Setting

Ian Hill 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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Ian Hill HMI

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

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Introduction

Liverpool John Moores University works in partnership with 159 schools to provide secondary Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses leading to PGCE, BEd and BA Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). It offers PGCE courses in art and design, design and technology, modern languages, physical education and science, as well as applied PGCE courses in art and design, engineering, information and communications technology (ICT), and leisure and tourism, and an extended two- year PGCE course in ICT. It also offers a two-year BEd course in ICT and a BA QTS course in physical education, sport and dance. At the time of the inspection there were 532 trainees.

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Context

The inspection was carried out by a team of inspectors in accordance with the Ofsted Handbook for the Inspection of Initial Teacher Training (2005-2011).

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Context

This report draws on evidence from a short inspection of the provision and an inspection of the management and quality assurance arrangements.

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Grades are awarded in accordance with the following scale

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate

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Management and quality assurance : Grade 2

The overall quality of training is at least good. The provider will receive a short inspection in three years.

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Key strengths

• the content, structure and overall coherence of the training

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Key strengths

• the rigour of target setting and review processes

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Key strengths

• innovative use of networked learning communities

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Key strengths

• effective selection procedures which result in the recruitment of well qualified and suitable trainees

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Key strengths

• very effective internal and external moderation procedures.

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Points for consideration

• secure greater consistency in the quality of mentoring

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Points for consideration

• improve communication to schools about trainees’ individual needs

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Points for consideration

• improve consistency in the quality of evaluation of trainees’ experiences

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Points for consideration

• increase the impact of improvement planning on the quality of subject training.

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The quality of training

1. The content and structure of the courses ensure coherence between all elements of the training and enable trainees to understand the links between them. For example, the regular professional studies sessions are followed up in subject training so that trainees can see the impact on particular aspects of their own subject pedagogy. The courses are up to date, relevant and logically sequenced to support the progressive development of trainees’ skills and understanding. The art and design course, for example, engages trainees in debate about their combined roles as art educators and artists. The physical education course has been adapted well to improve the focus on assessment and the use of information and communications technology (ICT) for teaching and learning. The course tutors are aware of how programmes need to be adapted to reflect current priorities. Course leaders share good practice. Assignments and school based tasks contribute

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The quality of training

effectively to the training. The planned flexibility within assignments enables trainees to relate general themes to their own subjects and encourages them to reflect on subject-specific issues and to participate in active research.

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The quality of training

2. Centre-based training focuses clearly on showing trainees how to teach their subject. Most school-based training continues themes introduced in the university, although not all mentors make full use of the detailed subject training programmes. Professional mentors arrange high quality generic training sessions which provide very good support to trainees in understanding teaching and learning issues in the school context. This includes making appropriate use of the strengths of other staff, such as advanced skills teachers. Most mentoring is well focused on trainees’ needs and closely linked to target setting and review. However, there is some variation in mentors’ understanding of their responsibilities for addressing gaps in trainees’ subject knowledge and ICT skills. The university is improving the quality of school- based training through the innovative use of network learning communities and pilot

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The quality of training

3. The partnership works effectively to address the individual needs of trainees in terms of training priorities and personal circumstances. The arrangements for dealing with trainees who are a cause for concern are applied in a very supportive manner. The extensive information gathered at interview is well used by course tutors to determine training priorities, but schools do not receive sufficient detail to inform their planning for the initial placement. In physical education and science intensive booster courses are provided to address the needs of trainees who receive conditional offers. Planned provision for trainees to receive support from personal tutors is strong. In art and design peer strengths are used well to provide mutual support, but school-based training is not always sufficiently tailored to address subject weaknesses. In physical education there is a well organised peer support

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The quality of training

system for trainees. 4. Trainees’ progress towards meeting the Standards is monitored systematically and effectively. Procedures for target setting, review and action planning are very clear in course documentation and are rigorously applied in practice. Although many subject mentors set predominantly task-based targets in the early phases of the training, later targets are more focused on pedagogy, so that trainees increasingly understand the impact of their teaching on pupils’ learning. Trainees receive very good quality feedback on their teaching, and comments in written lesson observations are well linked to the Standards. Weekly reflective evaluations of progress provide good opportunities for trainees to consider what they have achieved and what their next steps might be. Formal review points are used very well to judge trainees’ progress towards meeting the Standards. Grade descriptors and moderation procedures are helpful in ensuring consistency.

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Management and quality assurance

5. Selection procedures meet statutory requirements and result in the recruitment of well qualified and suitable trainees, though there is still some under-recruitment in the shortage areas of languages and science. Effective measures have been taken to widen access to ITT, for example on the extended PGCE and the shortened BEd courses, and to increase numbers of trainees from minority ethnic groups. Pass rates are good and very many trainees secure employment in local schools.

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Management and quality assurance

6. Fixed interview dates facilitate all candidates having a similar experience, and greater involvement of teachers in the selection process. Care is taken in identifying needs and advising trainees about appropriate courses or activities to undertake prior to beginning the course. Booster or extension courses are offered, for example in gymnastics and dance, or in another language for single linguists.

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Management and quality assurance

7. The management team ensures that overall training is of at least a good standard. The current restructuring into three directorates seeks to enable identification and dissemination of good practice and a sharp focus on areas for development. Overall management of the partnership is strong. The partnership document sets out in some detail the roles and responsibilities of all concerned in the training process. Mentor training meetings are programmed at various times throughout the year, but not all of these are well attended. School-based trainers are aware of their responsibilities, and problems are dealt with efficiently and effectively. Professional mentors in schools have a key role in managing school- based training and monitoring the quality of trainees’ experiences; the majority perform their role well.

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Management and quality assurance

8. Monitoring and evaluation have helped to ensure that at least good quality training has been maintained. Detailed and robust generic systems are in place. Current restructuring is focusing sharply on streamlining this process and speeding up decision making. Subject leadership and management are mostly good, and strong in PE and art and design, but there is some variation in the quality of review and action planning at subject level. Trainees’ views on provision are sought but not all responses are analysed thoroughly by subject leaders, and this has a negative impact on the quality of development planning. This year, school-based mentors will be invited to formally evaluate provision. The monitoring systems involve visits to schools by university link and liaison tutors; the link tutor is a recent addition to the monitoring procedures. The two roles are complementary: link tutors work with

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Management and quality assurance

professional mentors to monitor school-based training and liaison tutors monitor trainees’ progress and final assessment. Some monitoring reports focus sharply on the impact of mentoring on trainees’ learning, while others are more descriptive than evaluative. The university is taking steps to address this issue.

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Management and quality assurance

9. Improvement planning does not have sufficient impact on the quality of the training programme across the subjects. This is because it occurs very late in the year and is not completed until well into the following year; there are now plans to bring forward this process. Not all subject leaders evaluate sufficiently the information available through monitoring processes, and not all identify clear subject action points with success criteria and monitoring strategies.

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Management and quality assurance

10. There is very strong management of procedures for monitoring and assessing trainees’ progress against the Standards, and for internal and external moderation of these judgements.

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