Setting

Managing Inspector: Juliet Ward 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. Inspection reports are available on the Ofsted web site (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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Introduction

The Gateshead 3-7 SCITT works in partnership with 28 schools to provide a primary initial teacher training (ITT) course. It offers training for the 3-7 age range. At the time of the inspection there were 25 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 full 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 1

The provider will receive a short inspection in three years.

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Key strengths

 the outstanding leadership and management of the consortium

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Key strengths

 the outstanding levels of communication, organisation and administration

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Key strengths

 the very strong, collegiate partnership across the consortium and high level of commitment to the trainees’ progress

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Key strengths

 the excellent links between the centre-based and school-based training

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Key strengths

 the highly focused, individualised support for the trainees

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Key strengths

 the trainees’ commitment, enthusiasm and professional approach to their teaching.

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Points for consideration

 developing more practical opportunities for trainees to extend their awareness of how to teach pupils for whom English is an additional language

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Points for consideration

 increasing trainees’ understanding of how to challenge more able pupils.

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Standards achieved by trainees

1. The attitudes and level of commitment the trainees demonstrate to their professional development is a key strength. They are very willing to learn from advice and support. They create good action plans to improve their teaching, are good team players and are fully aware of their responsibilities as members of staff in the school. Trainees are keen to motivate and engage the pupils, are enthusiastic, hardworking and committed to raising the achievement of the pupils in their care. They are very willing to contribute to the wider life of their schools and contribute to staff meetings. Their relationships with school staff are very good.

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Standards achieved by trainees

2. The trainees evaluate their teaching well; the most competent trainees are very reflective and self-analytical in identifying how to improve their teaching. In these cases, they are also able to identify the impact of their teaching on the pupils’ achievements. The trainees learn quickly from the feedback they receive from written assignments and school-based tasks. They take steps to address any areas of weakness and make significant progress throughout the year due to the outstanding training and support they receive.

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Standards achieved by trainees

3. The trainees have a very good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 curriculum and of how pupils learn. They have been very well prepared to teach across the two key stages, and they show a good understanding of Key Stage 2. The excellent training has ensured that the trainees have a secure knowledge of progression from the reception year into Year 1. The trainees’ subject knowledge in the core subjects, including information and communication technology (ICT), and the six areas of learning is good.

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Standards achieved by trainees

4. The trainees have a good understanding of the wider requirements relating to teaching. They teach lessons in personal, social and health education with confidence and use a very effective range of strategies to promote good behaviour. They are well aware of issues relating to health and safety and many of them take opportunities to be involved in school visits. In their placements the trainees learn how to meet the needs of some pupils with very complex needs effectively. However, their experience in planning for and teaching pupils with EAL is limited.

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Standards achieved by trainees

5. The trainees teach well. Their lesson planning is detailed. Plans include key questions and tasks which are differentiated for the varying ability groups, although the range of ability is not always as clearly identified as it could be; for example, within the higher and average ability groups. In the best lessons the trainees involve the pupils in self-evaluating during the plenary sessions.

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Standards achieved by trainees

6. The trainees use a good balance of adult-led and independent activities and the focus is clear for each activity. They are able to use a range of teaching strategies effectively to enable the pupils to make gains in their learning. Resources, imaginatively made by trainees, are of a high quality and are used very well to link with the content of the tasks. They are also used very effectively to enhance teaching sessions.

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Standards achieved by trainees

7. The trainees identify assessment opportunities in their planning and most use other adults well to make notes during large group and class sessions. They have a good awareness of the range of achievements in their classes, and use a range of methods to check how well pupils progress. In the best examples, trainees have modified their planning as a result of informal assessment. Most trainees have, or are in the process of drafting reports on specific pupils.

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Standards achieved by trainees

8. The way in which trainees manage their classes is a real strength. They demonstrate very good relationships with their pupils and are very enthusiastic about their teaching. Expectations of behaviour are high and trainees are skilled in using a wide range of behaviour management strategies to effectively promote good behaviour. Trainees are firm but consistent in their management of pupils’ behaviour, and use the pupils’ own interests to engage them in their learning, including dealing with gender issues effectively. When one boy was teased for choosing pink as his favourite colour, the trainee discussed the joys of pink, including her husband’s favourite pink shirt.

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Standards achieved by trainees

9. The trainees are very aware of the different needs of individual pupils and have made significant progress during the year in planning appropriately for the wide range of needs within each class. The strongest trainees are able to support pupils with specific learning and behaviour difficulties very well. For some trainees, the planning shows that there is insufficient difference in the challenge set for those higher attaining pupils, who often complete the same task as the middle attaining group. Resources are used very well to support the pupils, and the trainees are creative in the way they plan and organise them.

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The quality of training

10. Prudent changes to the programme after the initial year have enhanced the quality of the training even further. Key factors in the success of the programme include the excellent focus on meeting the needs of individual trainees and the small, experienced team of centre and school-based trainers whose knowledge, enthusiasm, commitment and conscientiousness inspire them to succeed. There is a strong work ethic; trainees rise to the trainers’ high expectations to work hard and to meet their targets. This is reflected in the high quality presentation of the trainees’ work, the detailed evidence of the significant progress they make and the unfailingly good reports from schools of the trainees’ positive attitudes and application to teaching.

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The quality of training

11. The programme is carefully and effectively structured to ensure that trainees relate theory and practice through close links in the content of modules in professional studies, subject studies and school experience. The training is highly cohesive, focused yet flexible and has many impressive aspects, such as the visit to Alnwick Gardens early in the first term, which gives the trainees a good understanding of the outdoor classroom and a sound grounding in the standards related to professional values and practice. The trainees complete detailed child studies which provide them with good insight into gathering evidence to assess pupils’ progress. They have many opportunities to level pupils’ work in Key Stage1, including carrying out assessments at the end of a unit of work. Although the trainees have a range of training in how to plan appropriately for pupils with EAL, they have limited opportunities to practise these skills. All trainees have good

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The quality of training

opportunities to work with co-ordinators for special educational needs.

