Setting

Managing Inspector: C Nye HMI

reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date are stated.

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Managing Inspector: C Nye HMI

Inspection reports are available on the Ofsted web site (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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Introduction

1. The management and quality assurance of the primary initial teacher training provision at St Mary’s College was inspected in 2004/2005.

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Introduction

2. The inspection was based on the guidance provided in the Ofsted Handbook for the Inspection of Initial Teacher Training (2002-2008) .

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Introduction

3. This management and quality assurance inspection report draws on evidence from short inspections in English and mathematics. The findings and recommendations, with respect to English and mathematics, can be found at the end of this report.

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Introduction

4. The inspection aimed to answer the question: how well does the

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management of the provision assure high-quality training and continuous

improvement? In seeking to answer this question, the inspectors considered the Professional Standards for Qualified Teacher Status and Requirements for Initial Teacher Training contained in Qualifying to Teach , and other relevant legislation, under three subsidiary questions relating to selection procedures, partnership and training and the effectiveness of the quality assurance procedures (see below).

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management of the provision assure high-quality training and continuous

5. The grades given in the last inspections for training provided by this provider were:

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Provisional grade for management and quality assurance: 2

6. The grade is awarded in accordance with the following scale:

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Provisional grade for management and quality assurance: 2

Grade 1 Very good Mostly very good or excellent features, other features are good Grade 2 Good Mostly good features Grade 3 Satisfactory All features at least satisfactory Grade 4 Unsatisfactory Not reaching the quality required

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Requirements of TTA Requirement R1?

7. Prospective trainees are provided with good quality and accurate information about the postgraduate and undergraduate training programmes through a variety of sources including the provider’s web site and prospectus. Entry requirements are made clear and meet all the requirements in Qualifying to Teach and the information also accurately describes the nature of the courses and expectations of the trainees. An additional booklet for the postgraduate course contains more very useful information about, for example, the personal and intellectual requirements needed for the course, information about the need for pre-interview school experience and the selection procedures.

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Requirements of TTA Requirement R1?

8. The provider makes extensive efforts to recruit suitable trainees for both courses through focused advertising, recruitment events and talks in local schools and colleges. Particular efforts are made to recruit trainees from minority ethnic and other underrepresented groups, and in this the provider is doing as much as it can, even though recruitment figures in both undergraduate and postgraduate courses are slightly below the targets set by the Teacher Training Agency (TTA). The personal attention given to prospective trainees at recruitment events and during the selection process is exceptional. It provides a very good example of the provider’s mission statement in action and establishes a key principle that follows through the support provided for individual trainees once they have started the course.

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Requirements of TTA Requirement R1?

9. The provider has comprehensive equal opportunities and race equalities policies which are fully compliant with legislation and which strongly support inclusion and diversity in the selection procedures. Although withdrawal rates are very low, information on recruitment and withdrawal is used well to monitor the effectiveness of equal opportunities and race equalities policies. All individual cases of withdrawal are thoroughly monitored through exit interviews. The outcomes are used to inform selection procedures and are reported on in the annual quality assurance statement.

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Requirements of TTA Requirement R1?

10. Selection procedures are rigorous and ensure that all the required checks are thoroughly carried out. Applications, personal statements and references are checked against a comprehensive set of criteria and the outcomes are carefully recorded, including reasons for rejection, at each stage of the process. All applicants are expected to show motivation, aptitude and commitment to teaching through relevant and prior experience, and this is used well to focus some of the interview questions. The selection process involves appropriate individual and group interviews and activities which are matched well to the needs of the undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The individual interviews use a common set of questions to ensure consistency, and these usefully probe applicants’ understanding of current issues in primary education and the outcomes of their experiences in schools. There is a good involvement of headteachers from partnership schools in the interviews

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Requirements of TTA Requirement R1?

and this is planned and monitored carefully. All interviewers are provided with detailed guidelines and specific advice, for example, on evaluating presentations. Detailed interview records are completed for both courses and these clearly demonstrate that all interviewers are involved in making the decision whether to accept or reject an applicant. All applicants complete an evaluation of the interview day, and these are carefully analysed to inform future selection procedures.

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Requirements of TTA Requirement R1?

11. The pre-course preparation for the postgraduate trainees is a strength of the provision. There are strong links between the selection process, the preliminary school placement and the induction arrangements and trainees are therefore fully prepared for the course and are well equipped to cope with the demands of a one- year postgraduate programme. For example, trainees are able to use information from selection to set early targets for their development. Pre-course preparation for the undergraduate course is appropriately less detailed, but selection provides very good information about individual trainees that is used to inform the early stages of the course.

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R3) are met and that high-quality training and good outcomes are promoted?

