Primary Partnership Newsletter - April 2017 by Peter Tankard

PRIMARY ITE NEWS Primary Partnership Newsletter

April| 2017

OFSTED SPECIAL!! As we approach the ‘Ofsted season’ here at the University we have decided to devote this issue to all things Ofsted. It is our hope that, by the time you have completed reading the information contained, you will be fully aware of what an inspection may entail and how it might affect our trainees, you and your school. As always, should you have any thoughts or questions please contact your PPT.

In this issue.... • • • • • •

The Ofsted Framework A school visit The Ofsted Time-line Lines of questioning QMS and QLMS Key dates and contacts

Our partnership mission...

“Aspirational training to achieve inspirational teachers with pupils’ learning and well-being at the heart of our partnership”

A key message that we would all wish to emphasise to Ofsted, should they decide to inspect us, is just what it is that we hope to achieve together through all our hard work and wide ranging provision across all facets of our partnership. Whilst there is a great deal of extensive research and detailed theory underpinning our programmes it seems that the above simple aim encompasses all that we hope to achieve, not only for our trainees, but for your pupils, our schools and the future of teaching and learning. Please do take a moment to digest this message and reflect upon it’s meaning to you. As you are probably aware the inspection of ITE providers now consists of two parts. Part one is similar to how previous inspections have taken place and the time-line on page III gives an idea of how this is structured. The latest framework however now has a part two, during the following term, which follows up any recommendations that were presented in part one, but will also focus upon the progress newly qualified teachers (NQT) from the previous year have made where they are employed in a partner school. This ‘new section’ will focus upon the continued level of support and development opportunities provided for the NQTs. We believe this is in response to increasing problems with teacher retention.

The new inspection framework for ITE...

How well trainees teach...

WHAT OFSTED SAY….

When inspectors observe teaching they are also observing the children’s/pupils’/learners’ responses, including in lessons and from work in their books/folders. The key factor in judging the quality of teaching over time is the impact teaching has on the quality of learning of children/pupils/learners. (Initial Teacher Education Inspection Handbook, Sept 2015)

What may happen during a school visit..... In order to set your minds at rest, we felt it was important to try to explain to you just what might happen should the inspection team decide that they wanted to visit a trainee that is on placement in your school. As already stated, the university has little control over just who the inspection team would want to visit so it is crucial that everyone is aware of just what the process entails and what you should expect from a school perspective. If you take a look at the time-line on the opposite page, you will see that it isn’t until the Monday after notice is served that inspectors will actually be in schools. However, as soon as the inspection team make their choice for visits, the university will contact those schools involved on the preceding Thursday or Friday in order to raise awareness and offer support. The inspectors will be on a fairly tight schedule so it is important that any visit is planned carefully. Below is some guidance that may help you organise a visit should you be selected.

Planning a Schedule for an inspectors visit of identified trainees.... • Please plan a programme to provide the time and space for the inspector to oversee a mentor’s lesson observation and feedback to the selected trainee • The schedule should allow inspectors to meet a range of trainees and colleagues involved in the training. (Inspectors may also like to see/ talk to: UoC NQT’s, UoC RQT’s, Head teacher, school based mentors [AT]) • Please identify time and room for meetings/file scrutiny that are suitably private • Please do ensure that all those who meet the team are familiar with UoC mentor development processes, paperwork and the current partnership vision (Page I), priorities & successes (page IV). Your dedicated school link can support this process at any time • Please do share draft plans with UoC colleagues who will support you with the preparations • Inspectors do not usually expect a tour of the school and will appreciate you targeting their activities while they are with you to elements related to ITE • Please do get in touch with us if you need support and advice at any stage

During an inspection:

WHAT OFSTED SAY….

Direct observation will be supplemented by the widest range of other evidence, including work in children’s/pupils’/learners’ books or folders, enabling inspectors to evaluate the impact that training has on trainees’ and NQTs’/former trainees’ quality of teaching over time and professional development. (Initial Teacher Education Inspection Handbook, Sept 2015)

Ofsted Time-line... Below is a brief outline of the structure of an ITE Ofsted inspection (part one)

Thursday am The university receives a phone call from the team lead to inform us that an inspection is to take place and to request information (all schools alerted) Thursday pm/Friday am Ofsted send names of sample trainees to the University (schools in sample alerted and sent a briefing document. Schools begin to organise the programme for inspection) Friday pm Sample trainees attend briefing session on campus at UoC. Tutors to visit those schools affected in order to support visit preparations Monday - Wednesday (& possibly Thursday am) Inspectors will visit schools to observe lessons meet with trainees and school staff. The university will continue to support schools with this process. A number of meetings will also take place on campus during this time which may lead to specific lines of enquiry. Thursday pm Inspectors will reach their final decisions and feedback to the partnership their findings.

Teacher/trainee workload...

Trainee teachers must be judged at point in career in relation to pupil progress impacted on through assessment against the overall Teacher Standards

Recognition for Mentors.....

