Nottingham Trent University

Nottingham Trent University School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham NG11 8NS

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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 Requires improvement

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

Trainees study a curriculum that prepares them well for their future careers. Most develop their knowledge of appropriate teaching strategies, how to plan lessons effectively and understand behaviour management techniques. They progressively develop their skills to support learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Trainees rightly value the experience of their tutors. Tutors help trainees to understand how learners learn and what the effective methods of teaching them are. For example, trainees first learn cognitive load theory and then evaluate what this could mean for how they teach their subject. Trainees benefit from sessions that are co-delivered by university tutors and staff from further education and skills (FES) institutions. As a result, trainees become more aware of topical matters, such as the use of artificial intelligence in teaching.

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

Tutors and mentors are very supportive of trainees and guide them on how to manage their workload. If trainees struggle to meet course and/or placement expectations, tutors and mentors set very useful improvement plans that assist trainees well.

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

Leaders enable trainees to develop effectively their academic and employability skills. For example, during employability days, trainees are interviewed by FES setting leaders. These useful sessions assist trainees to apply for jobs and to learn more about the sector.

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Information about this ITE provider

◼ Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has 37 trainees in the FES phase. ◼ FES trainees follow part-time or full-time courses. The training leads to level 5 Certificate in Education, level 6 Professional Graduate Certificate in Education and level 7 Postgraduate Certificate in Education. ◼ Leaders work in partnership with around 16 settings. This includes colleges, schools, specialist organisations and independent specialist colleges. The current inspection grades for these settings range from good to outstanding.

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Information about this inspection

◼ When NTU was last inspected by Ofsted in March 2023, the FES phase was judged as requires improvement. ◼ The inspection was carried out by three of His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI). ◼ During the inspection, inspectors spoke with the director and deputy director of the Nottingham Institute of Education, the principal lecturer responsible for the FES phase, members of the teaching team, several mentors, coordinators and members of the partnership development group from placement settings. ◼ Inspectors spoke with 21 trainees and four former trainees. ◼ Inspectors completed focus reviews in science, engineering, creative and provision for learners with SEND. ◼ Inspectors sampled a range of documentation relating to the ITE programmes. This included curriculum plans, trainees’ written assessments, evidence of mentoring arrangements and quality assurance procedures. ◼ Inspectors also reviewed a wide range of information relating to the leadership and

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Information about this inspection

management of the partnership. These documents included leaders’ self-evaluation and improvement planning documents.

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better?

Following the last inspection, leaders, working with staff, swiftly put in place an appropriate improvement plan. They made several key changes to curriculum content, mentoring and how they monitor trainees’ progress. Leaders’ actions have resulted in substantial improvements in these areas.

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better?

Leaders are ambitious for their trainees. Curriculum plans are cross-referenced to teachers’ professional occupational standards and the core content framework effectively, even though this is not a requirement for FES trainees. Managers and tutors consider course content carefully and organise topics logically. For example, trainees first learn about professionalism and then move on to the more complex topics of curriculum theory and inclusive practice.

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better?

Tutors ensure that mentors know what trainees will learn during their course. They provide useful training, guidance documents, newsletters and have frequent discussions with them. This enables most mentors to help trainees embed what they learn into their teaching. However, in a very few cases, mentors do not have the full breadth of understanding they need to support further their trainees.

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better?

Mentors are experienced and know their subject areas well. They assist trainees to explore concepts they have learned at university in relation to their subject areas. However, a very small number of trainees would benefit from additional subject guidance across all those that they teach.

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better?

Trainees’ knowledge and skills are assessed through an appropriate mix of written assessments, 360-degree reflections and observations. Tutors and mentors provide trainees with extensive feedback on their teaching performance. Most skilfully identify trainees’ key strengths and areas for improvement. They use this information to provide them with helpful development plans with links to further research and guidance. However, in a very small minority of observations, mentors’ feedback can be too positive. Tutors are quick to identify these instances and provide useful guidance that helps mentors to improve.

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better?

Most trainees complete their studies and achieve their qualifications. They receive suitable information to help them to prepare for the professional formation process.

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better?

Tutors gather and evaluate a wealth of relevant information on mentors’ performance. Leaders and tutors typically use this well to target any training and support. However, leaders’ systems to oversee these activities are cumbersome. It makes it harder for them to easily see if a mentor does not meet all their high expectations.

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better?

Leaders utilise a suitable range of quality assurance processes to evaluate their provision. This includes frequent activities, such as the ITE leadership group, course committees, self-evaluation and trainee feedback. Leaders use these processes well to accurately identify their strengths and any areas for development. They take swift and appropriate actions to improve the quality of trainees’ experiences.

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(Information for the provider and appropriate authority)

◼ Although leaders provide beneficial training and support for mentors, a very few do not fully understand what trainees learn during centre-based training. These mentors are unable to guide trainees to apply all of what they learn during their placement. Leaders should ensure that all mentors know enough of the ITE curriculum content to be able to assist their trainees fully. ◼ A very small number of trainees teach more than one subject specialism. Leaders ensure that trainees have access to a mentor for their primary area of expertise. However, trainees do not benefit from guidance for all those that they teach. Leaders should ensure that trainees have access to a full range of subject expertise to support their development. ◼ Leaders utilise a range of suitable methods to oversee mentor performance. While this provides leaders with the information they need, it is time consuming to monitor. It is hard to see quickly if a mentor is not meeting their high expectations. Leaders

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(Information for the provider and appropriate authority)

should improve how they oversee mentor performance and make it easier to identify any concerns.

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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 Higher education institute Phases provided Early Years Primary Secondary Further Education and Skills (FES) Dates of previous inspection 7 to 10 March 2023

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Inspection team

Emma Woods, Lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Russ Henry His Majesty’s Inspector Vicki Locke His Majesty’s Inspector

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Annex: Placement colleges

Inspectors visited the following colleges as part of this inspection:

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Name URN ITE phase

Confetti College (Access to Music Limited) 50313 FES The Manor Academy 137158 FES NTU (Brackenhurst Campus) 133855 FES Pollyteach Limited 145546 FES West Nottinghamshire College 130777 FES 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 looked after children, 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

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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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