Best Practice Network

Best Practice Network

Address: Best Practice Network, Newminster House 27-29 Baldwin Street, Bristol, Bristol, BS1 1LT Unique reference number (URN): 2747243

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Achievement Strong standard

Early years student teachers achieve very well, reflecting a highly effective programme. Achievement rates remain consistently high over time, with ever-improving outcomes each year.

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Achievement Strong standard

Leaders accurately identify student teachers’ starting points through interviews and initial assessments. They use this information to provide consistently well-targeted support, for example, in mathematics and academic writing. This ensures those at risk of falling behind are supported to succeed.

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Achievement Strong standard

Over the course of the programme, student teachers develop secure and improving knowledge, skills and professional understanding. They use professional dialogue very effectively to inform their practice and apply the content they have learned with increasing confidence. For example, student teachers skilfully adapt their language to ensure it is clear and accessible for children with English as an additional language.

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Achievement Strong standard

Student teachers are very well prepared for the realities of early years teaching. They reflect skilfully on their learning from mentors, contrasting placements and clear progress tracking. Improved target-setting enables trainees to identify precise next steps and take increasing ownership of their own development.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Strong standard

Leaders have designed a highly ambitious and carefully structured early years initial teacher education curriculum that reflects current research, statutory requirements and the distinctive needs of the phase very well. The curriculum is coherently sequenced, enabling student teachers to deepen their knowledge and teaching expertise cumulatively over time. Key themes, including safeguarding, child wellbeing, leadership and inclusive teaching are thoughtfully threaded throughout the curriculum. This ensures that student teachers develop a secure understanding of how to meet the needs of all children. They learn and practice, for example, how to work effectively with other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their families.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Strong standard

The curriculum draws very effectively on highly relevant research. Student teachers engage skilfully with evidence-informed approaches and are supported to apply these in practice. For example, student teachers use their understanding of attachment theory to foster the secure relationships that underpin children’s learning. Leaders have created a child-centred curriculum map that ensures student teachers develop a deep understanding of how children learn and develop across the early years.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Strong standard

Staff expertly integrate the training and placement experiences. Mentors, facilitators and personal tutors work collaboratively to reinforce learning, enabling student teachers to revisit and apply key concepts, such as improving questioning techniques or refining modelling during teaching, in a range of contexts. Carefully selected contrasting placements enhance student teachers’ experience and support them very well in adapting their practice effectively to meet the needs of children with SEND.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Strong standard

Student teachers benefit from high-quality mentoring and purposeful observations. Mentors understand the curriculum very well and provide purposeful guidance, enabling student teachers to translate theory into increasingly effective practice. Assessment processes are highly effective, with student teachers receiving helpful feedback that supports their progress. Bespoke targets help them to prioritise their next developmental steps and give them a sense of progression and achievement.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established a culture in which inclusion is the foundation of the early years initial teacher education provision. The identification of student teachers' needs begin early, including at the application stage. Any reasonable adjustments needed are put in place from the outset and clearly communicated as necessary. Consequently, student teachers understand how to access support for their learning. Personal tutors play a key role in identifying and responding to barriers, including illness, medical needs and English as an additional language. They ensure that student teachers remain effectively engaged in the programme. These approaches reflect leaders’ thorough understanding of the barriers student teachers may face and their commitment to reducing these.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusive practice is enacted through a coordinated ‘team around the student teacher’ approach. Staff and mentors work together very well to provide tailored support, including adaptations to placements and targeted provision for student teachers with additional learning needs and neurodivergence. Staff get to know student teachers very well, in order to provide these high levels of personalised support. Student teachers who need additional support, benefit from timely, individualised interventions that enable them to progress through the curriculum and training. This aligns with leaders' commitment to ensuring that student teachers feel welcomed, valued and able to access support that reduces barriers to their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The ever-increasing retention rates for student teachers who access support confirm this work is highly effective.

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Leadership Strong standard

Leadership of the initial teacher education provision is highly strategic and forensic. Leaders are sharply focused on the right aspects of their work to refine the programmes and ensure continuous improvement. They communicate expectations clearly, maintain productive partnerships and use quality assurance processes to review and further sharpen the provision. Leaders drive an ambitious, shared vision that all student teachers will become ‘experts’ in their settings.

