Editor’s blog: If AI failed to ace Year 6 SATs what chance did the kids have?
You may be aware of the controversy surrounding the recent SATs. The headteacher at my own children’s school described the reading test as the “hardest” he “could remember” and the maths papers as “challenging”. Those are strong words for teachers, who are typically trained to communicate in the most neutral ways they can. He wasn’t alone in raising concerns with the common view that the reading paper required a little too much reading and not enough time for answering. Multiple articles have emerged about children heading home in tears, with the math tests also deemed unexpectedly difficult. Interestingly, a group of MPs who took on the Year 6 SATs last December, in response to a campaign by More Than A Score to abolish them, did worse than the average 11-year-old. Now to investigate whether the test was too hard, online learning platform Atom Learning asked ChatGPT to solve the same arithmetic and reasoning questions the students solved, which the government made public briefly following the tests last month. Depending on your view of artificial intelligence (AI), the results are a little concerning. Out of 36 arithmetic questions for a total of 40 points, the AI managed to solve 32, totalling 34 points, which corresponds to 85% of the test. For the reasoning questions, the AI cracked 18 out of 25 questions, totalling 24 out of 35 points, corresponding to 68.6%. A spokesperson for Atom Learning described ChatGPT’s performance as “It’s interesting and worrying at the same time”. They added: “While we’re aware that AIs such as ChatGPT are not infallible, it’s important to remember how these questions were supposed to be tailored for Year 6 students, which would make anyone suppose that they ought to be ‘easy’ questions for the likes of adults and computers. “However, in a situation in which not even an AI can find answers to what is supposed to be basic maths, it’s hard to imagine how young students felt when these same questions were put in front of them on one of the most important days of their lives as school children.” All this controversy is sure to put pressure on the next government to revise or even scrap the SATs. After all, what’s the point of them? Selective grammar schools, both public and private, have their own tests and children’s SATs results have little to no bearing on their ability to learn at secondary school. With the majority of parents agreeing that SATs had harmed their children’s mental health, all they appear to do is heap a load of stress on youngsters at an age where they’re already having to cope with massive changes ahead.
A Sporting Chance: Citron Hygiene and Aunt Flow Donate 73,000 Period Products to Keep Girls Off the Sidelines
As Citizens Advice reports that 2023 was the “bleakest ever” start to a year, Citron Hygiene has launched a new initiative to help tackle period poverty. The leading provider of washroom hygiene services will donate 73,000 Aunt Flow pads and tampons to the national children’s charity, the Youth Sport Trust, to alleviate period poverty and help girls enjoy being physically active all month long. The project marks Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) today (28 May), which highlights period poverty on a global scale. Period poverty is characterised by limited or no access to menstrual products and knowledge and often results from financial constraints with far-reaching consequences. Being unable to manage menstruation safely and hygienically can lead to missing school and work, hindering education and career progression, as well as reducing participation in sports and leisure activities. With Sport England data showing only 45% of girls are undertaking the recommended 60 minutes of activity per day, versus 50% of boys (Sport England, 2022), and Youth Sport Trust’s own research conducted through its Girls Active programme shows 39% of girls say having their period stops them taking part in sport, physical activity and PE at school, it is hoped this campaign will inspire others to help reduce period poverty as one of the biggest barriers girls say impacts their participation in sport. Pads and tampons will be donated via the Youth Sport Trust to schools involved in the charity’s Girls Active Programme. Girls Active is an award-winning programme, funded by the National Lottery through Sport England, that develops partnerships between teachers and girls working together to understand what makes girls fully engage in PE, sport, and physical activity and provides inspiring and relevant opportunities for all girls. The partnership was officially launched on 16 May at Djanogly City Academy in Nottingham by Olympic bronze medallist Holly Bradshaw who met with students from the Girls Active programme and representatives of the Citron Hygiene and Youth Sport Trust. Robert Guice, CEO, Citron Hygiene, says: “From the research we carried out, we know that 1 in 5 women over 18 in the UK cannot purchase period products due to the cost-of-living crisis, and for girls, that number could be even higher. Thanks to our customers who are