12. All courses are carefully planned to ensure that trainees achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). Partnership schools are provided with clear and helpful documentation which ensures that they are well placed to meet the differing requirements of each course, and they are generally well supported by link tutors who actively encourage a whole school commitment to the training. The contribution of partnership schools to central training, for example in training sessions on child protection and the National Strategy for Key Stage Three, is very well managed.

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R3) are met and that high-quality training and good outcomes are promoted?

13. There is a well-defined management structure for both postgraduate and undergraduate courses. The course directors provide very effective leadership and they are supported well by programme boards, who make strategic decisions about the development of the training. The course directors meet regularly with the head of school and closely monitor the on-going progress of the training. Curriculum focus groups are well attended and provide good opportunities to monitor the development of subject training and analyse trainee feedback. A good feature of the management of the training is the strong sense of collegiality which provides effective support to trainers and is also reflected in the very good support that trainees receive. This inclusive approach is also apparent in the way that schools within the partnership are nurtured and supported, and the administrative management of the partnership is a

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R3) are met and that high-quality training and good outcomes are promoted?

strength of the provision. For example, the partnership team is proactive in contacting schools prior to placements to discuss the needs of individual trainees and they are very responsive to issues identified by schools. Trainees are well represented at all levels of management and make a significant contribution to the development of the training.

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R3) are met and that high-quality training and good outcomes are promoted?

14. The involvement of school-based trainers in the management structure of the programme is very effective. In addition to inviting representative headteachers onto the management committees, the provider invites all partnership schools to give their views on key development areas through well-designed questionnaires. These are carefully analysed and meetings with partnership schools are then arranged to develop a consensus view. This procedure effectively ensures that schools are directly involved in the strategic decision making processes and is a strength of the provision. For example, the development of paired placements in Key Stage One at the start of the postgraduate and undergraduate programmes has been successfully introduced following a process of written consultation, discussion, training and review with partnership schools.

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R3) are met and that high-quality training and good outcomes are promoted?

15. Roles and responsibilities are very clearly defined within the partnership documentation. The course leaders’, school and centre-based trainers’ job descriptions are designed well to ensure that all trainers are fully aware of their duties, and the person specifications drawn up for the large number of recently appointed centre-based staff have helped to ensure that only good quality trainers with recent and relevant experience have been appointed. Subject tutors are fully aware of their roles in terms of both centre-based training in their areas of curriculum expertise and as visiting tutors supporting either undergraduate or postgraduate trainees. The roles and responsibilities of school-based staff are clearly explained in the partnership documentation and are well understood by school staff. The link tutors undertake a pivotal role in providing cohesion between centre- and school- based elements of the training. They provide good quality support to a cluster of

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R3) are met and that high-quality training and good outcomes are promoted?

schools, monitor trainees’ progress towards the standards, support new mentors and identify new partnership schools.

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R3) are met and that high-quality training and good outcomes are promoted?

16. Communication within the partnership is very good, despite the very wide geographical area over which it spreads. All centre-based trainers have e-mail addresses and telephone extensions, and school-based trainers are aware of who they should contact when they encounter problems. Two-way communications are good and the centre staff respond proactively to any issues raised by schools. A recent development has been the introduction of a twice-termly newsletter which aims to keep all members of the partnership up-to-date with training activities, the outcomes of evaluations, details of school contacts and networks. Schools are encouraged to contribute to this publication.

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R3) are met and that high-quality training and good outcomes are promoted?

17. There is a clear rationale for the deployment of resources to support training. Schools receive differentiated funding according to their training status and the expectations of the provider, and this is clearly explained in the partnership agreement. Additional resources are allocated to meet individual needs of trainees during school placements. For example, one school which was providing a placement for a trainee with a visual impairment was given funding for a temporary teaching assistant to support the trainee.

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R3) are met and that high-quality training and good outcomes are promoted?

18. Partnership schools are well resourced and provide good venues for training. Centre-based training is very well resourced and is enhanced by the recently up- graded teaching areas. These are attractive and well-equipped learning environments with good modelling of how to display pupils’ work. Good quality technical support for each curriculum area helps to ensure that effective quality teaching aids are used, for example through the provision of teaching packs and reusable resources. The provider’s learning resource centre is well-stocked with good quality books and resources and includes an extensive school loan section which supports teaching placements. Trainees also have extended access to high quality services such as a humanities resource loan service, computer facilities, photocopiers and laminators. The provider’s intranet site provides trainees with good quality support.

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and good quality outcomes?

