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The University of Nottingham’s School of Education has again been rated ‘Outstanding’ for its Teach First programme by Ofsted.
The University is one of nine partner universities of the ‘Teach First Initial Teacher Training programme’. The partnership provides training across the East Midlands for primary and secondary participants.
Teach First in the East Midlands region is run by The University of Nottingham in collaboration with partner schools and academies in and around Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Northampton and Lincoln.
Well-established team
Professor Andrew Noyes, Head of the School of Education at The University of Nottingham, said: “I’m delighted that our teacher training programmes have been rated ‘outstanding’ once again. This continued success is built upon the strength of our school partnerships, the expertise of a well-established team of tutors and a wonderful administrative team.”
Ofsted identified a number of strengths in its report, including:
“The University provides very high quality training for participants, newly qualified teachers and more established staff. The view of one participant stated on her end of year one evaluation that ‘Nottingham University provides absolutely exceptional tuition and support’ is common. Innovative work with mentors, including an accredited programme of training and the development of ‘lead mentors’ across the partnership, contribute to strong commitment by schools. Mentor training for current participants achieved 100% attendance.”
A full copy of the report can be found here.
Breaking the link between income and education
Teach First is an independent charity helping to break the link between family income and educational attainment, by recruiting inspiring graduates and career changers with leadership potential to teach in low income communities. The charity supports each trainee with the skills and support they need to raise the achievement and aspirations of children, whilst developing a growing network of leaders committed to ending educational inequality.
One activity which supports this work is Teach First's initial teacher training programme which is delivered in 10 English regions with nine university partners. Teach First participants commit to working in a school where half of its pupils are in the bottom third of the social and economic disadvantage index, for a minimum of two years.
Through the programme, training is provided through an employment-based route. Trainees on the Teach First programme are known as participants. During their period of training, participants work as unqualified teachers teaching a reduced timetable of between 60 to 80 per cent of a qualified teacher, from the first week of the school year.
Those accepted onto the programme commit themselves to working for two years in a school in challenging circumstances. Year one of the programme, covering the first 13 months, leads to qualified teacher status (QTS) and a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) from one of the participating universities. Participants who successfully complete their two years in school and fulfil the requirements of the leadership development programme become Teach First Ambassadors.
Schools can apply to be part of the programme.
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with a “distinct” approach to internationalisation, which rests on those full-scale campuses in China and Malaysia, as well as a large presence in its home city.’ (Times Good University Guide 2016). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and the winner of ‘Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers’ at the Times Higher Education Awards 2015. It is ranked in the world’s top 75 by the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, and 8th in the UK by research power according to the Research Excellence Framework 2014. It has been voted the world’s greenest campus for three years running, according to Greenmetrics Ranking of World Universities.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news…