grounding in how to manage pupils’ behaviour. They also develop trainees’ awareness of the wider professional responsibilities of a teacher. These aspects are woven seamlessly throughout the course. Leaders place a suitable emphasis on ensuring that trainees learn about how to teach reading in a secondary school.

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better?

The systems for assessing how well trainees are learning the ITE curriculum are well established. Leaders have considered the purpose and focus of assignments so that they align with the master’s level modules. Formal review points throughout the course provide leaders with robust information about trainees’ progress. Leaders successfully use the curriculum as the vehicle for assessing trainees’ ongoing learning and development.

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better?

Leaders have put in place robust processes for recruiting and training mentors. Skilled course tutors provide thorough and ongoing training for mentors. Leaders ensure that mentors are implementing the school-based strand of the ITE curriculum as expected. Mentors are also well supported to develop and engage with research, reading and debate for the benefit of their own professional development and that of trainees.

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better?

Leaders are aspirational for all trainees. They are passionate about promoting equality of opportunity. Leaders pride themselves on facilitating routes into teaching for trainees from a range of diverse backgrounds. For example, they offer a robust assessment-only route for those trainees who are already teaching as unqualified teachers in schools. Across the range of routes on offer, most trainees are supported well to ensure that they achieve QTS. Support for trainees’ mental health and well-being is a key strength of the partnership.

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(Information for the provider and appropriate authority)

◼ Leaders do not have a sufficiently deep oversight in all aspects of what trainees are learning in the subject-specific component of the ITE curriculum. This means that they cannot quality assure this aspect of the training programme as effectively as they should. Leaders should ensure that the subject-specific knowledge that trainees will learn is defined explicitly and well mapped out so that leaders know exactly what subject knowledge trainees are learning and to what depth. ◼ Some subject mentors do not know the detail of what trainees are learning in the subject-specific, centre-based training sessions. Occasionally, this hinders how quickly mentors address gaps in trainees’ subject knowledge. Leaders should ensure that they share the content of the subject-specific strand of the ITE curriculum with subject mentors. This will support mentors to address trainees’ gaps in knowledge more quickly.

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compliance criteria?

◼ The provider meets the DfE statutory compliance criteria.

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ITE provider details

Unique reference number 2574134 Inspection number 10250099

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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 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 Higher education institution Phases provided Secondary Date of previous inspection 3 to 6 May 2022

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Inspection team

Rachel Goodwin, Lead inspector 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 phase

Kings Leadership Academy, Warrington 138562 Secondary Little Lever School 142296 Secondary The Westleigh School 146087 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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