Durham University

Durham University Confluence Building, Mountjoy, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE

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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?

The trainee experience at Durham University has evolved positively since the last inspection. Trainees feel well supported by dedicated university staff who are approachable and committed to their success. The provider’s ethos, centred on ambition and partnership, shapes a culture where trainees’ well-being and professional development are valued. Trainees feel proud to be part of a nurturing and responsive training environment.

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

The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to prepare trainees for the demands of teaching. Trainees gain experience across the primary age range, applying their learning across a diverse range of schools. Training prioritises the development of trainees’ expertise in early reading, phonics and mathematics. Trainees develop important insights into the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), with adaptive teaching embedded increasingly well across the course. Trainees develop a sound understanding of safeguarding and classroom management.

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

Communication across the partnership is improving. The university has further developed productive collaboration with schools. Professional tutors are used with increasing effect to strengthen links between centre-based learning and school placements. Together, the university and its partner schools aim to equip trainees not just for their first posts but for a successful and sustainable teaching career.

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Information about this ITE provider

◼ From September 2024, Durham University had sole responsibility for trainees studying the Batchelor of Arts (Hons) with QTS in the primary phase in their second and third years. ◼ In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 92 trainees. This comprised 43 trainees in year 2 and 49 trainees in the third year. ◼ The provider works with 43 partner schools across Durham and neighbouring local authorities. Most schools were judged good or outstanding at their most recent Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

◼ This was a reinspection and was carried out by three of His Majesty’s Inspectors and one Ofsted Inspector. ◼ Inspectors held meetings with a wide range of university staff, including the faculty dean, head of school/director of initial teacher education, the leadership team and course leaders. ◼ Inspectors met with staff in partner schools, including headteachers, school training centre coordinators and class-based tutors. ◼ Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation relating to the ITE programmes. This information included subject and phase curriculum documentation, course handbooks, trainees’ portfolios, assignments and records of target setting. Inspectors also looked at assessment documentation, mentoring records and information relating to the DfE’s ITT criteria and supporting advice. ◼ Inspectors scrutinised a range of evidence in relation to the leadership and management of the provider. This included the provider’s self-evaluation

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Information about this inspection

documents, improvement plans and quality assurance documents. In addition, inspectors considered findings from Ofsted’s own surveys of the views of trainees and staff and findings from the provider’s surveys. ◼ Inspectors conducted focused reviews in early reading, mathematics, science, art and design, design and technology, physical education and religious education. ◼ Inspectors spoke to 48 trainees and nine early career teachers. The inspection team visited seven schools as part of the inspection.

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better?

Leaders at Durham University have taken decisive steps to strengthen their ITE programme. They have taken effective action to prepare the next generation of primary teachers for the realities of classroom life. Trainees benefit from a coherent and well- sequenced training experience. Leaders work in close partnership with schools across clusters. They have created a collaborative model that blends academic learning with practical classroom application. The curriculum is ambitious and carefully designed. It is rooted in the core content framework, spanning from the early years to the end of key stage 2. Trainees are prepared to teach core and foundation subjects for the primary age phase. Core subjects are prioritised early in the programme. Foundation subjects are taught incrementally across the first two years, with the inclusion of additional, targeted masterclasses in the third year of study. SEND and adaptive teaching are embedded throughout the course to

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better?

increasing effect. Leaders are creating increasingly confident, research-informed and reflective practitioners.

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better?

Placements are purposefully timed to follow university input, allowing trainees to apply their knowledge with purpose. Shared curriculum maps and pre-placement briefings support integration between centre-based teaching and school-based learning. Trainees frequently praise their school experiences, particularly valuing how well they are prepared to teach core subjects. However, there remains some variability in the effectiveness of the guidance that mentors receive. Where this is the case, aspects of the training programme, such as the teaching of foundation subjects, are less effectively reinforced. This variation is not identified and addressed as well as it could be.

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better?

The curriculum is informed by well-chosen, up-to-date research, particularly in English, mathematics and wider aspects of inclusion. Trainees receive a strong foundation in the teaching of systematic synthetic phonics. This equips them to teach early reading with confidence. Trainees engage with both influential and current research. This foundation of strong research supports trainees’ understanding of how pupils learn, including the development of key ideas such as cognitive load and effective assessment. Trainees are taught to consider misconceptions and adaptive strategies in their planning.

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better?

Professional behaviours are well developed. Mentors value trainees’ commitment and preparedness. They show growing confidence in classroom practice and contribute to wider school life. For instance, trainees in the third year of the programme undertake a six-week wider professional responsibilities placement in the summer term.

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better?

Trainees’ well-being is promoted through clear pastoral systems and a mental health charter. Leaders have begun to adjust placement timing and assessment scheduling in response to some of the concerns raised by trainees. These actions are easing some of the work pressures that trainees experience.

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better?

Leaders use quality assurance processes well to track trainees’ progress, sample mentor feedback and identify areas for improvement. These processes are supported by external moderation. Ongoing formative assessment helps mentors and centre-based staff to support trainees’ progression through the training curriculum.

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(Information for the provider and appropriate authority)

◼ On occasions, the guidance that mentors receive does not enable them to reinforce the training programme as well as they could. This means that some areas of the planned ITE curriculum are integrated less effectively than others such as trainees’ experience of teaching foundation subjects. The provider should ensure that mentors receive clear guidance on their role in purposefully reinforcing the training programme so that trainees learn consistently well across all placements.

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compliance criteria?

The provider meets the DfE statutory compliance criteria.

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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 institution Phases provided Primary Date of previous inspection 20 to 23 May 2024

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Inspection team

Marcus Newby, Lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Stephenson His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Dughall McCormick His Majesty’s Inspector

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Annex: Placement schools

Inspectors visited the following schools as part of this inspection:

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Name URN ITE phase

Bearpark Primary School 114129 Primary Bowburn Primary School 114087 Primary Castleside Primary School 150341 Primary Lanchester Endowed Parochial Primary School 131168 Primary Springmoor Grange School 114091 Primary The Rydal Academy 138989 Primary Wingate Primary School 114149 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 .

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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

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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