ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on a case study account of the OfSTED inspection of a UK university’s Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Partnership. The reflection focuses on the period building up to the inspection as well as the event itself. Under the inspection framework, as the accredited body for ITE, the university is accountable for all the ITE activity undertaken across its extensive schools’ Partnership as well as the training and education provided within the university itself. Covering the range of programmes including core and School Direct postgraduate (PGCE) and undergraduate (BA QTS) course across age-ranges Primary, Early Years, Secondary and Further Education, the inspection remit was extensive, and included making judgements on: attainment, completion and employment outcomes; the strength of mentoring; the accuracy of the Partnership’s grading of trainees through observation both at the end of their training and again in their posts as newly qualified teachers; and the overall impact of the Partnership’s work with its focus on ‘partnership with the learner at its heart’. This account addresses a number of tensions faced by ITE Partnerships and explores some of the activities undertaken in order to secure the grade of ‘outstanding’ across the vast proportion of the university’s provision.