committed to period dignity and now offer Aunt Flow free-vend units in their washrooms, 10% of our pad and tampons sales from 2022 through 2023 will go to Girls Active programmes across the UK, allowing them to participate in sports without worrying about their periods.” Claire Coder, CEO, Aunt Flow, comments: “At Aunt Flow, we don’t just sell tampons and pads; we are on a mission to change the world one cycle at a time! Our donation programme ensures that for every 10 period products we sell, we donate one to a menstruator who can’t afford them. Thanks to our partnership with Citron Hygiene and the Youth Sport Trust’s Girls Active programme, we’re ensuring no one will have to sit out of a game because of their period!” Jen Rouse, Commercial and Fundraising Director at the Youth Sport Trust said: “We know girl’s top concerns when participating in PE or school sport when on their period are leaking, confidence and pain/discomfort. This partnership is going to be game-changing for so many young people and schools who we support through our Girls Active programme. We are proud to be removing barriers during the time girls spend being physically active by creating the right environment and giving girls the kit they need.” For more information on how to be part of the end of period poverty, head to https://www.citronhygiene.co.uk/services/washroom-care/vending/aunt-flow-washroom-dispenser.
Kingston University launches first T-level placements to equip sixth form science students with vital career skills
Kingston University’s first T-level placements will begin this summer, offering local sixth form students the opportunity to gain on-the-job industry experience and develop vital practical and technical skills as part of their laboratory science course. T-level qualifications are aimed at 16 to 19 year olds and are equivalent to three A-levels. Designed to meet the needs of industry and prepare students for entry into skilled employment, they were launched by the government in September 2020. The two-year courses offer students practical and knowledge-based learning at school or college, as well as on-the-job experience through industry placements of at least 315 hours. Four students from Ursuline Sixth Form in Wimbledon are the first group to have been offered placements at Kingston University as part of their T-level courses. They will work as technicians in the University’s new immersive pharmacy skills simulation suites as well as the chemistry and life science labs at its Penrhyn Road campus. There are also plans to give them experience in the institution’s award-winning nursing and midwifery skills laboratories. As well as learning some pharmacy and chemistry course content during the placement, tasks being undertaken by the students will include typical technician roles such as preparing and setting up laboratories for University students’ experiments and simulations, clearing up after classes and ensuring health and safety requirements are followed. Kingston University’s Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education technical officer Daren Chapman said the placements will provide students with practical experience of working within a scientific environment. He said: “We have a great relationship with Ursuline School and wanted to give the pupils a chance to learn vital skills on the job – the T-level placement will give them more in-depth knowledge than work experience placements typically provide. It will also allow some of our technical staff to take on more a mentoring role, which will help with their own personal development.” Agatha, an 18-year-old T-level laboratory science at Ursuline School, wants to have a career in occupational therapy and said she is looking forward to the placement as she prefers doing practical work. She said: “I’m going to be working with professionals who have great experience in their field and are now teaching others – the feedback will be invaluable and I’m looking forward to being able to apply my creative mindset and the development and experience I will gain from the placement.” Aspiring adult nurse Latusha said the placement will help build her confidence and give an early indication of what university life is like. “Doing T-levels will give me new experiences and help boost my career prospects. I want to be more confident in how I interact with people and this placement is the perfect opportunity to help me do that,” the 18-year-old said. Assistant Headteacher at Ursuline School, Ben Barton, who has responsibility for technical education, said the placements at Kingston University would be hugely beneficial for their students. He commented: “The future world of work will need greater numbers of technically skilled people and the T-levels can really help close this skills gap. “These industry placements are a great way to support the development of skills and enhance their employability after they graduate.” The placements will begin at the start of June and take place over the summer, with plans for Kingston University to offer more T-level placement opportunities in the future across a range of subjects.