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Leadership Strong standard

Well-established feedback mechanisms and work within the early years sector ensure that leaders have a thorough knowledge of student teachers' progress and experience. They skilfully use this information to design and implement innovative solutions to local and sector-wide issues. For example, they have introduced an early teacher training programme for childminders with ‘flexible mentors’ to ensure equity and quality of provision. Student teacher interests are central to the decisions leaders make.

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Leadership Strong standard

Leaders demonstrate a deep commitment to adapting provision in response to feedback about student teachers' emerging needs. For example, they coordinate pastoral and inclusion support to ensure that, when necessary, student teachers receive timely, appropriate guidance without lowering expectations. This care and attention extends to staff and partners. Carefully considered flexible approaches to workload management help leaders to support and value staff while maintaining high expectations.

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Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The comprehensive early years professional and personal development offer contributes significantly to student teachers’ readiness to teach. Leaders communicate expectations clearly, including through training handbooks and regular online updates. Student teachers understand very well the importance of attendance. Staff work together successfully to nurture each student teacher to develop into a reflective, responsible and proactive practitioner.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to refine and enhance their highly-effective provision, while developing and evaluating its innovative work, including initiatives to further strengthen their impact on trainees' learning and on the children they teach. Student teachers demonstrate a deep understanding of safeguarding themselves, confidentiality and professional boundaries. They apply this knowledge appropriately in practice. For example, student teachers proactively seek guidance before teaching unfamiliar content. This demonstrates professional responsibility and self ‑ management.

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Next steps

A notable benefit of the early years provision is the provider’s caring and responsive culture. Personal tutors play a key role in identifying concerns and helping student teachers remain engaged when faced with unforeseen challenges.

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Next steps

Wellbeing provision for student teachers is comprehensive and includes flexible arrangements, structured support and timely intervention where needed. This ranges from informal sessions through to more formal mental health support and workload management. Student teachers successfully build resilience and sustain progress. They report feeling safe, supported and free from discrimination.

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Achievement Strong standard

Student teachers are extremely well prepared for their teaching career. They have a secure understanding of the realities of teaching in a primary classroom. Over time, high numbers of student teachers, including those who have any barriers to their learning, successfully complete their programmes.

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Achievement Strong standard

Student teachers on both the primary and special educational needs and/or disabilities pathways develop a rich body of knowledge and skills as they progress. In training on English, for example, they learn the importance of developing pupils’ essential skills in oracy, reading and writing and how to adapt learning activities to meet pupils’ specific needs. Trainees understand very well how to build pupils’ knowledge in both core and foundation subjects.

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Achievement Strong standard

Student teachers are highly reflective and eager to become the best teachers they can be. They confidently apply the feedback they receive about their classroom practice. This sharpens their skills by, for example, establishing clear routines for behaviour and routinely checking pupils’ understanding.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Strong standard

Leaders ensure the curriculum is highly impactful in developing the knowledge and skills of student teachers. The design of the curriculum is a real strength. Leaders continually reflect on what is working well and use their insights to refine the already high-quality primary curriculum. Leaders ensure that teacher educators use the training they deliver to expertly model teaching strategies and support student teachers to apply these in their teaching.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Strong standard

The primary curriculum is expertly designed and informed by highly relevant research. Leaders think carefully about the sequence of important core themes such as behaviour support, how to teach the curriculum effectively and safeguarding. Mentors and student teachers make precise use of the clearly defined competencies that underpin these core themes.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Strong standard

The specialist pathway that focuses on special educational needs and/or disabilities is a particular highlight. Leaders skilfully use external professionals' expertise to shape curriculum content. Student teachers develop a rich body of knowledge through their placements in specialist settings.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Strong standard

The cohesive structure of the programme allows student teachers to skilfully apply theory into practice. Intensive training and practice opportunities enable them to watch experts in action and so enhance their own work. Student teachers hone their skills by practising in small groups before applying them in the classroom.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Strong standard

