Lincoln Bishop University

Bishop Grosseteste University Bishop Grosseteste University Longdales Road Lincoln LN1 3DY Inspection dates 05 to 08 March 2024

p.1

Inspection judgements

Primary age- phase Secondary age-phase Further education age-phase

p.1

Inspection judgements

The quality of education and training Good Good Good

p.1

Inspection judgements

Leadership and management Good Good Good

p.1

Inspection judgements

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good Good Good

p.1

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

The support that trainees receive is an absolute strength of this provision. Trainees are known well by centre- and school-based leaders, tutors and mentors. Concerns are dealt with rapidly. Workload is effectively managed. Trainees appreciate the ‘family feel’ of the training. They describe the provision as a ‘cocoon of care’.

p.1

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

The curriculum has been carefully constructed with strategic partners and is ambitious and relevant. Trainees are supported to develop an ‘expert eye’ through the rigour of academic research. The guidance on how to adapt the learning of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a particular strength. Trainees learn how to teach early reading extremely well. Expert subject specialists ensure that trainees acquire strong subject and pedagogical knowledge. This is stronger in the primary and secondary phases. Training reflects local need.

p.1

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

There is a clear intent to ensure that the training develops high quality, insightful teachers who work to address social inequality and ‘change pupils’ lives’. However, curriculum development to deepen trainees’ understanding of the needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language is in the early stages.

p.1

Information about this ITE provider

◼ In the 2023/24 academic year, the partnership had 550 trainees over three phases: primary, secondary and further education and skills (FES). ◼ Trainees train to teach in the primary phase through one of three routes: an undergraduate, three-year Bachelor of Arts (Hons) course, an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts (Hons) top-up course, or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course. The PGCE course is either university led or part of a School Direct route and is studied full- or part-time. In the secondary phase, all trainees follow the PGCE route. This is delivered through the university or as a School Direct route and is studied full- or part-time. ◼ This year there are trainees enrolled on the following secondary courses: art and design, business studies, dance, design and technology, drama, English, geography, history, mathematics, modern foreign languages, music, physical education, science

p.2

Information about this ITE provider

with biology, science with chemistry, science with physics, and social science. ◼ The FES phase has trainees on a variety of pre-service courses. These training routes are in the professional Graduate Certificate in Education, Training and Skills. ◼ In the primary phase, the partnership works with 600 schools, covering 25 local authorities. ◼ In the secondary phase, the partnership works with 130 schools, covering 18 local authority areas. ◼ In the further education and skills phase, the partnership works with 10 colleges across six local authority areas.

p.2

Information about this inspection

◼ The inspection was carried out by eight of His Majesty’s Inspectors and three Ofsted Inspectors. ◼ Inspectors met with leaders, including the vice chancellor, the executive dean of faculty, the head and deputy of ITE programmes and the head of ITT mentoring and partnerships. Inspectors also met with the admissions manager and placement service manager. In addition, they met with members of the strategic partnership. ◼ Inspectors held meetings with trainees, school mentors, university-based mentors, lecturers, senior lecturers and headteachers. ◼ Inspectors spoke to 20 primary trainees and five early career teachers (ECTs). They spoke with 18 secondary trainees and 14 ECTs. They spoke with seven FES trainees and two ex-trainees. ◼ Inspectors reviewed the responses to the trainee survey and staff survey. ◼ Inspectors reviewed the provider’s documentation, including information relating to improvement planning, curriculum and compliance .

p.2

Information about this inspection

◼ In the primary phase, focused reviews were conducted in early reading, English, mathematics, art and design, history and physical education. In the secondary phase, focused reviews were conducted in English, mathematics, history, science with biology and social science. In FES, the taught curriculum was considered through placements and engagement with mentors. ◼ Overall, inspectors spoke with 10 primary schools, 10 secondary schools and 5 further education colleges. Primary phase report

p.2

better?

Across the different courses, leaders have established a well-constructed core curriculum, designed to give trainees a thorough grounding of what to teach and how to teach it. This is skilfully tailored to trainees’ starting points. For example, trainees who already have extensive experience of working in schools learn about professional identity at the beginning of their course as they establish themselves as beginner teachers, rather than teaching assistants.

p.4

better?

The sequence of this curriculum is well established. As they move through the ‘introductory’, ‘developing’ and ‘extending’ phases, trainees deepen their knowledge of educational research and pedagogical approaches through university’s teaching and through placements in schools. Regular checks make sure that the subject teaching that trainees receive is up to date and exactly what they need. Leaders thoughtfully track the subjects trainees teach during placements, so that additional opportunities to deepen trainees’ knowledge can be provided in subjects that they have encountered less frequently, such as computing and religious education.

p.4

better?

Trainees are prepared exceptionally well to teach phonics. Their knowledge of pure sounds is regularly checked, and misconceptions rectified. They learn about the distinct barriers that pupils with SEND face and how to overcome these. Through regular practice, trainees become highly adept and confident phonics teachers.

p.4

better?

