University of Reading

Initial Teacher Education inspection report

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Provider address Institute of Education University of Reading Bulmershe Court Earley Reading RG6 1HY

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Unique reference number Inspection number Inspection dates Lead inspector 14-18 June 2010 Patricia Pritchard HMI achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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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 . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. www.ofsted.gov.uk Reference no. 080190

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Introduction

1. This inspection was carried out by Her Majesty’s Inspectors supported by a team of specialist inspectors in accordance with the Framework for the Inspection of Initial Teacher Education (2008-11) .

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Introduction

2. The inspection draws upon evidence from all aspects of the provision to make judgements against all parts of the inspection evaluation schedule in the framework. Inspectors focused on the overall effectiveness of the training in supporting high quality outcomes for trainees and the capacity of the partnership to bring about further improvements. A summary of the grades awarded is included at the end of this report.

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Key to inspection grades

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

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Explanation of terms used in this report

Attainment is defined as the standard reached by a trainee at the end of their training. Progress is judged in terms of how well a trainee has developed professionally from their starting point to the standard reached at the time of the inspection or at a suitable review point. Achievement is judged in terms of the progress made and the standard reached by a trainee at the time of the inspection or at a recent assessment review point.

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The provider

3. The University of Reading, within its Institute of Education, offers initial teacher education (ITE) leading to qualified teacher status (QTS) in the primary and secondary phases. It has been involved in initial teacher education for over 40 years and was one of the first universities to introduce Master’s credits on its postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) programme. Since 2002, it has offered an employment-based route into teaching.

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The provider

4. The university is situated in the Thames Valley, where there is a high demand for trained teachers. The University of Reading is a major provider to all the local unitary authorities and several other major authorities, including Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and outer London boroughs.

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A commentary on the provision

5. The following are particular features of the provider and its initial teacher education programmes:  the creative approach to training which enables trainees to further their professional development in line with their strengths and interests  the attention paid to tailoring the training to meet individual needs  the use of expert practitioners from within the partnership and outside to enrich the training  the focus on developing trainees’ skills of reflection and on engaging with educational research  the effective use of resources to bring about improvements to trainees’ outcomes.

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A commentary on the provision

6. There are particularly strong features in some programmes that could be applied to other programmes or aspects of the provision:  the analysis of primary trainees’ attainment against the QTS Standards and subsequent intervention to promote higher attainment  the structure of primary PGCE school experiences.

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A commentary on the provision

7. The following recommendations should be considered to improve the quality of the outcomes for trainees:  raise expectations of what all trainees can achieve, particularly in secondary programmes  improve retention for secondary trainees  encourage schools to evaluate the quality of provision for initial teacher education within their own establishments as part of their cycle of improvement  strengthen links between improvement planning and trainee outcomes.

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Context

8 . The primary partnership trains teachers to work in the Early Years Foundation Stage and primary age phases. It offers two main training routes: a four-year undergraduate route leading to the award of Bachelor of Arts (BA) Education with Honours and a one-year postgraduate route leading to a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE). At the time of the inspection, there were 198 trainees on the undergraduate programme and 63 postgraduate trainees.

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Key strengths

9. The key strengths are:  a strong track record of sustaining improvement which is exemplified by a trend of outstanding attainment against the QTS Standards over the past three years and well focused leadership which promotes improvement  the trainees’ excellent awareness of cultural diversity which is fostered by the very good attention paid to this aspect throughout the training  the attention paid to equipping trainees with the skills to teach pupils who speak English as an additional language as exemplified by the trainees’ high levels of confidence in planning and delivering lessons for these pupils  the emphasis on encouraging trainees to become lifelong learners through engaging in research and pursuing their individual interests with the result that trainees are highly motivated to learn and keen to share this enthusiasm for learning with pupils in their classes  the trainees’ outstanding knowledge and understanding of a wide range

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Key strengths

of strategies to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities which is a direct consequence of having excellent opportunities to work with such pupils and good input on special educational needs in centre-based training  the partnership’s development and use of the virtual learning environment which considerably supports and enhances trainees’ practice  the exceptionally well equipped and staffed resource base which provides trainees with considerable support in selecting the right resources to support teaching and learning  the enrichment of the training and modelling of good practice through the use of expert practitioners from within and outside the partnership which positively impacts on developing trainees’ thinking and practice.

