the ascent of the eiger: the journey from ‘unsatisfactory’ to becoming a grade a provider of ite

The ascent of the Eiger: the journey from ‘unsatisfactory’ to becoming a Grade A Provider of ITE

Andy Connell & Kevin Mattinson, Keele University

A. Connell & K Mattinson : Glyndwr University, 15 May 2009

2

Aim of Discussion

To share good practice in developing ITE provision, through the case study of a University that moved from unsatisfactory/non-compliant in 2004 to a position of being awarded a Grade A in the Autumn of 2008


3

The trek to Base Camp

The Inheritance – 2003/04 OfSTED

The Challenges Processes and

procedures Documentation Culture and attitude


4

The trek to Base Camp (2)

University curriculum staff

University EPS (GPS) Staff

School-based colleagues

Accountability Monitoring Quality Assurance Philosophy –

Compliance/ Standards vs. perceptions


5

Base Camp – the road to recovery

ACTIONS Processes and

procedures Documentation Culture and attitude


6

ACTIONS – Processes and procedures

The importance of benchmarking and networking (e.g. Escalate)

Ensuring QA systems are ‘fit for purpose’

Need to be clear about desired outcomes – internal (HEI) and external (OfSTED/TDA) requirements


7

ACTIONS - Documentation

How to improve what already exists? E.G – ‘layering’ on top or fundamental review and rewrite?

Compliance? E.G. QTS Standards, Legislation

Monitoring of use – quality and quantity How does the documentation support

training, Quality Assurance cycle and the improvement agenda?


8

ACTIONS – Culture and attitude

AIM: Shared ownership and understanding across all stakeholders

Recognition of existing culture (s) Development and sharing of vision Facilitating ‘ownership’ of vision Ownership of accountability The ‘management’ of ‘tears and tantrums’


9

Impact – 2004/5 Inspection

“..a management structure that is clear, well documented and well understood”

“New systems have been implemented for monitoring and supporting the work of curriculum tutors and teacher fellows to ensure high quality in all subjects”

“Course development is managed and monitored effectively…”

“The quality and impact of improvement planning are good”

“The partnership is establishing an ethos of continuous improvement in the management of the secondary provision across the partnership”

OfSTED 2005


10

Onto the North Face – Moving forward with confidence

The move from ‘management’ to ‘leadership’

Team development The development of

distinctive features and approaches

The development of structures that enable all partners to influence the direction of provision

Developing a self-confidence to ‘take risks’


11

Moving forward with confidence – A NEW VISION

QA Cycle – embedding and enhancement Sharing of best practice – between subjects, between

subjects and E(G)PS, between HEI and ‘partners’, between institutions and across national boundaries

Ensuring a consistency of message and expectation that impacts across all activities

Changing the vision - the place of the Standards in training and development, training beyond the standards

The need to ensure that continuous improvement is informed by appropriate data


12

The Final Approach – Grade 1 in M & QA

SEF Creativity “takes

off” Benchmarking QA and

consistency EPS (GPS)

reconfiguration


13

The Final Approach – Grade 1 in M & QA

Capacity to respond during the Inspection – you can make a difference

Openness and dialogue with Inspection Team The importance of the SEF (SED) - not being

afraid to identify ‘areas for further development’ and having confidence to set out improvement strategies

Reactive and Proactive during Inspection Illustrate how you will measure impact of

changes – satisfying Inspection Team that there is the ‘capacity to improve’

Review of Grades – the issues

Time consuming Data driven Pick the right criteria (you do not need three Grade

1s!) Ensuring appropriate support and

critique/assessment structures are in place The evidence base – “necessary sufficiency” - ??? Confidence – “The sign of a Grade A provider is an

institution that knows what it needs to do” - ??? How to evidence ‘continuous improvement’? Even where not seeking Grade 1 for Quality of

Standards, important to evidence impact of Training

Standing on the Summit – Review of Grades and getting Grade A

Internal QA Personalisation SK enhancement External critical friends SEN (TDA funded) Training and

development – the impact on the partnership

Data analysis over time

Keele OfSTED, February and November 2008 (Selected Key Strengths)

the leadership of the partnership, which has been instrumental in bringing

about significant improvement to the provision the range of subject enhancement opportunities that ensure all trainees

begin the course with appropriate levels of subject knowledge the very innovative and creative training that engages and challenges

trainees the management structure, which ensures very good involvement of all stakeholders in the partnership’s decision-making process the excellent relationships between university and school-based tutors

and the resulting high quality support received by trainees the experienced and highly qualified university tutors, who provide challenging and highly effective central training

The next mountain?

Challenges ahead?

DISCUSS

Andy ConnellPGCE DirectorKeele UniversityChancellor’s BuildingKeeleStaffordshireST5 5BG

Email: a.j.connell@ educ.keele.ac.ukTel: 01782 733358

Kevin MattinsonPro Vice-Chancellor and Head of Teacher EducationKeele UniversityKeele StaffordshireST5 5BG

Email: [email protected]: 01782 734354

the ascent of the eiger: the journey from ‘unsatisfactory’ to becoming a grade a provider of ite

Documents

glyndwr university

high quality

effectivelythe quality

management structure

actions culture

quality assurance cycle

subjectscourse development

improvement agenda