Luminate Education Group

Luminate Partnership for ITT

Address: University Centre Leeds, Mabgate Campus, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS9 7DZ Unique reference number (URN): 2580190

p.1

Inclusion Strong standard

Staff have created a highly inclusive culture in which trainees are frequently encouraged to talk about their support needs and the adjustments they need to help them succeed in their studies and in their teaching. Staff sensitively share the need for adjustments between the teacher educators and the staff in the curriculum areas in which trainees teach.

p.1

Inclusion Strong standard

Mentors have a thorough understanding about the specific needs of the trainees they support. They use this knowledge to make adaptations to their mentoring and make very helpful adjustments that help the trainees make progress in developing their teaching skills. Pastoral mentors provide time for trainees to talk about their barriers to learning and help them to develop confidence that they will successfully complete their training.

p.1

Expected standard

Leaders make sure that all trainees are welcomed and valued. The importance of equality and diversity in the workforce is consistently championed throughout the programme, including in the recruitment of trainees.

p.2

Expected standard

Trainees receive a wealth of extremely helpful information, guidance and support for their mental health and wellbeing. They know where to get help and support beyond their teachers and mentors if they need it. For example, they have access to the college’s wellbeing team and student services.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Trainees mostly learn, develop and apply the knowledge and skills they need to teach and manage behaviour effectively in their subjects in further education and skills. They reflect on their teaching and professional skills well. Trainees understand their progress and they care about their own development. They discuss their strengths and targets keenly with subject mentors so that they can improve their practice.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Trainees set routines and behaviour expectations for their learners from the start of the year and mostly use effective management strategies to help to minimise low-level disruption. They learn how to use restorative practice effectively in their classrooms.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Trainees grow in confidence throughout their training and become accomplished and resilient teachers. Most trainees complete their courses and achieve their qualifications. They are well prepared for a career in further education because they understand the sector.

p.2

Curriculum, teaching and training Expected standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum in which they embed high-quality, relevant research. They plan a rich range of specialist sessions to develop trainees’ understanding of contemporary issues in education and skills, including special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) reforms and national standards in English and mathematics. Leaders ensure trainees develop the academic skills that they need to achieve, such as the effective use of statistics and education data, and academic referencing.

p.2

Curriculum, teaching and training Expected standard

Leaders carefully sequence curriculums to build trainees’ skills and confidence in teaching gradually. Trainees develop a secure understanding of the theory underpinning effective learning, before considering the impact of social, economic and cognitive factors. They apply these well on teaching placements and explain clearly their rationale for using certain approaches.

p.2

Curriculum, teaching and training Expected standard

Teacher educators frequently revisit content as trainees progress through the curriculum. This helps trainees to remember critical information and connect topics to deepen their understanding. For example, teacher educators frequently revisit safeguarding themes and professional behaviours when teaching about learner context, inclusive teaching and contemporary issues. This ensures trainees understand statutory duties and remain vigilant to risks. Leaders draw on the expertise of guest speakers who share valuable insights into topics such as grooming, exploitation and cuckooing.

p.2

Curriculum, teaching and training Expected standard

Mentors support trainees to tailor their teaching to their subject specialisms and the context of the learners. For example, mentors help trainees teaching level 1 functional skills to learners with SEND to anchor learning using topics with which learners are already familiar. They use commonly understood examples to help learners understand abstract concepts such as range and average.

p.3

Curriculum, teaching and training Expected standard

Leaders plan a curriculum that prepares trainees to meet the needs of learners with SEND. Trainees learn about inclusive curriculum design, inclusive language and adaptive teaching strategies. They use well-informed strategies to meet the needs of learners in their classrooms. However, most trainees do not routinely review the effectiveness of these strategies so that they can reduce or increase support for their learners.

p.3

Curriculum, teaching and training Expected standard

Teacher educators and mentors are knowledgeable and understand well the contexts in which their trainees teach. They are well informed about evidence-based teaching methods and model effective practice. Teacher educators use assessment well. They use microteaching early in the programmes to identify trainees’ skills in face-to-face and online teaching. They assess how well trainees apply the theory they learn in their practice through frequent observations. They provide helpful feedback to trainees which trainees reflect and act on diligently.

p.3

Leadership Expected standard

Leaders implement well their vision to provide high-quality teacher education to meet their own staffing needs as well as to support teacher recruitment in the local and regional area. They recruit trainees from a range of backgrounds and from the diverse communities Luminate Education Group serves. Leaders aim for their provision to support and strengthen teaching for learners in curriculum areas in which recruitment is difficult, such as English, mathematics and provision for learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.3

Leadership Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the ITE provision is carefully integrated into the quality assurance arrangements in the university centre where it is based and in the wider Luminate Education Group. This means that those responsible for the curriculum are held to account for the quality of the training that trainees experience and for complying with national expectations and statutory responsibilities.

p.3

Leadership Expected standard

Leaders have implemented well-considered actions to further improve the proportion of apprentices who achieve and pursue a teaching career. A few of the changes are in their infancy, such as the introduction of staff who intervene when apprentices are at risk or struggling with their course.