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Recommendations

10. In order to improve trainees’ progress and attainment, the partnership should:  consider checking trainees’ proficiency in teaching phonics to ensure that all trainees, and especially those working in Key Stage 2, are fully confident in applying their theoretical knowledge in the classroom  encourage schools to evaluate the quality of training within their own establishments as part of their cycle of improvement.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

11. By the end of their training, trainees meet the QTS Standards at a very high level. Attainment is outstanding and this high level has been maintained over the past three years. There is no significant difference in the attainment of different groups of trainees. Trainees are well prepared and equipped to enter the profession.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

12. The partnership recruits well-qualified trainees who possess the potential to be excellent teachers. Selection procedures are well designed and underpinned by a firm focus on the characteristics of high-quality teaching. The recruitment of men and of trainees from minority ethnic communities fluctuates slightly from year to year but is in line with the sector average over a three-year period. The recruitment of trainees with disabilities is significantly above the sector average. Retention rates are high and this is attributable to the very good attention paid to meeting trainees’ individual needs throughout the training. Mentors and headteachers speak very positively about the calibre of trainees and many employ former trainees. Employment rates are high. The programmes meet the needs of the local community well.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

13. From the outset, the trainees’ progress is tracked carefully. Trainees make very good progress in relation to their starting points. Staff in the university and schools know the trainees well. They have a good knowledge and understanding of trainees’ strengths and areas for development and use this information to tailor programmes which enable trainees to make maximum progress. The partnership undertakes a very thorough assessment of trainees’ performance against the Standards. Trainees perform very well against all the Standards. They have particular strengths in establishing good relationships and working collaboratively, but are not quite as strong in the area of assessment, monitoring and recording of pupils’ progress.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

14. There is a high level of commitment from all partners in the training process. The quality of mentoring is good and often outstanding. Mentors have a very secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities in assessing trainees. The assessment of trainees is accurate. Trainees are set challenging targets which are re-visited regularly. Consequently, trainees are well aware of their professional development needs. However, there is scope for extending mentors’ skills further so that mentors take every opportunity to extend trainees’ thinking through well-targeted and probing feedback.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

15. Both the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes have introduced paired placements near the beginning of the training. These work well. Trainees like them because they help to develop their confidence in a secure and supportive environment. The trainees are highly reflective of their practice and this skill is developed throughout the training.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

16. A particularly strong feature of the training is the way trainees are encouraged and enabled to pursue a specific interest. Trainees are highly motivated and keen to share their enthusiasm with pupils and staff in their placement schools. For example, one Year 4 trainee undertook her advanced teaching project in two schools in India. She enriched considerably the life of her village placement school by sharing her experiences in India with pupils in her class and opening their eyes to a cultural dimension which was far removed from their own.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

17. Trainees model good practice. Their lessons are well structured and planned. Their core subject knowledge is outstanding in most areas because there is a strong focus on auditing, monitoring and developing their subject knowledge throughout the training. Phonics is well covered in central training sessions and trainees have a secure understanding of the theory. However, some trainees, particularly those working in Key Stage 2, are not so confident in teaching a systematic phonics programme. Coverage of the foundation subjects is excellent. There is a strong focus on creative approaches to learning and trainees are adept at exploiting cross-curricular learning opportunities. For example, one PGCE trainee captured the interest of her Year 5/6 mathematics group by using flags of the World Cup nations to teach a lesson on reflective and rotational symmetry. The training is enriched considerably by input from a

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

range of professionals, including staff from partnership schools, who model good practice and challenge trainees’ thinking.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