Mentoring at all levels is highly effective. Lead mentors, mentors and personal tutors expertly use a wide range of strategies, such as ‘sharing best practice’ sessions and one to one coaching. As a result of this exacting guidance, student teachers flourish. Leaders have established robust systems to ensure that student teachers succeed. Mentors use their weekly observations and the clearly defined ‘progress points’ to address any gaps in student teachers’ knowledge. Student teachers value their positive professional relationships with mentors. They grow in confidence, build on their strengths and use feedback to rapidly address any areas for further improvement.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders’ commitment to inclusion, equality and diversity is at the heart of what they do. They ensure that student teachers, irrespective of their background, feel welcomed and valued. Consequently, student teachers quickly become part of the ‘Best Practice learning community’.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are highly responsive to student teachers' needs. From the point of application, leaders gather information which helps them to understand any barriers individual student teachers may face. The ‘additional learning needs’ team play an integral role in this. Leaders diligently work with mentors and placement schools to provide bespoke support. For example, personalised timetabling and access to precise external support is commonplace and highly impactful. Student teachers work closely with their personal tutors to ensure timely support actively helps them to overcome barriers to learning. This ensures that student teachers get the right help at the right time and so progress through the primary programme without disruption.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Student teachers are confident to talk about any additional needs or barriers with personal tutors and mentors. They know staff will listen, with many saying that they could never have accessed a career in teaching without the support and inclusive practices that are in place at Best Practice Network.

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Leadership Strong standard

Leaders have an unwavering vision, which focuses on the importance of developing great teachers and a workforce that thrives professionally as a community of practice. With decisions being taken in the best interests of student teachers, this vision is fully realised.

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Leadership Strong standard

Senior leaders consistently and robustly hold staff to account. They provide highly effective challenge, offering valuable advice and precise strategic guidance. Leaders proactively seek, and are highly receptive to, student teachers' feedback. For example, they act on recommendations from the ‘student forum’ and survey data to further strengthen the programme, such as by providing weekly training plan prompts and recordings which enable student teachers to revisit content.

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Leadership Strong standard

Staff at all levels benefit from a comprehensive professional learning programme. This builds their knowledge and expertise. Leaders ensure that mentors, including those who are new, are well prepared for their role. Mentors comment positively about the support they receive from lead mentors and personal tutors, who provide timely reflection for their own practice.

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Leadership Strong standard

Leaders forge positive relationships with a wide range of partners locally and nationally. They actively engage with stakeholders and use their insights to refine curriculum content.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to evolve and enhance the highly effective curriculum and programme offer to ensure that it has a transformative impact on student teachers and for the pupils they go on to teach. For example, leaders liaise closely with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) experts, such as speech and language and deaf education specialists, to further enhance the specialist SEND pathway.

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Next steps

Staff are proud to be part of the primary team. They know leaders value their work and are considerate to their workload and wellbeing. In particular, staff value the positive culture and the high levels of trust and professionalism that exist.

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Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have high expectations for student teachers’ professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing. They ensure that as student teachers progress through the primary programme, they learn how to safeguard themselves, model positive attitudes and behaviours and understand the importance of building effective working relationships with colleagues. Student teachers develop a detailed understanding of what is expected of them. As a result, they are very well equipped to sustain a career in teaching.

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Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have embedded a responsive and comprehensive ‘team around the student teacher’ offer, which has a significantly positive impact on student teachers’ wellbeing. Personal tutors routinely check in with student teachers, identifying and acting swiftly on any concerns. They encourage student teachers to reflect on any areas of the programme they find overwhelming, as well as aspects of teaching or training that bring them ‘the most joy or fulfilment’. This develops students’ awareness of personal strategies to build resilience.

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Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Student teachers praise their tutors for ‘going above and beyond’ with the support they provide, particularly regarding how to manage the challenging workload. They value the access they have to online groups, neurodiversity networks, and in-person training days which further supports their wellbeing and strengthens their sense of community.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have successfully embedded the secure inclusive practices from across the initial teacher education provision into the recently launched secondary programme. Leaders promptly identify challenges student teachers may experience during the course. Staff work quickly and very effectively to reduce barriers to student teachers' progression.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders proactively reflect upon how student teachers experience the process of applying to join the programme. They make astute changes when needed. This work has led to increasing diversity among applicants, including an increased number of student teachers who speak English as an additional language.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders quickly establish strategies to support student teachers with declared needs. Teacher educators work collaboratively with placement settings to implement these strategies. Staff and student teachers review these strategies regularly so they remain relevant and effective.

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Inclusion Strong standard

As much of the training is delivered online, staff prioritise getting to know the student teachers well. Carefully structured models of support and regular check-ins encourage student teachers to share when they experience barriers to their progression. Leaders have systematic layers of quality assurance that allow a forensic approach to student teacher support. Consequently, leaders work with agility to adapt the course appropriately, such as changing the timing or nature of placements or revising approaches to assessment.

