TSHC Training Day | Inspiring Excellence

“You are the best of the best in delivering teacher development.”

The SWIFT Central Team were pleased to attend the recent inaugural Teaching School Hub Council Training Day “Inspiring Excellence” in Birmingham opened by keynote speaker, Robin Walker, Minister of State at the Department for Education.
 
Minister Walker began by thanking Teaching School Hubs for their “determination and hard work” in delivering Initial Teacher Training, the Early Career Framework and National Professional Qualifications - “an enormous benefit to teachers” and delivered in a short time within the context of the unique challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
 
Direct support to school leaders is invaluable through TSHs as national networks of centres of excellence of teacher training and development across England. The essential role of TSHs is to ensure schools can access their entitlement to high-quality professional development and help provide school leaders with expertise and access to support in order to improve their practice – “and ultimately to change lives.” On that note, Minister Walker commended TSH colleagues for attending the TSHC training day as an investment in their own professional development. 
 
Great teachers are the bedrock of the education system.
Minster Walker recalled his own schooling and the disappointment of being moved to the bottom set of Maths. Yet his teacher challenged and motivated him and helped him to succeed.
Everyone can recall an inspirational teacher who transformed their life and empowered them to believe they could succeed.
 
The DfE vision is for a world class education system.
 
“Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better.” Dylan Wiliam 
 
Great teachers are made not born.
The recent White Paper has stated by 2030 that every child will be taught by a great teacher. 
As part of this goal to support teachers to improve outcomes in the classroom they can access a “Golden Thread” world class professional development at every stage in their career, underpinned by evidence frameworks and reviewed independently by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).
 
The DfE’s new national development infrastructure will also focus on the design and delivery of the ECF programme with TSHs the backbone in levelling up teaching quality.
Importantly, evidence especially shows the positive impact of expert teaching for disadvantaged children and those children who have fallen behind in their learning.
 
Minister Walker acknowledged reforms are in their infancy and delivery requires focus “to consistently listen, learn and improve our delivery.” But, as part of these reforms, it is pleasing to report to date that over 25,000 Early Career Teachers (ECTs) and 23,000 Mentors have undertaken the funded ECF Induction programme. Data and transparency are also allies to building a stronger system and the DfE will soon be publishing recent surveys and data for ECF reforms.
 
Furthermore, as part of working hard on how they communicate, the DfE are addressing issues highlighted by TSHs. Making ECF materials more user-friendly and simplifying the digital service for easier navigation and a quicker and easier sign-up process for Early Career Teachers and Mentors.
 
Schools can play their role too in ensuring their ECTs can access their entitlements and funded time off timetable. The Appropriate Body (AB) service also plays a significant role in the teacher development system and a consultation has been launched in how to reform the AB to ensure that schools are giving their ECT (s) a high-quality induction.
 
The NPQs have got off to an excellent start with excellent take-up and there is great anticipation about the launch of two new specialist programmes for September: the Early Years Leadership and Leading Literacy.
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Minister Walker encouraged TSHs to keep feeding back to the DfE and TSHC for them to analyse and keep improving the service and commended TSHs for their “phenomenal” pace and scale of achievements thanks to their “passion, dedication and hard work.”
 
“You are the best of the best in delivering teacher development.”
 
Next, Chair of the Teaching School Hub Council (TSHC), Richard Gill reflected on what the 87 Teaching School hubs achieved since September 2021. An important starting point has been in understanding the unique role and strategy of TSHs in compiling operating plans – starting with defining job descriptions for their teams and their successful recruiting.
 
In this journey of leading brand-new organisations and explaining the role of the education system TSHs have provided an understanding of the role of the Appropriate Body Service and statutory induction and provided full access to the Early Career Framework and National Professional Qualifications programmes. To do this, TSHs have worked with lead providers and supported teachers and leaders on the ECF and NPQs and the DfE portal. But as well as delivering on these key Golden Thread programmes, TSHs have also strengthened existing partnerships and relationships and implemented a governance structure and helpfully shaped DfE policy development through feedback.

Looking to next year, what will be the role of the Teaching School Hub Council? 
Certainly, to continue to support and provide resources required by TSHs so that they, in turn, can fulfil their aims and objectives. 
 
The TSHC is also due to set up advisory boards with members across the network and provide support with capacity and market share and help with scaling up and maintaining the quality of service to schools.
 
During a live discussion group to consider the greatest success of TSHs in the first full year of implementation Director of SWIFT Martin Smith noted the positive programme member feedback for the Early Career Framework and the NPQ lead provider surveys; as well as delivering at scale and beyond expected levels thanks to a strong Central Team, wider partnership and positive working relationships across the Colyton and Kingsbridge Teaching School Hubs.
 
An apt end to this report, with SWIFT absolutely committed to maintaining the strong impact of Teaching School Hubs.

Report by Jude Owens, PA to the SWIFT Executive Team