18. The trainees possess an outstanding awareness of cultural diversity. They are knowledgeable about the strategies they need to employ in order to ensure that pupils who speak English as an additional language make as good progress as those with English as their native language. The mathematics assignment, which requires trainees to adapt a mathematics plan for a pupil with English as an additional language, is very helpful in promoting their understanding. Inclusion is well embedded into trainees’ thinking and practice. The trainees are also well equipped to teach pupils with a wide range of special educational needs. This is because they have very good opportunities to extend their knowledge and understanding of special needs through centre-based training and through placements in special needs settings and special schools. Links between theory and practice are well developed.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

19. The focus on modern foreign language training for all trainees is a distinctive feature of the training and further proof of the partnership’s commitment to promoting equality of opportunity and valuing diversity. PGCE trainees following the modern foreign language specialism contribute to the training on both routes. This is a good example of how trainees are encouraged to share their knowledge and expertise with their peers.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

20. The university’s resource base is exceptional and is staffed by experienced professionals who give valuable advice and support. The base contains an extensive and excellent range of teaching and learning materials. The virtual learning environment considerably supports and enhances trainees’ practice. The trainees make full use of websites for research purposes and to access teaching and learning materials. They are very confident at using a wide range of resources to promote active learning.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

21. A key strength of the training is the way trainees are encouraged to become lifelong learners. There is a very good emphasis on developing research skills and on keeping abreast of current national initiatives. The trainees are supported very effectively by staff when undertaking action research projects on a wide range of topics and many are keen to proceed to a full Master’s level qualification after the course has ended. They are well nurtured.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 1

22. Trainees and newly qualified teachers speak very highly of the training. The Training and Development Agency’s newly qualified teacher survey and the university’s own survey of newly qualified teachers confirm this high level of satisfaction.

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Grade:1

23. The training programmes are very well led and managed. There is extensive evaluation of provision by trainees, mentors, headteachers and tutors. The partnership attaches great importance to gathering the views of former trainees through its own survey. The training is, therefore, under constant review and is highly successful in meeting the needs of trainees and the needs of schools in which trainees are employed as newly qualified teachers. Self- evaluation is accurate and based upon a rigorous evaluation of all aspects of provision.

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Grade:1

24. Data on trainees’ attainment are analysed thoroughly, with the result that staff have a very good understanding of trainees’ strengths and weaknesses throughout the course. Programme leaders use this knowledge well to review the training and to consider where improvements need to be made. For example, past data showed that trainees on the PGCE Early Years course attained lower grades than those on the primary route. Leaders responded promptly to investigate the reasons why and improvements were introduced. There is now no significant difference in the outcomes of the two programmes. Recruitment data are also analysed thoroughly and used well to inform future planning and especially to target the recruitment of trainees from under- represented groups. 25. There are very effective procedures to assure the quality of provision, including the on-site quality assurance of placement schools by university tutors, peer

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Grade:1

assessment of central training sessions and visits by external examiners. The vast majority of mentors attend briefing sessions before each school placement and this contributes to the high level of consistency in mentor support for trainees. University tutors also have access to a well planned induction programme on appointment and to excellent ongoing professional development opportunities. Trainees, therefore, benefit from being placed in schools where mentors and supervising tutors fully understand their roles. Trainees feel very well supported. Their pastoral and professional needs are met very well. However, despite this excellent support, few schools systematically review the quality of their training as part of their own improvement planning cycle.

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Grade:1

26. The partnership is very effective at anticipating change and responding to national initiatives. The trainees are knowledgeable about the Rose Review on early reading, the Williams Report on mathematics teaching and especially on recent reviews of the primary curriculum. The partnership is well represented on national bodies with the result that staff are fully up to date with the latest national initiatives and ensure that training programmes reflect these priorities. Trainees benefit significantly from the tutors’ proactive approach and are skilful at discussing current educational issues. The pace of change leading to effective trainee outcomes is particularly strong on the PGCE training programme.