Applications open for schools to take part in the next youth engagement programme
The Environment and Climate Change Committee is offering secondary schools, sixth form colleges, and further education colleges the opportunity to work with the Committee by applying for its youth engagement programme for 14-18 year olds. The deadline for applications to be received is 11:59pm on Thursday 15th June. Schools and colleges will be selected before the summer holiday, and the programme will begin in September 2023. Background To find out how your school can help the Committee investigate issues related to the environment, and to apply, see the link below. A full list of ground rules and expectations can be found on the application page. Six schools from around the UK will be selected, and the successful schools and colleges will work with the committee for a year. The programme will include; virtual sessions with committee members to discuss committee work and inquiries, the opportunity to advise the committee on what questions to ask Government Ministers during inquiries and a visit from the Chair of the Committee. During last year’s successful pilot programme, schools and colleges from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, contributed to the Committee’s high-profile report, ‘Mobilising action on climate change and environment: behaviour change’. Baroness Parminter, Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee said: “This unique and exciting opportunity assists the work of the Committee in holding the Government to account and ensure environment and climate change targets are met. “As the students who took part in last year’s engagement programme demonstrated, young people are passionate about the environment and have the intuition to press the Government on the key issues facing our planet.” School Application Form
Award Winning Russell Maliphant Dance Company Offers Free Digital Teaching Resources To Schools
The critically acclaimed, Olivier award winning, Russell Maliphant Dance Company is offering free, interactive teaching resources based on brand-new project Vortex to schools across the country, as it tours the UK this May and June. Students of all backgrounds within each region featured across the Vortex tour, with dates in Colchester, Canterbury, Newcastle, Huddersfield, and finishing in London at the end of June 2023, will have the opportunity to access the resources for free throughout the duration of the tour, helping them to form a deeper understanding of the piece, as well as its processes, collaborators, and the creative journey. The resources include a Vortex digital teaching pack, which contains further information about the choreographic process and artistic collaborators who made the piece, as well as a variety of teaching and learning tasks for teachers to work through with their dance students. The tasks will encourage considered choreography, inspire creativity, and give dancers an opportunity to develop performance concepts. The teaching pack will be available as a downloadable and as an audiobook. RMDC has also produced video clips which are designed to be used alongside the Vortex digital resource pack. The video clips include the stage version of Vortex and extracts of repertoire from the performance. Each repertoire extract has been filmed and broken down by a company dancer to be directly copied, where possible, by dance students. Inspired by masters of the twentieth-century, and influenced by the works and processes of Jackson Pollock and Abstract Expressionism, Maliphant paints his own interpretation with movement, light, and shadow to create a visually rich journey, with the remarkable dancers of RMDC. Collaborators include Ryan Stafford (lighting design), Katya Richardson (composer) and Stevie Stewart (costume design). Together with partners the Victoria Wood Foundation and The Foyle Foundation, Russell Maliphant Dance Company has established the Dance Encounter Fund (DEF), offering 1,000 free tickets to young people aged 14 – 25 across the UK during the Vortex tour. DEF will enable RMDC to make experiencing and engaging with live performance a reality for diverse young people, where ticket cost may ordinarily act as a barrier. RMDC have also partnered with Tickets For Good across the Vortex tour. Working together with the foundation, RMDC will provide free tickets to NHS workers and local charities, committing 50 free tickets per venue for the entire tour. Tickets For Good strives to deliver positive social impact through live entertainment by lowering the barriers of access to live events for individuals who previously may not have attended due to physical, financial, work-based, or personal obstacles. Russell Maliphant Dance Company was established in 1996 as the framework for Maliphant to initiate productions and to work with his own ensemble of dancers. Since that time, the company has received two Olivier awards, three South Bank Show awards and four Critics’ Circle National Dance awards for best modern choreography, amongst many other national and international awards and nominations. Russell