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Leadership Strong standard

The secondary phase has been operational since September 2024. Leaders act with relentless attention to detail to ensure the provision is of high-quality. They have acted swiftly and robustly to make effective, sustained improvements to the secondary programme from the outset. Many aspects of their work reflect this, such as the refined subject-focused curriculum and assessment process, and the improved support provided for student teachers. Where leaders have implemented changes, the impact is evident in the growth of the course and the improving rates of retention and preparedness of student teachers.

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Leadership Strong standard

Leaders carefully appoint associate teacher educators to carry out roles such as personal tutors. High levels of staff skill and expertise ensure they carry out their roles successfully. Mentors are specifically selected for their skills to work effectively with student teachers. High-quality training, reflection and communication supports staff and mentors to carry out their roles very effectively.

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Leadership Strong standard

The care and tenacity that leaders show in considering the wellbeing and workload of student teachers is replicated for staff working with the provider. Feedback and evaluation are sincerely sought and follow-on actions are applied diligently. This leads to sustained improvement, such as the increased access to resources and training materials for mentors.

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Leadership Strong standard

Leaders embrace working with different partners. In the secondary phase, work with experts in relational practice informs the curriculum and develops student teachers' skills. Leaders have successfully embedded the apprenticeship route by working tirelessly with employers and placement schools to establish supportive professional relationships.

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Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders ensure student teachers benefit equally from pastoral support across the whole provision and through the different training routes. Student teachers study nationally and often not physically close to each other. From the start, staff quickly establish a deep culture of belonging. The face-to-face relationships that student teachers have with their personal tutors strengthens this. As a result, despite geographic constraints, student teachers overwhelmingly enjoy the positive impact of being part of a close community.

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Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders plan the personal development of student teachers with the ambition of building resilience and preparation for the future. Relational practices based on high-quality research sit throughout the curriculum. As well as providing strategies for classroom practice, this work encourages student teachers to reflect on their own ability to manage at times of pressure.

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Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Professional expectations are explicitly delivered from the start of the course. As well as preparing student teachers to fully understand professional behaviours in the workplace, staff set high expectations for their learning and engagement in the course. As a result, student teachers consistently reflect these high standards.

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Professional behaviours, personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Fully embedded systems of pastoral guidance and support are highly responsive. This helps student teachers quickly access any individual help they need. They share feedback through different forums including student teacher led networks. Leaders' constant reflection on workload and wellbeing mean they consistently make refinements to the programme that genuinely make a difference for student teachers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Student teachers develop effective behavioural strategies, pedagogical skills and subject knowledge. They typically build and apply this learning well throughout the programme. This prepares them well to sustain long-term careers in the profession. Placements provide student teachers with a broad range of experiences. Consequently, they develop a realistic understanding of the demands of teaching which helps them to plan their future careers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Student teachers reflect on their own learning and development carefully. This ensures they are generally well equipped to improve their practice.

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Achievement Expected standard

In the first year of operation in this phase, completion rates were not high enough. In many cases, this was due to changing circumstances in apprenticeship workplaces. Leaders used external expertise to review this thoroughly. They acted quickly to make many refinements and subsequently check the impact of this work carefully. As a result, retention and progression to completion rates are improving considerably. For those achieving qualified teacher status through the apprenticeship route, the number of distinction grades is high and above national rates.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Expected standard

Alongside a team of subject specialists, leaders have designed a well-sequenced curriculum. Student teachers learning through the apprenticeship or fee-funded route study alongside each other. Through their subject groups they share their broad range of experiences. Leaders carefully evaluate the curriculum and make necessary refinements. They ensure that student teachers who join the course with different levels of experience are all able to learn a broad and ambitious curriculum that prepares them well to start teaching.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Expected standard

Through revised planning of intensive teaching and practice sessions, leaders have integrated subject learning with greater focus. These sessions are coherently mapped into the curriculum. Student teachers use their learning effectively in their placements or employer schools. The curriculum prepares them well to understand their role in promoting the welfare and safety of pupils.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Expected standard

An array of high-quality research underpins the curriculum. Student teachers make appropriate reference to the literature and most develop their critical- reflection skills well. Inclusive practices, such as adaptive teaching strategies, weave through the curriculum. Many student teachers have placements in specialist settings. They share their learning through core training days. This enhances the knowledge of their peers.