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27. University tutors also keep up to date with current educational thinking through their own research interests. Resources are well targeted to meet current training demands and to stimulate the debate on what high quality initial teacher education should entail. Trainees readily enter into the debate.

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28. Improvement planning is well focused upon sustaining high standards and responding to change. As documents, however, the improvement plans do not make best use of the analysis of data to set measurable and specific targets relating to outcomes.

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29. The University of Reading has an outstanding track record of improvement in planning and delivering its primary initial teacher education programmes. The momentum has been maintained and is set well to continue. Trainees and newly qualified teachers are great ambassadors for the training.

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Context

30. The University of Reading offers a one year PGCE secondary programme with courses in art and design, drama, English, history, information and communication technology (ICT), mathematics, modern foreign languages, music, physical education and science. Subject enhancement programmes are offered in French for one year and in science and mathematics for six months. At the time of the inspection there were 175 trainees on the secondary programme; almost 60% were studying to teach in shortage subjects.

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Context

31. The university works in partnership with a group of around 40 schools in the local and surrounding areas. Most schools are long-standing partners in the secondary PGCE programme and take trainees across a range of subjects.

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Key strengths

32. The key strengths are:  outstanding programme leadership which results in significant improvements in outcomes for trainees over time  innovative use of resources to support trainees’ progress  a stable and committed partnership with the result that trainees receive outstanding personal support  high employment rates, with over 90% of trainees gaining employment each year, mostly in local schools  very thorough arrangements for the assessment of trainees’ progress and for the internal and external moderation of trainees’ attainment  high quality central training in almost all subjects.

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Required actions

33. In order to improve the quality of provision, the provider/partnership must:  raise the overall level of attainment of trainees  improve the retention of trainees, particularly in the shortage subjects and especially in science.

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Recommendations

34. In order to improve trainees’ progress and attainment, the partnership should:  improve trainees’ standards in planning and assessment  improve the quality of target setting and the feedback on lesson observations in the schools  implement the recent review of course structure to ensure trainees gain earlier experience of sustained periods of teaching  improve the quality of self-evaluation and improvement planning at subject level to ensure it focuses more directly on outcomes for trainees.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

35. By the end of their training, trainees’ attainment is satisfactory. No group attains less well than other groups and in all subjects some trainees attain outstandingly well. The proportion of outstanding trainees increased significantly this year in drama, art and design, ICT, mathematics and physical education. Very few trainees fail to meet the Standards by the end of their training year. Standards in professional attributes are often good or outstanding. Most trainees have good knowledge of their subjects and develop strong skills in the use of ICT to support their teaching. Standards in planning, in the setting of clear learning objectives and in the assessment of pupils’ progress are generally less well developed.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

36. The provider recruits mostly to shortage subjects and in some years struggles to meet the Training and Development Agency (TDA) allocation targets. Recruitment to ICT and mathematics present particular challenges. However, for 2008/09 the partnership recruited to target in most subjects, including over 40 science trainees and 27 mathematics trainees. The partnership actively promotes the recruitment of minority ethnic trainees and trainees from other under-represented groups and consistently meets TDA targets in this respect. The level of non-completion, however, is too high, particularly in the shortage subjects. The partnership has targeted improvements in this area with some notable successes and has brought the overall figure down to 14%. This was partly as a result of revisions to the selection procedures, which are now good, meet all relevant requirements and are consistently applied. However, the

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

impact of ongoing improvements on the selection of trainees with the qualities and attributes required to complete the courses has yet to have an impact in science and ICT.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

37. Employment rates are consistently high at over 90%. The majority of trainees find teaching posts in partnership schools. Surveys carried out by the partnership show that a large proportion of former trainees remain in employment in the early years of teaching and that employers consider them to be well prepared for teaching.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