Maliphant’s work is characterised by a unique approach to flow and energy and an ongoing exploration of the relationship between movement, light and music. Russell Maliphant has been an Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells since 2005 and gained a PhD in 2019. Maliphant’s last project Silent Lines toured the UK to critical acclaim in 2019 and received plaudits and national praise from the likes of The Telegraph, The Guardian, and the Evening Standard. Commenting on Vortex, Russell Maliphant says: “The work of Jackson Pollock had made a lasting impression on me since the first time I encountered it many years ago. I saw certain similarities in the approach to painting and energy that might sometimes be experienced in dance and movement tasks for improvisation and instantaneous composition in performance. “As a choreographer, I have generally created abstract, non-narrative work since I started RMDC, but I have made a couple of pieces that used another artist work and processes as inspiration – namely ‘Afterlight’ (2009) which used the great Russian dancer Nijinsky as inspiration and ‘The Rodin Project ‘(2012) which used the sculptures and watercolours of the genius French sculptor Auguste Rodin. “The creative process is altered when having a particular aesthetic to draw inspiration from and mingle with one’s own ideas. It offers a new lens through which to interpret the elements and themes around which to gather ideas. The research and development necessarily follows a different trajectory as there are particular concrete elements to dig into. “The idea for the project began before the pandemic hit in 2020 but was put on hold, other than a couple of weeks of explorations in the studio. These started to reveal elements I wanted to work with and developed as I began working with my collaborators: Ryan Stafford, Katya Richardson, and Stevie Stewart.” Martin Collins, Executive Director & Producer, Russell Maliphant Dance Company, comments: “We’re so looking forward to showcasing our new project to the Sadler’s audience, as our outstanding dancers take to the iconic London stage this May. “We are hugely grateful to the BBC for optioning our film of Vortex, allowing a national reach for our new touring production. We’re also thrilled to partner with Tickets For Good throughout the Vortex tour, ensuring as many people as possible have access to our production across the UK.” Vortex teaching resources are available here. Tickets for the Vortex tour are available now. Vortex UK Tour dates: May 2023 16th – 20th – Excelsior Studios, London 23rd – 27th – Excelsior Studios, London 30th – The Malthouse, Canterbury June 2023 6th – Mercury Theatre, Colchester 13th – Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield 22nd – Dance City, Newcastle 29th – Artsdepot, London
Initial Teacher Training – barriers to recruitment and delivery survey published
“Every possible avenue to recruiting trainees being explored” New research undertaken by the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT) has highlighted the breadth of recruitment tactics being adopted by school-based Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers as they seek to attract more recent graduates and career changers to the profession. Despite the survey confirming the challenges around ITT recruitment, with 77% of respondents reporting that trainee applications are down at this stage of the year compared to last year, NASBTT members have said that those who are applying are doing so for career prospects (27%), changing jobs (17%) and working locally (10%). When asked what else DfE should do to address the recruitment crisis, 17% of respondents called for an increase in wider hardship support during training, 16% for an increase in bursaries/scholarships, and 8.5% for an increase in starting salaries. Starting salary was not selected as a reason by any of the 70 respondents as to why trainee applications are down, or a reason given to providers by trainees who have applied. However, it is the range of recruitment tactics cited by NASBTT members that is arguably the most practically useful insight from the survey completed in March and April 2023. From targeting internal candidates in schools (especially Teaching Assistants and existing cover/support staff) and former students, to sponsorship of a local football team, contacting the armed forces and town centre or roadside advertising for additional visibility, ITT providers are exploring every possible approach to recruitment. Other free-text responses, summarised below, are: In a further key finding, 43% of respondents reported that school placements are down at this stage of the year compared to last year, with the majority (36.5%) have decreased by 20-30%. A further 30% said that placements are down by 10-20% and 16.5% by 30-40% from 2022. “Our latest member survey underlines the hugely challenging picture that ITT providers are facing around trainee applications this year,” said NASBTT Executive Director Emma Hollis. “As we know, this is a national issue and is a cause for concern for providers of any size, but it is to