19. The provider is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and good race relations, and this is reflected both in its mission statement and its policies. These are clearly written and emphasise the provider’s commitment to inclusion and the celebration of diversity. This is demonstrated by well-designed displays, for example on global diversity, and the establishment of focus groups for minority ethnic and underrepresented groups of trainees. All trainees are expected to look at equal opportunities and race equalities policies during their placements, compare them with the provider’s policies and reflect on the implications for their teaching, for example in the language that they use as class teachers. This is a very useful way of encouraging an inclusive approach to teaching. In addition focus groups of trainees from minority ethnic groups and male trainees are used to monitor school-

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and good quality outcomes?

and centre-based training, to identify where support is required and to inform all practice and procedures. This reflects the provider’s commitment to inclusion and represents excellent practice.

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and good quality outcomes?

20. There is a clear partnership agreement which includes a well-written statement of values that underpins the partnership and links to the provider’s mission statement and policy on inclusion. Clear statements on roles and responsibilities are included. The criteria for selection and deselection of schools are well explained and indicate a commitment to work with schools to improve practice. The agreement also explains clearly the quality assurance procedures for school-based training. However, although the agreement provides details of how resources are allocated to schools, it does not make sufficiently explicit how resources across the partnership as a whole are allocated. For example, schools are not aware how the centre-based element of the training grant is spent. In addition, the agreement does not provide sufficient guidance or advice to schools on the resources that they are expected to

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and good quality outcomes?

21. Procedures have been well established to ensure that the annual appraisal of centre-based staff links effectively to their professional development. Guidelines are very clear and a strength of the appraisal cycle is the system of co-tutoring support which provides good opportunities for peer observation of training. Arrangements for the appointment of new tutors are good. Newly appointed staff are well qualified and have recent and relevant experience in primary schools. Procedures for appointing link tutors, who may not have a tutorial role, are equally rigorous. Induction arrangements for newly appointed staff are detailed and effective. They include the appointment of a mentor and a detailed programme of induction activities. A particularly good feature of the induction is the training that new staff receive in marking assignments, for example through the provision of exemplar feedbacks.

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and good quality outcomes?

22. A detailed and extensive programme of mentor training has been devised which ensures that associate tutors, link tutors and professional development tutors are well trained in supporting trainees. This includes carefully differentiated training which is matched to the needs of school-based trainers who undertake differing roles; expectations regarding attendance at the training sessions are high. However, a small minority of class teachers in initial partnership schools are insufficiently prepared for the placements. Although they receive good quality support during the course of the placement, opportunities to provide a secure understanding of assessing trainees against the standards and expectations regarding school-based tasks have been missed.

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and good quality outcomes?

23. The course directors for the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes assume responsibility for monitoring developments in training programmes, and systems have been established to ensure that high quality training is both maintained and enhanced. Appropriate reliance is placed on trainer and trainee evaluations and very good consultation with schools ensures that all members of the partnership are consulted on developments. The strong sense of collegiality and good communications enable issues to be quickly identified and addressed, and more significant developments are carefully planned and reviewed through well established systems of improvement planning which operate over a twelve month cycle.

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and good quality outcomes?

24. Arrangements for the moderation of the assessment of trainees’ progress towards the standards are well established and effective. Link tutors are well trained in ensuring that there is consistency and rigour in school-based trainers’ judgements. For example, every link tutor observation visit to schools includes a joint observation and reviews to ensure that accurate judgements are being made on trainees’ progress. Schools are also encouraged to undertake joint observations with other school-based staff.

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and good quality outcomes?

25. An appropriate sample of assignments is double marked. A sample of every assignment is blind marked at the start of the marking process to ensure consistency of marking against clearly defined criteria. However, although feedback for some assignments provides clear links to the standards, this is not consistent across all the curriculum subject areas.

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and good quality outcomes?

26. Guidance to trainees on how to collect evidence of their progress towards achieving the standards is clear and well understood by the trainees. The recent introduction of the profile of standards, which has evolved as a result of external examiner and trainee feedback, has helped in the organisation of this evidence. This is a positive innovation which helps trainees to link lesson observations to targets. However, although lesson observation forms are completed in great detail, they do not always make explicit links to the standards nor provide a consistent link to previous targets. 27. In centre-based training, the management’s direct observation of sessions run by tutors who have not been recently appointed is informal and underdeveloped. However, other quality assurance procedures are clear and well documented and programme reviews draw upon a wide range of other evidence, such as evaluations

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and good quality outcomes?

and feedbacks, to ensure that the quality of the training is kept under close review. Trainers and trainees have frequent opportunities to evaluate placements and centre-based training against clear criteria, and these evaluations are carefully analysed by tutors and the programme directors. For example, after each placement visit by a link tutor, trainees and school-based staff feed back to the provider on the visit and the link tutor produces a brief report for the partnership. This is a very effective way of monitoring the quality of provision in the large number of partnership schools.