The core content framework is woven carefully throughout the course. In all subjects, trainees learn about how to adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Sessions at the university cover a broad range of learning difficulties that pupils may have. However, trainees do not always get the opportunities that they need to deepen their knowledge of how to support pupils who speak English as an additional language.

p.4

better?

Leaders provide useful training for school-based mentors. Guidance documents clearly explain to placement schools what trainees have learned about previously. University-based mentors provide valued advice to schools so that trainees can build on this. However, not all school-based mentors understand exactly how to give trainees the right support. For example, the targets which trainees are working towards sometimes lack precision. Leaders, through their checking, have identified this as an area for improvement. Work is underway to address this.

p.4

better?

Leaders check on the progress that trainees are making. Those who are beginning to struggle are spotted straight away. Appropriate plans and adaptations help most trainees to get swiftly back on track. Many trainees say that they are supported extremely well. They say that they are known ‘as a name, not a number’ and that they get the right help at the right time to become ‘fully fledged’ by the end of their course.

p.4

(Information for the provider and appropriate authority)

◼ A few trainees do not benefit from a consistently effective mentoring. Targets are not always written with precision so that trainees can build their practice incrementally. Leaders should ensure that all mentors engage with the high-quality training and resources which are available to support them and fully understand the expectations of them during trainees’ placements. ◼ The course programme does not routinely include opportunities for trainees to deepen their knowledge of strategies to support pupils who speak English as an additional language. Some trainees find it hard to explain what they learned. Leaders should ensure that as part of the curriculum for all trainees, they have the opportunity to systematically revisit and extend their knowledge of how to ensure that their teaching removes barriers for pupils who speak English as an additional language.

p.5

compliance criteria?

The provider meets the DfE statutory compliance criteria. Secondary phase report

p.5

better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious training curriculum. The ‘ADEPT’ (ambitious, diverse, evidence-based, professionally transformative) curriculum has the requirements of the ITT Core Content Framework as its foundation. Leaders have thought about what they want trainees to learn and when. The curriculum is adapted to meet local recruitment, and trainees’, needs. Subject curriculums dovetail with the core curriculum to build precise pedagogical and subject knowledge.

p.6

better?

Purposeful integration of theory and practice is very well blended across core, subject, school placements and academic assignments. Trainees appreciate the balance of core and subject-based learning at the start of the week, with the school-based placement learning. A typical trainee comment was, ‘We love Mondays!’ Another trainee commented, ‘Theory and practice link closely together.’

p.6

better?

Communication across the partnership is a particular strength. The weekly ‘guidance sheet’ enables school-based mentors to focus on precise learning. Weekly targets are sharp and link to school- and university-based learning.

p.6

better?

Leaders ensure that the school-based mentors are trained well. Mentors understand their responsibilities. They value the mentor training and appreciate additional opportunities to enhance their mentoring skills.

p.6

better?

Trainees develop a strong appreciation of the needs of pupils with SEND. Learning about adaptive teaching, related to SEND, is a particular strength of the provision. This SEND- related learning is threaded through the training curriculum. However, training related to addressing the barriers that pupils who speak English as an additional language face is not fully embedded.

p.6

better?

Trainees value the equality, diversity and inclusion week. They broaden and deepen their learning through a variety of research projects. These include, for example, gender diversity in sports, trans awareness and gender determination in languages.

p.6

better?

Training is underpinned by relevant research. Trainees read widely. They benefit from mature discussions and debate. They undertake meaningful action research projects. Many trainees relish this intellectual aspect of their training. They learn very well.

p.6

better?

Leaders’ approaches to assessing trainees integrate the different parts of the training. Trainees receive ongoing formative feedback. They build an electronic record of learning, reflection and of progress across the training. Final assessment is rigorous and is in line with the university’s assessment procedures. Leaders employ rigorous quality assurance processes. Their self-evaluation is accurate. They rightly identify many strengths. Leaders are not complacent.

p.6

better?

The provider helps trainees to balance workload well. There is a strong focus on supporting trainees’ personal and pastoral needs, as needed. Trainees are nurtured to become responsible new teachers.

p.7

(Information for the provider and appropriate authority)

◼ The provision has not fully embedded training that enables trainees to understand how to adapt teaching to addresses the barriers that pupils who speak English as an additional language face. As a result, not all trainees gain a depth of learning related to this area of adaptive teaching. Leaders need to consolidate and embed training opportunities, enabling trainees to adapt teaching to address the barriers faced by pupils who speak English as an additional language.

p.7

compliance criteria?

The provider meets the DfE statutory compliance criteria.

p.7

compliance criteria?

◼ Further education and skills phase report

p.7

done better?

