Peer Review Driving Improvement for Teaching School Hubs' Appropriate Body Services

​A growing culture of collaboration and challenge amongst Teaching School Hubs is helping to strengthen support for Early Career Teachers (ECTs) by engaging in a national Appropriate Body Service (AB) peer review process.

Since 2024, SWIFT has been working alongside fellow Hubs including Harris Federation, Star Teaching School Hub Network, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Teaching School Hub, Northamptonshire Teaching School Hub, and L.E.A.D. Teaching School Hub in a structured programme of self-evaluation and peer scrutiny. The aim is to improve continually the quality, consistency and impact of AB services offered to schools.
 
The process is deliberately rigorous. Participation is voluntary but increasingly considered to be essential to maintain high standards. Each Hub begins with an in-depth self-review before sharing evidence: from systems and paperwork to improvement plans and performance data, with the other participating TSHs. Over the course of a month, peers examine the material before coming together for a full day of presentations, questioning and professional challenge.
 
“We act as evaluation partners to each other…” one leader explained, highlighting the emphasis on constructive critique. “Colleagues ask probing questions so that we can move our learning forwards.”
 
A Framework for Quality
The peer review is underpinned by a Department for Education (DfE) framework structured around five key areas: 1. service quality, 2. rigour of support and challenge, 3. communication, 4. improvement processes and 5. governance.
 
We are delighted to report that for the most recent review at the end of last term, SWIFT Appropriate Body Service (AB) achieved strong outcomes and was judged to have “exceeded” expectations in four of the five areas, and “fully met” the fifth.
 
At the heart of this success is a focus on responsive, accessible service. Leaders point to consistent availability for schools, clear signposting and alignment with current policy as defining characteristics of a high-quality offer:
 
“SWIFT have shared strong evidence through a comprehensive presentation and peer review, continuing to demonstrate an incredibly high-quality AB service which complies with the statutory requirements, but also ensures high levels of commitment to communication, robust challenge and support, as well as quality assurance mechanisms and governance. They have continued to reflect on next steps, considering the growth and development of the Teaching School Hub in the next academic year. SWIFT has an incredibly self-reflective approach with clear next steps identified in relation to improvement.
Thank you for your professional generosity, it is a real privilege to work with you in relation to this Peer Review.”
 
Translating into positive practice, feedback suggests this is making a tangible difference. Nearly 97% of the Induction Tutors our team work with rated the service as Good or Very Good; whilst more than two-thirds reported feeling “really well supported”. ECT feedback echoed this, with comments praising clear guidance, timely feedback and approachable communication.

​Here are a few of the glowing responses from Induction Tutors and Headteachers:

• The AB team provided excellent support and guidance for an ECT who was consistently not meeting the standards in their second year.
• Brilliant response times and support given.
• Excellent communication - very supportive when seeking advice about R’s part-time timetable and reduction.
• Always supportive and always respond immediately - great team!
• Very helpful. Great to know all important information will be shared and is in one place.
• We have felt really supported throughout the year. 
• They were highly responsive, providing practical suggestions through online meetings and consistently following up to ensure progress. Their approach struck a good balance between support and challenge, and they arranged one-on-one check-ins with the teacher to check the support outlined was in place.
• When we have ever had ECTs that have needed support plans, or employed ECTs in more complicated circumstances, we have received excellent guidance on what we need to do and follow up support.
• I would have said Excellent if there was a box.

 
Balancing Support and Challenge
Another key issue highlighted by the peer review is the importance of maintaining both support and accountability. Effective AB Services must not only guide schools but also challenge them to meet national standards.
 
Our approach includes clear expectations aligned with DfE policy, external moderation processes and escalation procedures to address concerns early. Every school-based Support Plan is reviewed, and targeted Quality Assurance visits are conducted annually across at least 10% of schools – and often exceed this benchmark.
 
Innovations such as exit interviews for departing ECTs and “entitlement checks” at key Assessment Points are helping to build a fuller picture of the ECT experience, enabling earlier intervention where needed.
 
Communication as a Cornerstone
Effective communication emerged as another critical theme. Peer reviewers found evidence of “strong communication methods with highly tailored and bespoke approaches”, supported by tools, such as joint calendars, detailed communication logs and regular team briefings.
 
This infrastructure ensures that schools receive consistent messaging and timely updates, whilst internal systems allow multiple team members to work seamlessly with the same institutions. Weekly meetings and structured dissemination of policy updates help maintain coherence across large teams.
 
Crucially, communication is not one-way. Evaluation data is collected from 100% of schools through embedded feedback mechanisms, ensuring that stakeholder voice informs ongoing development.
 
Continuous Improvement in Practice
A defining strength of the peer review model is its emphasis on continuous improvement. Rather than a one-off judgement, it creates a cycle of reflection, target-setting and reassessment.
 
For us, this has resulted in a growing list of “marginal gains” with around 20 improvement targets for the coming year. These range from refining how ECTs record feedback on assessments to strengthening training for new AB Associates and enhancing collaboration with Unions.
 
Leaders also stress the value of outward-facing learning. Exposure to different Hub practices allows ideas to be shared and adapted across the system. As one participant said, the process enables Hubs to “magpie” effective approaches from one another while validating their own work.
 
Governance and Future Challenges
The only area identified as “fully met” rather than exceeding expectations was governance, a reflection not of weakness, but of transition. Plans are underway to establish a new, larger Advisory Board bringing together local Leaders, Headteachers and specialists, particularly in SEND. Building on our new One-Cornwall Partnership, the Advisory Board will be joint with SWIFT.
 
This evolution highlights a broader challenge facing AB Services: maintaining clarity, accountability and local relevance as systems grow in scale and complexity. Ensuring robust governance structures, clear roles and effective training will be essential as partnerships expand.
 
A Model for System-Wide Improvement
The AB peer review programme illustrates how structured collaboration can drive improvement across the education system. By combining shared standards with local innovation and mutual challenge, Teaching School Hubs are building a more consistent and effective offer for ECTs and schools.
 
Perhaps most importantly, the process reinforces a shared commitment to learning. Even among high-performing Hubs, the message is clear: improvement is ongoing, and excellence requires both scrutiny and openness.
 
As one TSH leader reflected, being challenged by some of the strongest Hubs nationally is not only demanding – it is essential to ensuring that every ECT receives the support they need to thrive.
 
As part of our Golden Thread delivery, we remain committed to providing the most robust and effective Appropriate Body Service for our schools so that we are confident we are supporting Early Career Teachers at this crucial induction stage of their teaching career.
 
With big thanks to our dynamic and diligent team led by SWIFT Director of Teaching School Hubs and Appropriate Body Service Lead, Jen Knowles: thank you Senior Administrator, Faye Steele, and Associates Tania Cox and Chris Barnett for always going the extra mile and making a difference, along with our dedicated Team of Assessors and our super schools for their ongoing support of ECTs.

​It makes it all an effective joined-up collaborative system.

Report by Jude Baylis, SWIFT Executive Assistant

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SWIFT APPROPRIATE BODY SERVICE HERE