Associated Merseyside Partnership SCITT

Associated Merseyside Partnership SCITT Building 1000, Vortex Court, Enterprise Way, Wavertree Technology Park, Liverpool L13 1FB

p.1

Inspection judgements

Primary and secondary age-phase combined

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education and training Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

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

Trainees have a strong affiliation to the Associated Merseyside Partnership SCITT. They value the all-encompassing support and guidance available to them throughout their training. This includes well-thought-out support for their workload and well-being. Communication between different partners is strong. Leaders are alert to trainees who experience difficulties. They intervene appropriately to support trainees to experience success on the course.

p.1

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

Trainees spend much of their training year in schools. They are immersed in school life from the outset and gain a well-grounded understanding of the rigours of classroom life. Trainees are amply prepared for their future careers.

p.1

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

Trainees benefit from high-quality central training. They quickly learn how to create safe and welcoming classrooms. Equally, trainees develop a detailed knowledge of how to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Trainees understand the particular value of breaking learning down to meet pupils’ additional needs.

p.1

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

Trainees are well prepared to teach their chosen subject and age-phase. In the primary age-phase, trainees develop the knowledge and skills to teach reading competently over time. They gain a confident understanding of the importance of systematic synthetic phonics in supporting pupils to read fluently. Secondary age-phase trainees learn about effective subject-specific pedagogy in carefully chosen school contexts.

p.1

Information about this ITE provider

◼ The Associated Merseyside Partnership (SCITT [School-centred initial teacher training]) has provided initial teacher education (ITE) since September 2015. It provides both primary and secondary teacher training programmes. ◼ The SCITT forms part of the Lydiate Learning Trust. Deyes High School is the lead school in the partnership for the secondary phase. Green Park Primary School and Hudson Primary School are lead partner primary schools. ◼ Since the last inspection the partnership has expanded to include Ashton Teacher Training Partnership (TTP) as a lead partner for primary teacher training programmes. ◼ The partnership offers a one-year School Direct (tuition fee) training programme which, on successful completion, leads to qualified teacher status (QTS) and a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE). The PGCE is validated by Liverpool Hope University. ◼ Primary age-phase trainees qualify to teach ages three to seven, seven to 11 or five

p.2

Information about this ITE provider

to 11 years. Secondary age-phase trainees qualify to teach ages 11 to 16 in different subjects or ages 14 to 19 in business studies. ◼ In the 2023/24 academic year, there were 81 trainees enrolled onto the partnership’s ITE programmes. There were 41 primary- and 40 secondary-age phase trainees. ◼ In 2023/24, primary trainees chose from a general PGCE in primary education, or they could choose to follow the primary physical education specialist PGCE route. Secondary trainees chose from the following PGCE subject specialisms: art and design; biology; business studies; chemistry; computing; dance; design and technology; drama; English; geography; history; mathematics; modern foreign languages; music; physical education; physical education with EBacc physics; physics or religious education. ◼ The partnership includes 50 primary schools and 23 secondary schools. These settings span 11 local authorities. ◼ Schools in which trainees are placed have been judged as outstanding, good and

p.2

Information about this inspection

◼ This inspection was carried out by two of His Majesty’s Inspectors and one Ofsted Inspector. ◼ Inspectors spoke with a range of SCITT leaders, including the head of the SCITT and the SCITT manager. The lead inspector met with members of the SCITT’s governance committee, including the chair of the committee. Inspectors also spoke with a range of staff and other partners within the SCITT. ◼ Inspectors sampled a wide range of documentation relating to the ITE training programme. This included curriculum documentation, trainees’ assignments, records of target setting and information relating to the Department for Education’s (DfE’s) ITE criteria and supporting advice. ◼ Inspectors also reviewed a wide range of information relating to the leadership and management of the partnership. These documents included leaders’ records of self- evaluation and improvement planning. ◼ Inspectors spoke with representatives of Liverpool Hope University to discuss the

p.2

Information about this inspection

PGCE element of the training programme. ◼ Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online trainee and staff surveys. ◼ Inspectors carried out focused reviews for the primary age-phase in early reading, mathematics and primary foundation subjects. In the secondary age-phase, focused reviews included physics and modern foreign languages. ◼ Inspectors spoke with 32 trainees individually or in small groups to discuss their experiences of the training programmes. They also spoke with 22 home coaches (mentors). ◼ Inspectors visited six schools as part of the inspection. During school visits, inspectors spoke with professional mentors, home coaches, trainees and headteachers. They also visited lessons that the trainees were teaching and observed the feedback given to trainees by home coaches. ◼ Inspectors spoke with five early career teachers, who had previously completed their initial teacher training with the provider.

p.3

better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum, underpinned by an unwavering commitment to equip local schools with high-quality early career teachers. The expansion of the partnership to include Ashton TTP has strengthened this moral purpose by meeting a training need in the northeast Manchester area. Across the partnership, trainees are prepared very well to join the teaching profession.

p.3

better?