Leaders and managers have developed an initial teacher education curriculum for aspiring further education and skills teachers that is suitably ambitious. The taught elements of this curriculum focus on general pedagogy. The curriculum introduces trainees to established theories and evidence-based teaching methods in a logical sequence. However, occasionally, the training focuses too much on learning activities and learner engagement and this occasionally results in trainees thinking too little about curriculum content. In a few cases, this leads to them teaching lessons that lack ambition.

p.8

done better?

Trainees’ opportunities to improve their subject-specific teaching are not as well developed as those for general pedagogy. Trainees largely rely on their placement mentors to support this aspect of their learning. While mentors provide useful support to their trainees, in a very few cases they focus on general pedagogy or themes such as behaviour management, rather than subject-specific teaching skills.

p.8

done better?

Leaders ensure that placement mentors have appropriate teaching experience and subject expertise. In the rare instances where this is not the case, university subject experts provide support to mentors. The programme leader provides mentors with a useful introduction to the course and the expectations of mentors. He provides weekly updates so that mentors know exactly what trainees are learning. This is supplemented with suggested questions for mentors to ask trainees, and related targets that they might like to set. As a result, the work of mentors complements the taught curriculum well and helps trainees to make good progress.

p.8

done better?

Leaders carry out several checks that mentors fulfil their responsibilities. However, these checks can sometimes focus too much on ensuring that mentors have completed activities, such as learning walks and meetings with trainees, and do not focus enough on the quality and impact of these interactions. Although most mentors work effectively with their trainees, quality assurance processes are not as effective as they need to be.

p.8

done better?

Teacher training staff and mentors conduct frequent, rigorous assessment of trainees’ progress. They set academic assignments, mark them thoroughly and provide trainees with clear feedback that helps them to understand what they have done well and what they need to improve. Staff and mentors conduct frequent lesson observations and learning walks that help trainees to gauge their progress, often tracking specific development themes through multiple observations. They review trainees’ reflections and periodically discuss their progress against the professional standards for teachers. As a result of this activity, trainees are clear about their progress and areas for improvement.

p.8

(Information for the provider and appropriate authority)

◼ Training places too much emphasis on activities and engagement and not enough on curriculum content. As a result, when planning lessons, trainees occasionally focus too much on ensuring that they include enough activity and too little on the contribution that these activities make to teaching the intended curriculum content. Consequently, such lessons lack ambition. Leaders should therefore consider how they can adjust the ITE curriculum so that trainees understand that it is the curriculum content that should engage learners and that teaching methods should be carefully matched to the topics to be learned. ◼ Quality assurance activities related to mentors focus too much on ensuring that mentors have completed activities rather than the extent to which those activities contribute to trainees’ learning and development. Leaders should adjust their focus so that they pay greater attention to the content and impact of mentors’ interactions

p.9

(Information for the provider and appropriate authority)

with trainees rather than just checking that they have been completed.

p.9

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.

p.10

ITE provider details

Type of ITE provider Higher education institution Phases provided Primary Secondary FES Dates of previous inspection 15 June 2015 and 30 November 2015

p.10

Inspection team

Jayne Ashman, Overall lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Chris Davies, Phase lead secondary His Majesty’s Inspector Russ Henry, Phase lead FES His Majesty’s Inspector Hazel Henson, Phase lead primary His Majesty’s Inspector Simon Hollinsworth His Majesty’s Inspector Kirsty Norbury His Majesty’s Inspector Caroline Poole His Majesty’s Inspector Helen Whelan His Majesty’s Inspector Martin Finch Ofsted Inspector Martin Lee Ofsted Inspector Elizabeth Moore Ofsted Inspector

p.10

Annex: Placement/employment schools and colleges

Inspectors visited the following schools and colleges as part of this inspection:

p.11

Name URN ITE phase

Belmont Community Primary School 120401 Primary Boston College 130761 FES Bottesford Junior School 117727 Primary Bucknall Primary School 120443 Primary Caistor Grammar School 136350 Secondary De Aston School 136491 Secondary Eastoft Church of England Primary School 118043 Primary Franklin College 130586 FES/Secondary Hartsholme Academy 146559 Primary Havelock Academy 135294 Secondary Ingoldsby Academy 141390 Primary John Leggott Sixth Form College 130588 FES Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School 137447 Secondary Long Bennington Church of England Academy 138047 Primary Louth Academy 144968 Secondary Nottingham College 130776 FES Oakfield Primary School 134867 Primary Retford Oaks Academy 137117 Secondary Riseholme College 130584 FES Sir Robert Pattinson Academy 130584 Secondary Sir William Robertson Academy, Welbourn 138839 Secondary Sturton by Stow Primary School 120478 Primary The Elizabethan Academy 138076 Secondary

p.11

Name URN ITE phase

Wybers Wood Academy 138975 Primary 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 .

p.11

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-

p.12

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 .

p.12

Name URN ITE phase

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

p.12

Name URN ITE phase

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

p.12