‘Exceptional’ Training and ‘Family’ Spirit Earns ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted Grade For Teacher Training Provider

A Bristol-based teacher training institute – which is responsible for training teachers for schools across the city – has earned the highest possible grade of ‘Outstanding’ from education regulator Ofsted.

The Cabot Learning Federation SCITT (School Centred Initial Teacher Training) was established in 2015 and has since helped launch the classroom careers of more than 500 new teachers across an area from South Gloucestershire to Somerset.

It has become the only school-based teacher training provider in the region to be rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, after inspectors heaped praise upon the quality of its provision and the leadership team at its helm.

This followed a four-day inspection, during which Ofsted’s representatives met course leaders and trainers, spoke to board members and more than 40 trainees and new teachers, and visited 12 partner schools.

They also scrutinised policies and behaviour linked to safeguarding, governance and curriculum – before judging the CLF SCITT to be ‘outstanding’ in all areas.

In her report, lead inspector Lydia Pride said teachers who learn their craft at the CLF SCITT benefit from ‘exceptional quality of training’ in a curriculum which ‘champions the values of equity and inclusion’, and prize the ongoing support they receive in the early years of their teaching career.

The report said: “Trainees describe the provider as ‘a family’. Many seek out and secure employment in partner schools. They very often go on to further the work and aims of the SCITT through their roles as mentors.

“Trainees greatly appreciate the partnership’s ongoing support and consideration for their well-being and workload, which enables them to thrive at the centre, on their placements, and in their future careers.”

The CLF SCITT – which works closely with lead partners, including Olympus Academy Trust, the Leaf Trust and The Priory Learning Trust – was praised by inspectors for its work in a wide range of areas.

On diversity, they said: “The CLF SCITT provides a curriculum that celebrates diversity and champions the values of equity and inclusion. The provider deliberately seeks trainees who are committed to overcoming disadvantage.”

On behaviour, the report said: “Behaviour management is at the forefront of the curriculum. Trainees begin their first placements with a brimming ‘toolbox’ of ideas and approaches. With the support of skilled mentors… they become assured teachers who can create positive classroom cultures in different contexts.”

On teaching, they said: “Trainees benefit from consistently high-quality training at the centre. For example, the mathematics curriculum draws on the expertise of the Boolean Maths Hub, which sits alongside the SCITT. Through this link, trainees learn an exceptional mathematics curriculum.”

On development, they said: “Leaders go out of their way to identify and develop potential teachers of the future. The SCITT works with a wide range of partners, in a highly focused and ambitious way. School Direct partners are highly complimentary about the role the SCITT plays in helping them to build strong teaching teams.”

And on leadership, the report said: “Leaders are relentless in their pursuit of their ambitious vision for trainees. They seek and reflect on feedback as a matter of routine. This creates a cycle of improvement in which staff and trainees alike are consistently invested.”

Ofsted’s appraisal has been warmly welcomed by CLF SCITT leaders and alumni, who say the centre’s policy of supporting new teachers through their training and into their classroom careers has been key to launching many successful careers in education.

Alison Fletcher, CLF Institute Director, said:

“This is a great outcome for our SCITT partnership, trainees and alumni. It is validation of our commitment over time to develop an inclusive initial teacher training provision, grounded in our knowledge of current challenges in schools and the sector, that prepares new teachers exceptionally well to work in schools in our region and be successful and effective for their pupils, especially those who experience disadvantage.”

Michelle Moxham, SCITT Director, said:

“It is heartening to hear our trainees described as being highly reflective, keen to improve, and how their interaction with tutors, subject specialists and experts supports this. They say they are well prepared during training to positively manage their own well-being and workload, that they are inducted into professional networks and receive ongoing support through their early career years.

“Recruitment to teaching and retention of good teachers in the profession is acutely challenging at present. Our trainee teachers are great ambassadors for teaching as a profession of choice and can see their potential career development in examples of our alumni in mentoring and leadership roles.”

CLF SCITT trainee Tom Symons, who will begin work as a physics teacher at Bristol Brunel Academy in September, said:

“Training with the CLF SCITT this year has been an incredibly rewarding experience. The mix of work on placement and in-house training has really shaped me as a teacher. The community of trainers and trainees has been so supportive this year and I am looking forward to working within the CLF as an ECT from September.”

And CLF SCITT trainee Georgia Sinclair, who is currently on a work placement at Woodlands Academy in Bristol, said:

“The training and support I have received from the whole team at the CLF has been phenomenal.

“They are incredibly passionate about providing outstanding teaching and learning opportunities for all children and this really permeates the entire SCITT programme.

“The training has always been incredibly engaging and well sequenced to complement school-based placements. Their highly-personalised approach means trainees always feel tutors have the best interests at heart. This was a huge attraction when I was selecting an ITT provider, and the CLF has gone above and beyond my expectations in this, and all other, respects.

“I have already highly recommended this SCITT course to other people looking to undertake ITT and will continue to do so.”