38. In almost all subjects, and for all groups, trainees make good progress from their starting points in achieving the Standards. The progress of trainees in modern foreign languages, physical education and drama is outstanding. Progress in science and ICT is good for most trainees, but too many trainees in these subjects fail to complete the training. 39. The training programmes are of high quality in almost all subjects. However, trainees do not generally have opportunities for sustained teaching until late February and this affects their final attainment. Central and school assignments make significant contributions to trainees’ understanding and skills.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

40. The monitoring of trainees’ progress is very thorough and the outcomes are reliable and accurate. The quality of target setting and the written feedback given by mentors are sometimes too variable and, where this is the case, it has limited impact on trainees’ understanding of how to improve. Tutor assessments and feedback are of consistently high quality and help trainees to make good progress.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

41. Resources are used effectively in almost all subjects. They are allocated effectively to ensure that there is good quality induction and training for new tutors, and training and meeting time for mentors and professional coordinators. Careful targeting of resources has led to improved subject leadership and management in art and design, mathematics, music and modern foreign languages and this is evident in improved outcomes for trainees. The university has identified the quality of provision in science as a concern and has provided additional resources to develop the subject, including making new appointments from partner schools. It is too early to judge the impact of this resource allocation on outcomes for trainees.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

42. Resources have also been targeted effectively on elements of the training. For example, the focus this year on inclusion, on special educational needs and on training for teaching English as an additional language has had a direct impact on the confidence of trainees and their achievement of the relevant Standards.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

43. The partnership is very well supported by high quality documentation and clear procedures. Expectations are very clear. Schools offer effective training placements and are committed and involved in wider aspects of partnership. For example, they help to select trainees and some make contributions to central training programmes. Meetings are held termly for mentors and for school coordinators. These are consistently well attended and lead to shared expectations and mostly consistent practices, particularly in the accurate assessment of trainees.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

44. Trainees are prepared effectively to teach in a diverse society and in many cases their understanding of diversity is at least good. The majority of trainees make good progress in meeting the relevant Standards and gain experience of teaching pupils from a range of backgrounds. Support for the well-being of trainees is often outstanding and usually leads to good progress throughout the course. The final weeks in school are used creatively to enable trainees to gain experience in different kinds of settings or to provide further evidence for meeting individual Standards. In both respects, this time is used well and has a positive impact on trainees’ preparation as beginning teachers. Most trainees speak well of the training. This is confirmed by the extensive evaluations of both central and school-based provision and the outcomes of the survey of newly qualified teachers undertaken by the TDA.

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Grade: 2

45. The quality of provision is evaluated regularly at all levels and in all contexts and these evaluations are used systematically to bring about improvements. In recent years, evaluations and subsequent improvement planning have focused appropriately upon increasing retention rates, improving the selection of trainees from under-represented groups, improving the accuracy of assessment, improving the proportions of trainees gaining a grade 1 and decreasing the proportion gaining a grade 3. There has been success in each of the areas although there is still some way to go to improve retention.

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Grade: 2

46. Self-evaluation draws upon a wide range of evaluation evidence. It is very strong at whole course level where variations in quality and outcomes are correctly identified and prioritised for improvement. Trainees’ progress, attainment and other outcomes are regularly evaluated and analysed over time. Where trends are identified they lead to clear priorities for improvement. This year, the provider has begun the process of evaluating trainees’ attainment against individual and groups of Standards, although this was done late in the year and was not used to bring about improvements. Self-evaluation at subject level is less incisive and tends to focus on processes rather than outcomes for trainees.

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Grade: 2

47. Evaluation data and data on trainee outcomes are used effectively to target resources to bring about improvements. This has worked particularly well in the appointment of new staff to lead subject courses, in the review of the effectiveness of policies on diversity and the recent successful initiatives in the recruitment and selection of under-represented groups.

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Grade: 2

48. Internal and external moderation of the assessment of trainees against the standards are of high quality. Each subject has an external examiner who reports on the accuracy of the provider’s assessments against the Standards. The provider’s formative and summative assessment arrangements this year are somewhat cumbersome because there has been an overlaying of Ofsted’s grade criteria on existing well-established procedures. This has led to some confusion and some inconsistency in early assessments, but it has not affected the accuracy of final assessments. The assessment procedures have been further enhanced by arrangements for cross subject moderation which are now in their second year of operation. They work well in confirming the accuracy of assessments across subjects.