Leaders ensure that the ITE curriculum goes beyond the requirements of the DfE’s core content framework. The curriculum’s spiral design means that trainees build securely, and at pace, on their core subject and pedagogical knowledge over the course of the programme. Key elements, including supporting pupils with SEND and assessing what pupils have learned, are skilfully interwoven. Masters-level modules enable trainees to deepen their understanding further. As a result, trainees know how to adapt their teaching to support pupils, including those with SEND, to learn well. Similarly, trainees are attuned to the small steps of progress that pupils make within lessons.

p.3

better?

In the primary age-phase, trainees develop a strong understanding of pedagogy and curriculum design, particularly in English, mathematics and science. They learn about the latest research, including how to help pupils know more and remember more in these subjects. For example, trainees understand the importance of providing all pupils, including pupils with SEND, with enough structured practice to secure fluency in reading. However, in a small number of foundation subjects, the aims and content of the subject- based training have not been identified and communicated to trainees and partner schools as well as in core subjects. As a result, the knowledge that a few trainees have of these subjects and how to teach them is not as secure as it is in other subjects.

p.3

better?

Trainees in the secondary age-phase learn an appropriate depth of subject knowledge, delivered by subject specialists who are experts in their field. Across both age-phases, well chosen, contrasting school-based experiences serve to strengthen trainees’ knowledge. Trainees make strong connections between their centre- and school-based training.

p.4

better?

Leaders have developed suitably rigorous systems for assessing trainees’ progress through the ITE curriculum. Leaders’ high-quality programme materials, including weekly newsletters, keep trainees abreast of the expectations and timings of assessments. In the main, home coaches’ weekly lesson observations and collaborative setting of targets help trainees to identify areas for development to strengthen their practice. However, in some instances, coaches do not provide trainees with targets that are precise enough to successfully address gaps in their knowledge and to improve their teaching.

p.4

better?

Leaders continually reflect on the effectiveness of the training programme and how to improve it. They value trainees’ feedback and make changes when something is not working as intended. The governance committee supports and challenges leaders very effectively.

p.4

(Information for the provider and appropriate authority)

◼ The curriculum for a small number of foundation subjects in the primary age-phase is not as clearly defined as it is in other subjects. This means that a small number of trainees do not deepen their knowledge of how to teach these subjects over the course of the programme. Leaders should ensure that curriculum content is planned, sequenced and communicated so that trainees are equally well equipped to teach the full range of primary national curriculum subjects. ◼ Leaders have not ensured that the targets that some home coaches set are of a consistently high quality. In some instances, targets are too broad and generic and lack the precision necessary to support trainees to hone their craft. Leaders should ensure that home coaches are equipped to set effective targets, so that trainees benefit from the precise guidance that they need to improve.

p.4

the ITE compliance criteria?

The provider meets the DfE statutory compliance criteria.

p.4

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.5

ITE provider details

Type of ITE provider SCITT Phases provided Primary and secondary combined Date of previous inspection 12 June and 13 November 2017

p.5

Inspection team

Jackie Stillings, Lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Barraclough His Majesty’s Inspector Valerie Elson Ofsted Inspector

p.5

Annex: Placement schools

Inspectors visited the following schools as part of this inspection:

p.6

Name URN ITE phases

Childwall Sports & Science Academy 138787 Secondary Holy Rosary Catholic Primary School 104940 Primary Meols Cop High School 149828 Secondary St Finbar’s Catholic Primary School 104640 Primary St Francis de Sales Catholic Infant and Nursery School 104651 Primary Whiston Willis Primary Academy 145613 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.6

Name URN ITE phases

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.7

Name URN ITE phases

government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Name URN ITE phases

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

p.7

Name URN ITE phases

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

p.7