Triple Ofsted Delight For School Of Education
14 July 2010
The University has had three positive Ofsted reports published this month.
EHS Dean Professor Helen Langton
The University of Derby has received a ringing endorsement of its initial teacher education provision from Ofsted.
It has recorded an 'outstanding' result in its primary school teacher training provision which is delivered to more than 400 students each year studying on the PGCE (postgraduate certificate of education) and the BEd (Hons) degree programmes.
This is the highest result Ofsted can record for any organisation, and follows an inspection of the University courses in the School of Education from May 24-28 this year.
Ofsted officials also inspected our graduate teacher training programme and our further education teacher training provision. There was further success as both resulted in 'good' inspection grades for overall effectiveness.
Professor Helen Langton, Dean of the University's Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences, said: "This is a true reflection of the staff and the student experience that is provided by our Teacher Education programmes here at the University of Derby and sets us at the forefront of quality for teaching and learning in the sector.
"We set out to be recognised nationally for our excellence in this field and now we have the evidence to prove it."
Derby has a rich heritage of initial teacher training and its origins in this area of education can be traced back as far as 1851 when the Derby Diocesan Institution for the Training of Schoolmistresses was created. The University, established in 1992, has undergraduate training provision in primary education and training for those who wish to teach in the lifelong learning sector, both assessed by Ofsted in one inspection.
It also currently offers a graduate teacher training programme, an employment-based route for those wishing to teach in schools, which was assessed separately:
Here are some key findings from the reports:
Primary provision:
- Overall effectiveness - 'Outstanding'
- Capacity to improve further and/or sustain high quality - 'Outstanding'
The Ofsted report states: "Derby's overall effectiveness in securing high quality outcomes for trainees is outstanding. At the very heart of its work is the strong commitment of all in the partnership to ensure trainees make at least good progress.
"Trainees are committed and enthusiastic about their training... and display many characteristics that mark them out as potentially good teachers. It is not surprising then that over 90% gain employment as teachers on completion of their courses."
Other key strengths include:
- the outstanding leadership and management of senior primary leaders who involve partners very well in refining the partnership's provision through rigorous self evaluation;
- the way trainees are very well prepared to teach in a multi-cultural society;
- the extremely effective matching of a wide range of resources to trainees' needs.
One recommendation for action surrounds sharpening trainees' ability to meet the wide range of pupils' needs in the lessons they teach (especially highly attaining pupils).
Initial teacher education for the further education system:
- Overall effectiveness - 'Good'
- Capacity to improve further and/or sustain high quality - 'Satisfactory'
More than 320 trainees are currently studying on a range of courses delivered by the University in partnership with three colleges and one private training organisation to offer this provision.
Courses lead to the University's Professional Diploma to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS), and Graduate Diploma to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (GDTLLS). Both are endorsed by Standards Verification UK.
Key strengths include:
- trainees who are highly reflective, take responsibility for, and make good progress towards their professional development
- strong operational partnership working
- the good resources which support independent learning and development
- the delivery of taught elements which model good practice.
Recommendations for further enhancement include regularly monitoring and evaluating all aspects of the programme which have an impact on the development and assessment of trainees' progress, and involving all partners in planning for and monitoring improvement.
Graduate teacher training programme:
- Overall effectiveness - 'Good'
- Capacity to improve further and/or sustain high quality - 'Good'
The employment-based programme at Derby features 64 student places and is aimed at offering primary and secondary training, utilising an extensive network of partnership schools from a range of city, rural and multi-cultural perspectives, and which extends into neighbouring counties.
The overall effectiveness of the providers is good with some aspects outstanding.
The key strengths include:
- the high quality of the trainees selected by the partnership;
- the ethos and culture of support, industry and trust provided by mentors and visiting University tutors;
- the empowerment of trainees to take responsibility for their learning;
- the commitment and enthusiasm of managers which is communicated to others in the partnership.
Recommendations for further enhancement include encouraging the partnership to ensure that in all cases all second placements provide a suitably complementary setting, and reviewing the balance between systematic and formal approaches to quality assurance.
All of the reports have now been made available on the Ofsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk.
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For more information about this news release, contact Deputy Head of Corporate Relations Simon Redfern on 01332 591942 or 07748 920038 or email s.redfern@derby.ac.uk.