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Grade: 2

49. The leadership and management of the secondary ITE programme are outstanding. Senior leaders have a very clear sense of what needs to be improved in terms of trainees’ outcomes and are working systematically towards achieving targets set for improvement. There have been notable recent successes in improving the effectiveness of selection procedures, improving outcomes for mathematics trainees, increasing the proportion of trainees graded as outstanding, enhancing the rigour and consistency of assessment arrangements and further developing internal moderation. Leadership has been particularly effective at recruiting new staff with recent school experience to lead some of the secondary shortage subjects. This had had a significant impact on the progress and achievement of trainees in art and design, modern foreign languages and mathematics.

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Grade: 2

50. Improvement planning is thorough and firmly based on extensive evaluation, including reports from internal and external moderation. The whole course improvement planning is of high quality, relates to priorities for improving trainees’ outcomes and sets clear targets which are monitored against progress throughout the year. Subject improvement plans are less well developed. They lack a tight focus on improving specific outcomes, such as improving the proportion of trainees achieving grade one or setting targets for decreasing the proportion achieving a grade three. Improvement plans are shared with partners through the partnership management group and through the regular meetings of subject mentor groups and meetings of coordinators.

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Context

51. Reading University offers an employment-based route into teaching for graduates wishing to teach in primary or secondary schools. Trainees who successfully complete the graduate training programme are awarded qualified teacher status and may additionally take a postgraduate certificate at Master’s level. There are 91 primary and 41 secondary schools in the partnership which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire. At the time of the inspection there were 92 primary trainees, 35 of whom started their training in January 2010, and 54 secondary trainees who specialise in one of 11 subjects.

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Key strengths

52. The key strengths are:  the improvement in trainees’ outcomes which is driven by strong leadership and management of the training programmes  a highly effective primary training programme which leads to consistently outstanding outcomes for primary trainees  the excellent individual support provided by personal tutors to trainees and school-based mentors with the result that trainees’ individual needs are met very well  the high quality of central training in primary and most secondary subjects which helps trainees to develop into confident, knowledgeable and reflective teachers  the excellent attention paid to equipping trainees with the competencies to teach pupils from diverse backgrounds and with differing needs, which results in trainees possessing a very good understanding of the skills needed to teach these pupils.  the trainees’ access to high quality teaching resources and the very effective deployment of human resources to meet the trainees’ needs.

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Recommendations

53. In order to improve trainees’ progress and attainment, the partnership should:  improve secondary trainees’ outcomes so that the proportion who achieve good or better grades is increased  ensure that inconsistencies in second school placements are resolved so that mentors are better aware of their roles, and trainees make more consistent progress  encourage partnership schools, particularly primary schools, to include initial teacher education as part of their improvement planning cycle so that they adopt a strategic approach to developing their contribution to the partnership  when planning for improvement, consider how to incorporate clear success criteria which are measurable in terms of trainees’ outcomes.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

54. The overall effectiveness of the provision is good with many strengths. By the end of their training, primary trainees’ attainment is outstanding. In contrast, secondary trainees’ outcomes have been more variable with a dip in attainment last year in some subjects, especially science, and strengths in others. The partnership has introduced suitable strategies to raise attainment in those subjects where it is lower and there are positive indications that standards are improving. However, it is too soon to judge how well these improvements have been embedded.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

55. Recruitment and selection arrangements are thorough and effective. Clear criteria are rigorously applied. As a result, the overall quality of trainees selected is good or better, particularly on the primary programme. Partnership school staff are fully involved in the process through interviewing in schools and in the selection process at the university. Detailed records are maintained of how candidates perform at selection and these are used well to inform initial training targets and the feedback to unsuccessful candidates. Retention is improving. In the current year, the withdrawal rate is near to the sector average. Staff investigate thoroughly the reasons why trainees consider withdrawing from the programmes. Detailed records show that none of the withdrawals this year could have been predicted at selection. Employment rates for trainees who complete the training are consistently high with most