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Curriculum, teaching and training Expected standard

Leaders have acted to improve their knowledge of student teachers' progress through the programme. The introduction of more checking points and revised approaches, such as transcribed professional learning conversations, means that leaders have a better oversight of how student teachers are doing. This helps staff to provide more meaningful feedback and intervene sooner when support is needed.

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Next steps

Leaders should further embed their work to refine the targets mentors set for student teachers so that they are appropriately incremental and support student teachers to take well informed and precise next steps to develop their practice.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to carefully evaluate the impact of their work to improve completion and retention rates through the 2 different routes of training, so that more student teachers successfully complete their course and achieve qualified teacher status. A revised approach to bring together personal tutors, lead mentors and mentors has improved collaboration and insight into student teachers' work. This helps mentors to provide high-quality support and set appropriate targets. Work to make targets more precise is being implemented so that student teachers have a more focused understanding of how to develop their practice.

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

Student teachers achieve very well. Leaders are deeply committed to training teachers who reflect the needs of schools and early years settings across the large geographical areas that they serve. The curriculum is very well designed. It prepares student teachers extremely well for the realities of teaching, enabling them to become highly knowledgeable practitioners with an extensive understanding of how to meet the needs of their pupils. Student teachers develop a deep sense of responsibility for supporting pupils to achieve well. Leaders have rapidly improved the aspects of the secondary phase that led to lower achievement for the initial cohort of student teachers in this phase. This means that barriers have been reduced so that student teachers make at least required progress from their starting points across all phases.

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

Student teachers are overwhelmingly positive about all aspects of their training with Best Practice Network. They know that they will get the support they need to succeed in their training sessions as well as on placement or within the workplace. Leaders have created cross-phase networks where trainees can build supportive professional relationships with their peers while learning remotely. Consequently, student teachers have a sense of belonging to the wider Best Practice Network community regardless of the phase that they are training to teach, or their location.

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

The quality of training sessions and learning materials supports student teachers to develop an excellent understanding of how to ensure pupils are kept safe and learn well. Student teachers across all phases are very positive about the support they receive in their placement schools or employment. Student teachers feel safe to raise any concerns they may have because leaders have created a culture of cooperation and reflection. Student teachers value the extremely positive relationships they build with staff and their peers. Leaders demonstrate a commitment to understand the individual needs of student teachers, putting in place pastoral support to ensure they thrive, regardless of any potential barriers they face.

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About this inspection

Student teachers in the early years phase are either studying a one-year graduate employed or graduate-entry route. Student teachers in the primary and secondary phases are undertaking a postgraduate route.

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About this inspection

There are 3 pathways on the postgraduate primary route: primary 3-7, primary 5-11 and primary special educational needs and/or disabilities. On the secondary route, the following subjects are offered: biology, chemistry, computer science, English, French, geography, mathematics, and Spanish.

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About this inspection

There are 648 apprentices. All are studying for the postgraduate level 6 teacher standard.

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About this inspection

Best Practice Network do not work with any training partners.

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About this inspection

This is the first inspection of this provider. The long standing Early Years programme was previously delivered in partnership with other providers.

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About this inspection

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.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with programme leaders, the Chief Executive Officer, and representatives of the Advisory Board who are responsible for oversight of the provision during the inspection. They also spoke to some of the multi-academy trusts that Best Practice network works with. Inspectors considered the views of student teachers and staff through meetings and responses to the surveys sent out by Ofsted. Inspectors visited 45 placement providers, either in person or virtually.

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Overall lead inspector:

Sarah Favager-Dalton, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Julie McGrane, Ofsted Inspector Julie Carrington, His Majesty's Inspector Julie Sackett, His Majesty's Inspector Dale Burr, His Majesty's Inspector Carrie McMillan, Ofsted Inspector Jo Brinkley, His Majesty's Inspector Valerie Elson, Ofsted Inspector Dawn Davies, Ofsted Inspector Gavin Summerfield, His Majesty's Inspector Esther Best, His Majesty's Inspector Karen Kent, His Majesty's Inspector Mireille MacRaild, His Majesty's Inspector Russell Bennett, Ofsted Inspector

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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.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it.

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Strong standard

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

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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.

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Needs attention

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

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Urgent improvement

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

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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.

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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 .

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

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Urgent improvement

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

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