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The quality of training

12. The preparation of trainees to teach in the Foundation Stage is excellent and they develop a very good understanding of how to foster the six areas of learning. This links well with the trainees’ experiences in their two weeks in nursery schools and their final placement in the Foundation Stage. Periods of school experience are well planned and timed to ensure cumulative and increasing challenges for trainees in teaching across the curriculum. The days spent in a primary school where they teach in Key Stage 2 and carry out well designed directed tasks gives the trainees a practical overview of how children develop skills in all core subjects, including ICT. The base and partner schools are very good venues for training. Trainees see best practice and benefit from the willing support and guidance of class teachers and subject coordinators. They receive excellent coaching and mentoring from professional tutors. This ensures they make good progress in meeting the Standards

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The quality of training

13. The shared, central principle of the child as an active learner is echoed in the highly practical, interactive and often imaginative approach adopted by centre-based and school-based trainers. Training sessions are conscientiously planned; trainers model very good practice and are highly effective in drawing out the trainees’ critical evaluations. Every minute is used expertly to exact the best from the trainees who are willing and keen participants.

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The quality of training

14. In mathematics, the course leader is especially successful in boosting the trainees’ confidence and skills in handling number and in justifying their strategies. This places trainees in a good position to recognise pupils’ misconceptions and errors. In English, mathematics, science and ICT, there is a constant focus on developing the trainees’ subject knowledge as well as their skills in teaching it and in assessing pupils’ learning. Regular audits of the trainees’ knowledge and support sessions in the centre and schools are a good feature of the programme along with encouraging trainees to gain early success in the required skills tests. Centre-based and school-based trainers share a detailed awareness of each trainee’s progress and there are robust procedures to respond to individual needs.

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Management and quality assurance

15. The excellent quality of provision has been enhanced further since the initial inspection as a new provider in 2005.

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Management and quality assurance

16. The recruitment and selection procedures meet requirements very well; there have been no withdrawals from the present cohort of trainees. The information given to all candidates, both written and on the web site is very detailed; an equal opportunities statement invites applicants to request support if appropriate. Equal opportunities are monitored carefully during the application and selection process. The course attracts a high number of applicants.

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Management and quality assurance

17. The interviews are well managed so that the potential of prospective trainees is assessed thoroughly. Selection days are held in blocks and the panel makes decisions on offering places. The selection and recruitment committee meet to shortlist candidates for interview using the agreed criteria; this is good, consistent and open practice. The provider holds the interview days in the consortium schools, and has successfully widened the involvement of school staff in the interview process. The tasks provided for candidates are challenging and focus on assessing the range of their academic and interpersonal skills. The detailed and individualised nature of the feedback to trainees, and the pre-course provision continues to be a real strength. The partnership has introduced good procedures to monitor the trainees’ achievement during the course against their initial qualifications and prior experience.

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Management and quality assurance

18. The management of the training programme and the partnership is outstanding and ensures that the trainees are very well prepared to teach. All partners, including consortium and associate schools continue to have a very high and extremely well focused role in planning and delivering the training programme. The very strong team approach is evident in how the programmes are planned, delivered and reviewed in light of evaluations. A significant strength is the way trainees are allocated school placements in order to ensure they have a varied range of experience throughout the course.

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Management and quality assurance

19. The recent, well planned, appointment of a full time manager from one of the training schools to cover temporary staff absence has ensured the consortium continues to be led and managed very effectively. Roles and responsibilities of the various institutions and personnel within the consortium are clear to all involved. Committees review procedures and make amendments where necessary.

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Management and quality assurance

20. The excellent partnership agreement was reviewed at the end of the first year of operation. The high level of commitment by all partners is reflected in regular attendance and participation by all partners at all meetings. The administration of the consortium is outstanding and all minutes of meetings are well documented. 21. Training sessions for school professional tutors, including on site training for new tutors, and central training are very well organised. These sessions include how to moderate judgements through joint observation of lessons, and comparing files and assignments to agree levels and gradings. School professional tutors have further training opportunities when school placement tutors and subject tutors visit. Centre-based and local authority tutors attend a wealth of courses to ensure they are kept up to date with recent and proposed amendments and changes. Partnership schools are fully involved in training, such as in science. Regular use is

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Management and quality assurance

made of the virtual learning environment by school staff as well as the trainees, which enables the schools to support the trainees with their school-based tasks and assignments

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Management and quality assurance

22. Communication throughout the partnership is outstanding and continues to be a real strength. Resources are well organised, readily available and regularly used to enhance training. A wide range of books and ICT equipment is available for trainees to use in the centre and in schools. The consortium training room is very well equipped.

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Management and quality assurance

23. The varied strategies for evaluating provision give the managers robust information about how well the trainees are supported and guided. The trainees play a key part in evaluating their training. The moderation processes are very effective; school-based tutors, headteachers and class teachers undertake joint observations of the trainees’ practical teaching. All borderline and failing assignments are second marked and the trainees are provided with detailed written feedback. The curriculum committee acts on general issues arising from the assignment feedback and takes action as necessary. The provider employs a tutor from a local higher education institute to observe trainees on placement, and uses the information from benchmarking against a number of providers very well to support and strengthen internal evaluation.

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Management and quality assurance

24. The provider’s self-review feeds into action planning. All data clearly informs the decision-making process. There are excellent improvement plans for subjects and a well written and informative overall strategic action plan which focuses on past, present and future developments and on the impact these have on the standards the trainees attain at the end of the course.

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