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

secondary trainees and almost all primary trainees gaining teaching posts in the local region on completion of their training.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

56. The partnership has appointed a project leader to boost the recruitment of trainees from under-represented groups and from minority ethnic communities. As a result, there has been an increase in the proportion of trainees recruited from minority ethnic communities onto the primary programme in 2010/11 although not yet onto the secondary programme. The proportion of men selected onto the primary programme is above the sector average.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

57. The quality of training and assessment is good overall with some particularly strong features. Trainees make good progress in relation to their starting points. The programme is well structured with good cohesion between central and school-based training. As a result, trainee outcomes are high on the primary programme and are rapidly improving in the secondary. Central training is a strength in primary and in most secondary subjects, especially in English and drama. Previous weaknesses, for example in secondary science, are being addressed rigorously, although there has not yet been sufficient time to judge the impact on trainees’ outcomes. Trainees are enthusiastic and reflective practitioners. They use ICT confidently to support their teaching. They are highly committed to ensuring that every pupil is enabled to succeed and demonstrate skills in applying their training to their classroom practice in

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

teaching pupils who speak English as an additional language or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, one trainee learned signing to communicate better with a pupil with a hearing impairment in her class. Central training for primary trainees in early reading and writing is good, especially for those training in the 3 to 7 age phase, but some trainees in the 7 to 11 age phase have less opportunity to put this training into practice and are, therefore, less confident.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

58. Provision across the partnership is good. Training in the main placement schools is of consistently good quality. It is well organised and focuses closely on meeting the trainees’ individual needs. Mentors have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities because they attend training which is very well planned and supported by good quality written guidance. They also receive excellent individual follow-up training when personal tutors undertake their school visits. Personal tutors are highly effective at ensuring that training plans meet trainees’ needs and that schools provide high quality support and training. As a result, trainees’ progress is accurately assessed against clear and progressive criteria. Suitable targets are identified and these are reviewed at well-documented weekly meetings between mentors and trainees. Trainees are enthusiastic about their training and demonstrate strengths in their subject and

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

pedagogical knowledge and understanding. Establishing good relationships with staff and pupils and effective classroom management and organisation were common features of the trainees observed teaching during the inspection.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

59. The quality of training in second placement schools is not as consistently good. Systems to select and assure the quality of second schools are not sufficiently rigorous. A few mentors are also unclear about their roles and this can slow down the trainees’ progress. The training for mentors in second placement schools is variable. The provider has rightly identified the need to improve this aspect and suitable plans are in place to address the issue.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

60. The use of resources to support high quality outcomes is outstanding. The library and resource centre are extremely well stocked and managed, and staff are very supportive in helping to select suitable books and materials. ICT is used very well to support central training, ensure efficient communications across the partnership and to support trainees in school. The partnership makes very good use of the skills of partnership school staff to enrich the training and to respond to need. The partnership makes particularly good use of local expertise to support training in assessment for learning and in teaching pupils who speak English is as an additional language.

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Overall effectiveness Grade: 2

61. The provider is highly effective at promoting equality of opportunity and in valuing diversity. Rigorous monitoring demonstrates that all groups of trainees make good progress. Trainees are very well supported with particularly close attention paid to supporting their individual well-being and training needs at all stages of their training. There have been no reported incidents of unlawful harassment or discrimination, and policies to address such issues are fully in place and comply with requirements. A particular strength is the way in which equality of opportunity and the celebration of diversity are embedded across every aspect of the training, centrally and in schools, so that trainees are very well prepared to teach in a socially, culturally and ethnically diverse society.