p.3

Leadership Expected standard

Leaders provide mentors with high-quality training about their role in supporting trainees to develop their subject teaching skills. In addition, all staff who are involved in supporting the trainees attend useful professional development days for all Luminate College Group staff. The most recent included helpful sessions on neurodiversity and trauma informed

p.3

Next steps

Leaders should ensure that their actions to improve the number of apprentices who are well prepared for a career in teaching and who stay and complete their apprenticeship are successful.

p.4

Next steps

Leaders should take action to help trainees on the part-time programmes manage their workload better.

p.4

Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum includes relevant training to help trainees to fully understand the graduated approach to supporting learners with barriers to learning.

p.4

Next steps

Leaders should increase their expectations of attendance by trainees at the taught elements of their ITE programme to ensure high attendance. restorative practice, for example. Teacher educators also keep up to date by completing relevant scholarly activity.

p.4

Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff mostly have high expectations for trainees’ professional behaviours. Most trainees understand these expectations. They are punctual, participate fully and enjoy sharing their knowledge and expertise with their peers. Trainees teaching learners who speak English as an additional language support fellow trainees to understand the vulnerabilities of learners seeking asylum and refugees. Trainees also debate professionally the potential misconceptions and stereotypes that exist about children and young people from low- income backgrounds. When full-time trainees use informal terms in training sessions, facilitators sensitively correct them and explore alternative, more professional language.

p.4

Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders do not ensure that trainees’ attendance is consistently high across all programmes. Therefore, a few trainees are not routinely demonstrating the high standards of professional behaviour required for their future careers.

p.4

Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders take trainees’ wellbeing seriously by monitoring assessment demands and responding to trainees' feedback. Leaders have set out clear expectations to help trainees have manageable workloads. Apprentices manage their workload well. However, part-time trainees attending evening sessions find their workload challenging.

p.4

Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders place a high priority on ensuring that trainees do not experience harassment or sexual misconduct. Trainees know that bullying and harassment are not tolerated and they know where to get help and support should they need it.

p.4

What it's like to be a trainee at this provider

Trainees appreciate the calm, nurturing and professional approach of their teacher educators. At weekly training sessions, teacher educators encourage trainees to share their successes and any challenges they have experienced on placements. They support trainees to reflect on their experiences and to view any challenges as opportunities to develop. This builds trainees’ resilience and they are optimistic about their future careers.

p.5

What it's like to be a trainee at this provider

Trainees are well prepared to manage behaviour in the classroom. Trainees understand fully their role in supporting the safeguarding of learners. They can outline the steps they should take if they have a safeguarding concern about a young person.

p.5

What it's like to be a trainee at this provider

Trainees value highly the subject-specialist staff they work with in their departments. They feel included and part of the team. They feel confident to ask for feedback from their mentors and others in their curriculum areas to help them improve their teaching.

p.5

What it's like to be a trainee at this provider

Helpful pastoral mentors have been put in place to support trainees with their wellbeing and help them to manage their workloads. Apprentices who struggle or who experience temporary barriers to learning receive useful intensive intervention from achievement, progress and retention managers who support trainees to overcome their challenges. Trainees with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive effective adaptations in their taught sessions and in their curriculum areas.

p.5

What it's like to be a trainee at this provider

Trainees learn about the importance of modelling a positive mindset towards English and mathematics. They use national attainment data to understand why the profile of these subjects is high on the skills and employability agenda. They learn practical strategies to address errors and maximise spontaneous opportunities to develop these important skills in their classrooms.

p.5

What it's like to be a trainee at this provider

Trainees grow in confidence as a result of their training. They develop an assured and commanding presence in their classrooms. They balance this skilfully with the nurturing approach required for effective learning.

p.5

About this inspection

Trainees in the further education and skills phase are either following an apprenticeship, the professional graduate certification in education or the certificate in education.

p.5

About this inspection

There are 58 apprentices on the level 5 learning and skills teacher apprenticeship. All are within Luminate Education Group.

p.5

About this inspection

There are 27 trainees who are employed and complete the taught element of the course on a part-time basis. Of these, 22 are on the professional graduate certificate in education and 5 are on the certificate in education.

p.5

About this inspection

There are 14 full-time trainees. Of these 7 are on the professional graduate certificate in education and 7 on the certificate in education.

p.5

Team inspectors:

Philippa Firth, His Majesty's Inspector Alison Dennis, His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

p.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it. There are 8 trainees who are employed or on placement outside of Luminate Education Group.

p.6

Exceptional

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

p.6

Exceptional

Inspectors spoke with board members, leaders, teacher educators, mentors, trainees, apprentices and former trainees and apprentices during the inspection.

p.6

Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

Expected standard

The provider is fulfilling the expected standard of training. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of training.

p.7

Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.7

Urgent improvement

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 .

p.7

Urgent improvement

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

p.7

Urgent improvement

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

p.7

Urgent improvement

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

p.7