The University of Birmingham’s Teacher Education Partnership has been graded “outstanding” in all categories in its latest Ofsted report.
It is the third consecutive time inspectors have graded teaching at Birmingham’s School of Education “outstanding” and it reaffirms the University’s status as one of the UK’s leading institutions for excellence in teacher training.
Prof James Arthur, Head of the School of Education, said: “We are delighted by this latest report, which underlines Birmingham’s reputation as a centre for excellence in teacher training and highlights our impressive track record at ensuring our teacher graduates go on to secure high quality teaching jobs.”
Among the key findings of the report, published today by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted), are:
• The leadership and management of both the primary and secondary phases of the partnership are outstanding. High quality training has been sustained and, as a result, outcomes for trainees are excellent and continue to improve.
• Trainees, whether training to become teachers in primary schools or in 11-18 schools, express great confidence that the training will equip them to teach well. They are right to do so.
• Schools across both partnerships are fully committed to ensuring trainees become at least good and often outstanding teachers. Along with university link and subject tutors they know the trainees very well. This knowledge ensures trainees make at least good progress in their training.
The report states: “Such is the confidence of schools that trainees from the University of Birmingham are of high quality, employment rates for both primary and secondary phases exceed national averages by some margin. Trainees display excellent professional qualities: they are clear that good teaching leads to pupils who are interested in their work, enjoy learning and behave well.”
Prof Arthur added: “The University has a proud record in training teachers for 120 years and we will continue our innovative approaches to training by opening the first University Training School in 2015, which will be purpose built for teacher education as well as becoming an outstanding secondary school.”
Simon Asquith, Head of the Department of Professional Education at the School of Education, said: “We are particularly pleased that Ofsted emphasises the fundamental importance of the relationship between school based colleagues and university staff in personalising learning for every student, and that our student teachers are so successful in linking the rigorous demands of both the theoretical and practical elements of their course.”
The report is available on the Ofsted website.
For more information, please contact Prof James Arthur on 0121 414 5596 or Simon Asquith on 0121 414 7607 or 07786 732703. The University of Birmingham Press Office can be contacted on 0121 414 6029.