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Grade: 2

62. The primary and secondary training programmes are well led and managed. Under the clear, strategic direction of the programme directors, management at all levels is very effective at evaluating the quality of the provision. Systems to monitor the quality of training, centrally and in schools, are comprehensive, rigorous and very effective in identifying where weaknesses lie. The self- evaluation process is transparent and results in a document which is accurate in its judgement of strengths and weaknesses, and which links to well- considered and timely action plans to drive up improvement. Very good use is made of a wide range of evaluative evidence. Trainees, partnership school staff and trainers contribute to the process. They are accurate in identifying strengths and where improvements need to be made. The provider is proactive in seeking the views of trainees and mentors, listens to their concerns and is

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Grade: 2

highly effective in responding to issues when they arise.

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Grade: 2

63. External examiners have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Their reports are analytical and provide further clear indications of where the training is strong and where it needs to improve further. As well as formal evaluations from schools, each visit by a tutor includes an evaluative element, assessing how the training is progressing and how it can be improved. A system of regular tutor meetings helps to ensure that issues raised are swiftly identified, shared amongst central trainers and programme leaders and that appropriate actions are taken to quickly resolve them.

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Grade: 2

64. Leadership at all levels is effective at anticipating change and successfully introduces innovations which have a positive impact on outcomes for trainees. There are effective links with local and national organisations, for example, to promote initiatives such as global citizenship. The partnership responds well to ensuring that trainees are aware of national initiatives, for example, in supporting the teaching of early mathematics, reading and writing and in e- safety. Local authorities are represented on the Board of Study and therefore have an influence on strategic planning. This has resulted in the partnership supporting local authority initiatives, for example, the 14 to 19 initiative.

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Grade: 2

65. Good use is made of evaluations and external examiners reports to inform strategic planning and to identify suitable priorities for improvement. For example, following a review of the recruitment and selection of trainees, the partnership is moving to a single point of entry for primary trainees to ease programme planning and organisation. The improvement plan is of good quality, clearly identifying actions, timescales, resources and monitoring systems. However, some success criteria do not make it sufficiently clear how the impact of planned actions will be measured against outcomes for trainees. Schools are not routinely evaluating the quality of their initial teacher education provision. In some schools initial teacher education is incorporated into the school improvement planning cycle but in others the opportunity to evaluate the quality of training and strategically plan future developments as part of

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Grade: 2

their improvement cycle has been missed.

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Summary of inspection grades 1

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding; grade 2 is good; grade 3 is satisfactory; grade 4 is inadequate.

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Overall effectiveness

Primary Secondary Employment- based routes How effective is the provision in securing high quality outcomes for trainees? 1 2 2

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Overall effectiveness

Trainees’ attainment How well do trainees attain? 1 3 2 To what extent do recruitment / selection arrangements support high quality outcomes? 1 3 2 To what extent does the training and assessment ensure that all trainees progress to fulfil their potential given their ability and starting points? 1 2 2 Factors contributing to trainees’ attainment

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Overall effectiveness

To what extent are available resources used effectively and efficiently? 1 1 1 The quality of the provision To what extent is the provision across the partnership of consistently high quality? 1 2 2

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Overall effectiveness

Promoting equalities and diversity To what extent does the provision promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and eliminate harassment and unlawful discrimination? 1 2 1

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Capacity to improve further and/or sustain high quality

Primary Secondary Employment- based routes To what extent do the leadership and management at all levels have the capacity to secure further improvements and/or to sustain high quality outcomes? 1 2 2

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Capacity to improve further and/or sustain high quality

How effectively does the management at all levels assess performance in order to improve or sustain high quality? 1 2 1 How well does the leadership at all levels anticipate change, and prepare for and respond to national and local initiatives? 1 1 2 How effectively does the provider plan and take action for improvement? 1 2 2

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Capacity to improve further and/or sustain high quality

1 The criteria for making these graded judgements are in the Grade criteria for the inspection of ITE 2008-11 ; Ofsted November 2009; Reference no: 080128. set out in the guidance ‘Complaints about school inspection’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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