Currently underway is a pilot of a new scheme that will go some way to recognise the expertise, skills and experience of mentors right across our partnership. This is an exciting new venture and has been developed jointly with primary colleagues and school based stakeholders. In the light of the new mentor framework, the University has introduced a scheme whereby school based colleagues can gain a certificated Qualified Mentor Status (QMS) or Qualified Lead Mentor Status (QLMS). The route to certification for both is fairly straight forward although mentors will need to canvass the support of their school’s headteacher and a member of the University partnership staff in order to be accepted onto the scheme. If the eligibility criteria are then met, after a half day ‘advanced mentor training’ session held at the university, assessment will, in essence, be via the gradual compilation of a portfolio of evidence that will be linked to the new mentor standards (see link on pIV). It is envisaged that the whole process, from being accepted onto the scheme and completing the portfolio will take no longer than one academic year. Once the pilot has been completed, further details will follow, but if you feel that QMS or QLMS is of interest, do have a look at the mentor standards, with one eye on your own practice as a starting point, and then perhaps discuss it with colleagues.

It is probably the case that you have noticed the poster to the right appearing in and around schools recently. This document has been produced jointly (see foot of table) in response to the ever-growing issue in schools and education more widely, centred upon excessive workload. It is simply a list of what teachers should and shouldn’t be expected to do along with what Ofsted say they actually expect of teachers as regards some key tasks such as planning, marking, data collection etc. We draw your attention to it here as we are conscious as a partnership that it is important that our trainees (whilst we do encourage and try hard to develop resilience) are retained within the system and go on to be the inspiring teachers and future leaders that their training has set them up to be. If you haven’t seen this document previously, please familiarise yourself with it is it may help you reassure a trainee, who is perhaps exhibiting some self-doubt, that those key organisations and agencies are beginning to address what has been for some time, a very serious issue for teachers in schools.

Reducing teacher workload.....

Headline Success data for 2015/16... • 57% of our primary trainees achieve a grade 1 overall outcome • Currently 87% of our trainees gain QTS (Predicted 95% as some are yet to complete) • Almost 100% of those gaining QTS are Good or Outstanding • Greatest improvements in trainee outcomes (Teacher Standards) were in: a) TS2 (Promote Good Progress & Outcomes) [4% increase from 2014/15]; b) TS 3 (Subject & Curriculum Knowledge) [6% increase from 2014/15]; c) TS6 (Make Accurate & Productive Use of Assessment) [11% increase from 2014/15]

Headline data from in year completers 2016/17... • 56% of our QTS 4-year programme achieved a grade 1 outcome. • Highest grade 1 outcomes in TS 7 & 8 • TS4- (Planning) Shows and area for further development. Please ensure you work with trainees to plan sequences of learning

Areas to Improve for 2016/17 • 2016/17 data indicates a need for further focus on - TS4 (Consistently supports all learners to develop, enhance and apply new knowledge, skills and understanding) & TS7- Mentors please check judgements against common framework descriptors. • Increase the number of grade 1 trainees to at least 60% through further development of targeted individualised support. • Further opportunities for high quality mentor development with PPTs being the key to ensuring high quality mentoring for all trainees which focuses on the quality of their teaching and takes into account its impact on pupils’ learning and progress over time, including the progress of different groups. • Increase the % of trainees graded as outstanding for TS 5 to at least 50% by further developing trainees’ confidence and competence in; teaching pupils for whom English is an additional language (EAL) and teaching pupils with special education needs (SEND). • Further extend attainment in TS 2 and 6 in relation to assessment and pupil progress and personalised learning. • Ensure trainees are confident and well prepared to apply for teaching posts and provide further support for them in securing employment and so continue to improve employment rates so that they are well above national benchmarks.

Central to our trainees’ progress and success is their achievement of developmental targets. It is important that targets specifically address improving the quality of the trainees’ teaching and pupils’ learning over time.

Effective Target Setting... Targets should:

• include a clear statement of what the trainee needs to focus on to improve and make progress (related and referenced to the teachers’ standards – or sub-headings thereof); • use language which aligns with the common assessment framework (primary) for the grade at which the trainee is working; • be subject specific where appropriate; • state what actions the trainee needs to take to improve and make progress; • state what support/resources are required to help them achieve the target; • state where that support/resources can be found; • include clear success criteria explicitly stating what achieving the target will mean in terms of pupils’ learning, well-being, behaviour etc. and the quality of the trainees’ teaching what will be demonstrated and how when the target is achieved; • set out a realistic and workable time-frame in which the target can be achieved • state how and when the target will be reviewed (usually next weekly review meeting)

For extra support, please see our guidance @ http://tiny.cc/UOCPartnershipPaperwork

Useful Links…. ITE Core Content: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536890/ Framework_Report_11_July_2016_Final.pdf Reducing teacher workload:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reducing-teachers-workload/reducing-teachers-workload New Mentor Framework: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536891/Mentor_standards_report_Final.pdf NASBTT Toolkit: http://www.nasbtt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/ Training-and-Assessment-Toolkit-April-2015.pdf

Useful Contacts… HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: EDUCATION... Ruth Harrison-Palmer (ruth.harrison-palmer@cumbria.ac.uk) OFSTED LEAD... Kath Norris (kath.norris@cumbria.ac.uk)

PARTNERSHIP LIAISON MANAGER.... Pat Freeman (patrick.freeman@cumbria.ac.uk) PGCE PRIMARY & PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT LEAD Jan Ashbridge (jan.ashbridge@cumbria.ac.uk) PRIMARY PARTNERSHIP… David Ellison Administration Manager

(partnershiplancaster@cumbria.ac.uk)