The School of Teaching and Learning

Oxfordshire Teacher Training SCITT Oxfordshire Teacher Training SCITT, c/o The Cherwell School, Marston Ferry Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX2 7EE

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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?

Trainees get their chosen careers off to the best possible start. That they are known as ‘associate teachers’ is a mark of the provider’s high expectations of them and the esteem in which they are deservedly held. Demands of trainees are high, but realistic. The programme is superb preparation for the realities of teaching. On top of this exceptional professional induction, well-being support is also first class.

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

Subject-specific dimensions are central to the training in both phases. Trainees gain a considerable grasp of theory and how to use this to best effect. In primary, this extends beyond an excellent grounding in early reading to the rightful importance attached to the full range of national curriculum subjects.

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

On top of expert, specialist input from central trainers, trainees benefit from dependably high-quality mentoring. Contrasting placements of broadly equal lengths optimise the learning that comes from these valuable experiences. Through incredibly well joined-up input between centre and school, trainees gain confidence and skills in vital aspects such as behaviour and meeting pupils’ diverse needs. This is enhanced by a powerful opportunity to gain insight about lived experiences through meeting parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Information about this ITE provider

◼ Oxfordshire Teacher Training SCITT has been offering initial teacher education since 2015. At the time of this inspection, there were 95 trainees. This comprised 39 training in the primary phase and 56 secondary trainees. Although the total number of trainees has been relatively stable in recent years, the number has risen by more than one third since the previous inspection. ◼ Most trainees take the one-year postgraduate full-time option to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS), but the provider also offers a part-time programme. Trainees can opt to study towards a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) awarded by the University of Buckingham. ◼ Full-time primary trainees can take an enhanced-route option which comprises additional training in either the early years foundation stage or SEND. Those taking the early years enhanced route will specialise in the three to seven age range. The age range for other primary trainees is five to 11 years. Training for most secondary

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Information about this ITE provider

trainees focuses on the 11 to 16 age range, unless the specific subject means that 14 to 19 years is appropriate. ◼ The provider works in partnership with over 60 primary and secondary schools across Oxfordshire, as well as special schools and early years settings. Most schools in the partnership were judged good or better at their most recent Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

◼ The inspection was conducted by two of His Majesty’s Inspectors and two Ofsted Inspectors. ◼ Inspectors met with: the SCITT director; programme leaders for each phase; the quality assurance, curriculum and safeguarding officer; the primary subject specialist lead; the well-being and support officer; and the SCITT manager. They also spoke with a range of secondary subject specialists and visiting tutors. Inspectors met headteachers, senior links and mentors from partnership schools. The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body and the accounting officer, and representatives of the steering group. ◼ During the inspection, inspectors spoke with 39 current trainees and nine early career teachers who trained with this provider. The team also took account of the views expressed in 36 inspection surveys returned by trainees and 60 completed by staff. ◼ Between them, the inspection team visited seven partner schools in person, and

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Information about this inspection

conducted remote visits with another two. They engaged with a wider range of partner schools through a series of group meetings that were also carried out remotely. ◼ To evaluate how well trainees are prepared to teach, the inspection team focused in detail on certain subjects. In the primary phase, inspectors did focused reviews in early reading, science and art. In the secondary phase, the focused review subjects were mathematics, design technology, science and modern foreign languages.

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better?

Nothing is left to chance. Leaders’ longstanding and ongoing collaboration with partners to create and deliver a highly integrated curriculum has been a resounding success. Whether full time or part time, trainees benefit from a truly exceptional training programme at all levels. There is complete clarity of design in every respect, refined and developed over a long period. All those involved in the programme are united in the strategic vision, ethos and moral purpose.

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better?

The passion, commitment and relentless determination to give prospective teachers the best possible start to their careers is evident throughout. The core content framework is fully incorporated within the provider’s own meticulously thought-through curriculum, which goes way beyond the minimum entitlement. Additional core areas of ‘values’ and ‘well-being’ are an integral part of what makes this training programme such an excellent induction to the profession. There is a rightful pride in the deeply reflective ethos that is instilled in trainees. Trainees are encouraged to engage with philosophical debates in education, fostering their individual values. The programme’s clear focus is not limited to trainees achieving QTS, but that they should be well positioned for long and illustrious careers.

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better?

An excellent grounding in teaching early reading places primary trainees well to utilise systematic synthetic phonics programmes in their placement schools. On top of the universally comprehensive primary foundation, the early years and SEND enhancements provide additional depth in these areas and specifically targeted experience.

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better?

The coherence across all training elements is seamless, the joins undetectable. There is impressive consistency of high-quality mentoring. Incredibly well-considered tools, training, quality assurance and support make mentors’ vital but demanding role doable. Clearly defined ‘phases’ of trainees’ development and the ‘principles of effective lessons’ provide additional layers to the programme’s ingenious composition. They give deliberate and meaningful logic and structure to trainees’ revisiting of important content, helping them translate theory into practice on the journey from novice towards expert. The assessment of trainees interlinks deeply with the programme’s curriculum while remaining flexible, personalised and truly developmental.

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better?

These programme innovations come about as part of leaders’ tireless passion and deep commitment to training teachers as the lifeline of the wider sector. This provider is at the cutting edge of this work, often anticipating wider developments and the direction of travel. Restless leaders constantly delve into the programme to gain meaningful insights to its effectiveness, relentlessly seeking improvement until optimal success is achieved.

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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 70327 Inspection number 10278280 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 School-centred initial teacher training Phases provided Primary Secondary Date of previous inspection 21 June 2017 and 22 November 2017

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Inspection team

Clive Dunn, Lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Laura James His Majesty’s Inspector Linda Culling His Majesty’s Inspector Matthew Newberry 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 phases

Dashwood Banbury Academy 138501 Primary Ladygrove Park Primary School 139750 Primary North Oxfordshire Academy 135365 Secondary St Leonard’s Church of England Primary School 123179 Primary The Cherwell School 137970 Secondary The Marlborough Church of England School 138817 Secondary Wheatley Park School 140875 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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Name URN ITE phases

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Name URN ITE phases

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