University praises partner schools after outstanding OFSTED

Plymouth University has praised the support and work of its 740 partner primary and secondary schools after it was rated as an Outstanding Provider by OFSTED for its teacher education and training. OFSTED identified the University as “an outstanding provider” of Initial Teacher Education this month, following its inspection earlier this year. The University enrols 800 trainee teachers each year, across primary, secondary and Further Education levels, and works with schools and colleges across the peninsula to provide teaching practice placement opportunities and subject mentor support. Will McBurnie, Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University, said: “Since our teacher education and training programmes moved to Plymouth in 2008, we have worked hard to establish new partnerships and develop existing ones with schools and colleges across the region – so our success is their success. “This is a great example of a university’s school-centred approach to teacher education, and ultimately the schools benefit because together we can produce the outstanding teachers of the future. Nine OFSTED inspectors visited 27 primary and secondary schools during the inspection in March, selecting particular trainees on the basis of the University’s assessments and also ensuring a wide range of school settings and the full range of student specialisms in all primary age phases. The inspectors praised the ’detailed attention given to trainees’ personal well-being and their high levels of personalised support’ and cited the experience, enthusiasm and expertise demonstrated by university and school staff and the ‘strong and cohesive partnership’ as key components of the outstanding rating.