Setting

Tristan Kirkpatrick Star Academies Shadsworth Road Blackburn BB1 2HT

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(NIoT)

Following my visit with Brian Oppenheim and Kirsty Norbury, His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI), on 24 to 26 June 2024, I write on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the LPMV findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you have taken to date.

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(NIoT)

This inspection was the first LPMV since you began delivering the early career framework (ECF) programme. It was carried out under Part 8 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

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(NIoT)

Having considered the evidence, I am of the opinion that, at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to ensure that the ECF training is of a high standard.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

I am copying this letter to the Department for Education.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Louise Walker His Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Context

NIoT was founded by four multi-academy trusts (MATs): Harris Federation, Oasis Community Learning, Outwood Grange Academies Trust and Star Academies. Each of the four founding MATs anchors one of NIoT’s four regional campuses across the country. These regions are South and West; the East, South and London; the North and West; and the North and East.

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Context

NIoT provides direct delivery from their four regional campuses and through a network of associate colleges, which are spread across all regions of England. The eight associate colleges delivering the ECF programme are made up of non-founding MATs and teaching school hubs and are linked to one of NIoT’s regional campuses. There are currently 1,607 early career teachers (ECTs) enrolled on the ECF programme delivered by the NIoT.

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Findings

▪ NIoT leaders have a laser focus on providing a high-quality curriculum for ECTs. This is underpinned by their vision to be ‘school-led’ and to nurture the talents of teachers and leaders at all stages of their careers. Leaders are unashamedly committed to enabling ECTs to flourish as new entrants into the profession. Consequently, they have designed a highly ambitious curriculum that is meticulously planned to ensure ECTs develop their knowledge and skills progressively. The curriculum takes ECTs from the foundations of learning gained during their initial teacher training, through developing expertise and on to excellence in the context of their role. ▪ NIoT leaders select facilitators carefully, train them thoroughly, support them diligently and expect excellence from them. As a result, facilitators know what is expected of them and are skilful at drawing on their own professional experiences to craft discussions with ECTs. What facilitators

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Findings

teach maintains fidelity to the ECF and ensures that content is taught comprehensively and exclusively. ▪ Similarly, high-quality training and precisely scaffolded guidance keep mentors abreast of current educational thinking and course design. Mentors understand their role as expert colleagues very well. They have a sharp focus on building on ECTs’ theoretical knowledge to ‘learn how to’ in practice. ECTs value the range of high-quality exemplification materials that are used to contextualise aspects of the training. These are linked to specific subjects, settings and phases. ▪ Leaders ensure that relationships across the associate colleges and with their delivery partners are deeply rooted in mutual trust and integrity, and underpinned by effective two-way communication. NIoT leaders utilise these strong relationships very well to ensure the systems for managing the day- to-day delivery of this large-scale training programme are highly efficient

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Findings

and successful. These multi-faceted systems are used to gather meaningful information about the quality and consistency of programme delivery. For example, leaders collect and analyse data about ECTs’ engagement with online materials. Feedback systems are ‘nimble’ and responsive, and enable leaders, where necessary, to address any issues swiftly. ▪ Leaders understand very well the strengths of their provision and what needs to be improved. They implement meticulous and incisive quality assurance systems to identify where things are not the best that they can be. Leaders do not leave anything to chance. Regular and constructive collaboration between NIoT leaders, associate college leaders, facilitators and mentors is pivotal in assuring a high-quality experience for ECTs. Together, they make astute decisions about the future development of the programme. For example, leaders acted quickly on the need to widen their

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Findings

exemplification materials to increase the range of examples taken from special schools. ▪ The extensive knowledge and educational expertise of the board of trustees and executive leadership team means that governance is robust. Together, they ensure that, at both a national and regional level, lines of accountability are clear and that all leaders have a firm and common understanding of their role and statutory responsibilities. The board of trustees, supported by the executive leadership team and groups such as the ECF programme board, scrutinise every aspect of the programme from design through to delivery, to ensure that the programme is taught to a high standard. ▪ Leaders are particularly mindful of the need to consider the well-being of ECTs. Leaders take deliberate steps to help make ECT workload manageable. ECTs have clear systems in place to report concerns, including those which may be of a safeguarding or equalities nature. Leaders have an

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Findings

uncompromising commitment to tackling disadvantage and are committed to the importance of equalities and inclusion. They have designed modules that enable ECTs to apply their theoretical learning to the local context of their schools.

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Evidence

The inspectors scrutinised documents and met with lead provider representatives and other senior leaders, associate college senior leaders, associate college staff, ECTs, facilitators and mentors to discuss the ECF training programme you deliver. Inspectors also watched recorded training sessions. The lead inspector met with representatives from the board of trustees and the executive team. This included the vice chair of the board of trustees and the chief executive officer of NIoT. Inspectors considered views expressed by associate college leaders, facilitators and ECTs in the responses to the Ofsted inspection surveys.

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