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and good quality outcomes?

28. Procedures for appointing external examiners have improved since the last inspection. Greater care is now taken to ensure that appropriately experienced and qualified people are appointed. As well as providing effective moderation on final judgements against the standards, examiners are asked to focus on specific issues identified by the partnership, such as the impact the newly devised scheme to increase the responsibilities of professional development tutors. The written reports of external examiners are of good quality and make a significant contribution to the evaluation of the training.

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and good quality outcomes?

29. The quality of the provider’s improvement planning is good and makes a positive contribution to the development of both programmes. Following previous inspections, well designed action plans have been devised and updated. In addition, relevant lessons learnt from other initial teacher training inspection reports, such as secondary teacher training, have been applied to both programmes. This has ensured that all the programmes have benefited from the use of inspection evidence, regardless of the focus of the inspection, and is a strength of the provision.

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and good quality outcomes?

30. Annual action plans for curriculum subjects, external examiners reports, and trainer and trainee evaluations all provide valuable evidence from which the programme boards are able to devise well balanced improvement and strategic development plans. These clearly identify areas for improvement, actions to be taken, time scales, personnel, resources and success criteria. As a result, both undergraduate and postgraduate courses have made significant improvements since the last inspections and are providing good quality training. However, although arrangements for monitoring and reviewing curriculum action plans are satisfactory, they lack clarity. A strong element of the improvement planning process is the detailed and well considered self evaluation documentation. This clearly identifies the strengths of the provision and also accurately summarises areas of future development.

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and good quality outcomes?

31. The provider makes good use of benchmarked data, using the TTA’s information on similar sized providers and those in the London consortium. The analysis is detailed and evaluative and is helping to identify areas for action which link to improvement planning priorities, for example in recruitment and performance.

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Points for consideration

a) ensure that all class teachers are prepared fully for their role

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Points for consideration

b) maintain and achieve a consistent approach across all subjects to cross referencing course outlines, sessions, assignments and trainee feedbacks to the standards.

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Findings

32. All the issues identified in the previous inspections of English and mathematics have been suitably addressed. In mathematics very robust monitoring and evaluation systems are in place to ensure that changes lead to improvement but in English these could be further strengthened. Overall, the action plans have been appropriately implemented and updated. Planning for new and on-going initiatives is clear and relevant, although some issues such as the links between English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT) require further development.

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Findings

33. There have been a significant number of staff changes in both English and mathematics, but the quality of centre-based training remains good. The provider has made good use of the opportunity to appoint new staff with experience and expertise who are suited to the needs of the courses. Trainers in both teams have a strong primary background and expertise across a range of relevant areas. This has enhanced the provision and trainees are highly motivated by the training. Since the last inspection there have been considerable improvements in the quality of the resources, including the accommodation, ICT equipment, books and materials. Training in the core subjects is also enhanced by the open door policy with partnership schools which enables them to offer particular expertise to trainees.

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Findings

34. The programmes have been adapted to meet the requirements of Qualifying to Teach in July 2002. The English courses, which are organised in modules, have been mapped out to ensure that the relevant standards are being fully addressed, although in the detail of the individual course sessions and assessments, reference to the standards is not made sufficiently clear. In contrast, all mathematics modules, including the centre-based sessions and assignments, have been carefully mapped in detail against the standards. This ensures the course is relevant and makes it easier to track trainees’ progress against the standards.

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Findings

35. The provider’s systems for assessing the individual needs of trainees and for monitoring their progress in relation to the standards are effective. In mathematics, there are no formal audits at the onset of training but the use of audit papers as working documents enables trainees to develop their subject knowledge and expertise progressively. In English, assignments enable the trainees to develop further relevant standards but these are not made explicit in the guidance or the feedback that they receive. Otherwise, the trainees receive appropriate feedback on their performance. Trainees are aware of their strengths and weaknesses and what they need to do to improve. They take responsibility for addressing these, but are confident of the very good support that is available from tutors when it is needed. Trainees make effective use of the independent learning plan to help them track their progress towards meeting standards. Tutors’ and school-based mentors’ feedback

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Findings

comments on observed lessons are constructive and enable trainees to identify relevant targets for improvement, but they are not always clearly referenced to the standards.

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Findings

36. The good quality of the courses has been maintained and in some aspects improved. Sound evaluation procedures, which feed into the annual subject development plans, have enabled the provider to respond positively and effectively to secure improvements to the training courses in English and mathematics.

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Recommendations

37. The Inspectors recommend that there is a full inspection in about three years’ time.

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