The Cambridge Partnership

c/o Meridian Trust Offices, Swavesey Village College, Cambridge CB24 4RS Inspection dates 29 January to 1 February 2024

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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 Good

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

Trainees benefit hugely from the intricate precision with which their training programmes are planned. Fine details are considered to ensure they develop the essential skills of being a teacher. They learn, when they need to, how to manage pupils’ behaviour. They know how to meet the needs of all their pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Primary trainees learn well how to teach early reading.

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

The protection of trainees’ well-being is built into the routine programme of mentoring and support they receive. The innovative way in which they are assessed ensures their focus is on recalling and deepening their understanding while minimising the amount of paperwork they need to produce.

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

Leaders’ flexible approach enables trainees to succeed. For instance, the provider responds well to employers’ needs when training apprentices. They make sure that trainees’ contrasting placements enhance their work in their base school. Some trainees’ courses are extended to allow them to have sufficient experience in different settings. The provider considers how to help everyone to succeed.

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

Everything the provider does is underpinned by effective joint working. They make sure schools understand and follow their training programme. This means that trainees have a consistently positive experience.

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Information about this ITE provider

◼ The provider currently has 108 trainees over the primary and secondary phases. ◼ Thirty-four of the trainees are following the level 6 teaching apprenticeship route. ◼ The provider works with 110 schools in eight local authorities. ◼ The majority of the schools the provider works with are graded good or better by Ofsted. ◼ The routes offered by the provider are apprenticeships, Postgraduate Certificate in Education, School Direct (fee paid) and School Direct (salaried).

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Information about this inspection

◼ The inspection team consisted of one Ofsted Inspector and two of His Majesty’s Inspectors. ◼ Inspectors met with the director of initial teacher training, the executive principal (secondary), the executive director of SEND and the chief executive officer of Meridian Trust, as well as members of the strategic board. ◼ Inspectors spoke with programme managers, subject tutors and school-based mentors. ◼ Inspectors carried out focused reviews in the following subjects: early reading, science, history, geography and mathematics. ◼ Inspectors spoke with 13 trainees and nine early career teachers. ◼ Inspectors visited eight schools.

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better?

The provider has a crystal-clear understanding of the needs of schools in the region. Its recruitment and training are tailored to meet these. For example, in partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council, the provider runs an internship course as a pathway to the teaching apprenticeship. It makes sure that those who are keen to work in special schools learn from experts in the field. The result is that schools’ recruitment needs are far more likely to be met than they otherwise would be.

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better?

Built around the five pillars of behaviour management, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment and professional responsibilities, the trainee curriculum covers all aspects of the core content framework. It revisits, in deepening complexity, the knowledge and skills of teaching over time. The process for trainees learning the theory of teaching, understanding how it applies to a particular subject or phase and practising it in school is seamless.

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better?

The provider is driven by a strong moral purpose to meet the needs of all pupils. They make sure trainees know how to, and that they must, adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. They help trainees to become rounded professionals with skills to meet the multi-faceted demands of the profession.

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better?

The Cambridge Partnership works very effectively with others. Its strategic board, representing schools, academy trusts and local authorities, scrutinises their work very well. The partnership works extremely closely with two other ITE providers to maximise the chances of trainees being successful and to minimise the burden on schools. Its mentor training, routine checks of trainees’ work and regular visits to schools ensure that mentors follow the programme with fidelity.

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better?

It is hard for trainees to fall behind. Close guidance and monitoring of their progress by both mentors and programme managers ensures they have timely guidance on how to develop their practice.

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better?

Trainees’ understanding is checked well by programme managers in formal assessments. If trainees need additional support, the partnership provides it.

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better?

The provider ensures that trainees in the primary phase know how to teach early reading and phonics effectively. They focus on developing trainees’ understanding of the phonics approach, regardless of the scheme trainees might encounter as teachers.

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comply with the ITE compliance criteria?

The provider meets the DfE statutory compliance criteria.

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apprenticeship provision?

The provider meets the principles and requirements of apprenticeship provision in the primary and secondary combined phases.

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apprenticeship provision?

The provider checks on apprentices’ knowledge of teaching from the start. It visits apprentices early in the course to check what they can do and what they need to learn. The provider uses this information to inform the training and mentoring apprentices receive.

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apprenticeship provision?

Leaders make sure that apprentices have at least the minimum amount of off-the-job training. Apprentices, like their colleagues on other training routes, are well informed about up-to-date research and learn how to apply this in their teaching. They develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours of professional teachers.

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ITE provider details

Unique reference number 70232 Inspection number 10313362

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ITE provider details

This inspection was carried out in accordance with the initial teacher education inspection framework and handbook , which 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 and secondary combined Date of previous inspection 12 June and 9 October 2017

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Inspection team

Andrew Hemmings, Lead Inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Caroline Crozier His Majesty’s Inspector

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Annex: Schools

Inspectors visited the following schools as part of this inspection:

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Name URN ITE phase

Bromham CofE Primary 109611 Primary Gamlingay Village Primary 142638 Primary Manea Community Primary School 110638 Primary Isle of Ely Primary School 140483 Primary Nene Park Academy 137082 Secondary Springwood High School 136515 Secondary Comberton Village College 136463 Secondary Abbey College 136083 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

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Name URN ITE phase

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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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