the credit of the ITT sector as a whole that every possible avenue to recruit trainees is being explored. The sector’s resilience never ceases to amaze me. It is too early to say what the impact of continuing lower recruitment will be, but clearly those in power are aware of the issues as demonstrated by the Education Select Committee inquiry into Teacher Recruitment, Training and Retention that NASBTT responded to last month.” Emma explained that the impact of the Early Career Framework (ECF) on capacity in schools, and in particular on mentoring capacity, was a significant contributory factor. “This has led to unintended consequences of some schools preferring not to employ Early Career Teachers (ECTs) as they cannot meet the additional capacity needed to support them,” she commented. “Even more significantly, however, we are increasingly hearing of schools withdrawing from offering ITT placements due to the capacity issues created by mentoring and ECTs. Our survey, which shows that nearly half of respondents are experiencing issues with placements at this stage of the year compared to last year, backs this up.” This could lead to a placement crisis for ITT providers, Emma stressed, which “must be considered very seriously and addressed before it creates an even greater crisis” in the ITT sector. “We have given this message before, but should placement opportunities not be readily available on their doorstep, the requirement to travel will become a further barrier to entry from applicants who are unable or unwilling to travel significant distances for their training and could further adversely affect teacher supply,” she said. “To mitigate this, we suggest that DfE may wish to consider hardship funding for all trainees to apply for help with costs. This could be managed through providers under existing grant funding agreements. DfE has allocated relocation funding for overseas trainees so it feels reasonable to also earmark funding for domestic students who are struggling to pay travel costs.” Emma added: “Teaching is a unique profession. It is incomparable with any other sector in terms of workload (in and out of the ‘workplace’ and outside of core hours) and scrutiny (from Ofsted, governors and parents/carers). At the heart of the issue is how the profession is presented (mainly negatively) in the media, through DfE marketing campaigns (counter productive), combined with the fact ‘everyone knows a teacher’ and perceptions often reflect that. Government needs to lead the charge for makingteaching an attractive profession for both recent graduates and experienced professionals once again.We should emphasise (and evidence) that employment opportunities are extremely high for qualifying teachers, which is an important message not least in the current economic climate.” Overall, the majority of NASBTT member respondents (28%) said that trainee applications are down by 10-20% followed by 30-40% (26%), 20-30% (22%), 40%+ (18.5%) and 0-10% (5.5%). When asked why they thought applications are down, underlying issues cited included the cost-of-living crisis (22%) and perceptions of the profession (15%).
Schools stalling on sustainability despite it being ‘a top priority’
Amidst ongoing challenges, research from school transport specialist Kura reveals that sustainability is taking a backseat for school leaders, highlighting a disconnect between targets and action. Despite carbon footprint reduction being a top priority for 42% of school leaders, there is little action being taken, particularly when it comes to the carbon-emitting school run. Just 9% plan to invest in buying or leasing new electric vehicles this year, 7% in car share initiatives and 27% in cycling and walking schemes. Research also highlights concerns regarding levels of traffic and pollution around the school gates. Unicef’s Toxic School Run report found that children are disproportionately exposed to higher doses of pollution during the school run and research by Admiral revealed that, during term time, there are 68% more accidents occurring during morning school run hours. Encouragingly, 66% of school leaders agree that levels of pollution and congestion at peak hours need to be cut and 62% believe that the number of parents driving children to school should be reduced. When asked about the future of the school run, 34% of school leaders said they expect to see more electric vehicles, 27% think there will be more shared transport (coach and minibuses) and nearly half (43%) believe walking and cycling infrastructure will be developed. However, of the 250 school leaders surveyed, just 34% say that their school is part of a scheme to reduce traffic. Whilst schemes such as School Streets are growing in popularity, with over 300 educational establishments introducing them in the UK, it’s clear that the majority of schools still have action to take to reduce congestion around the school gates. The research also found that just 28% of the schools surveyed currently provide a home to school service and only 6% have invested in improving school transport in the last year. When one 49-seater school coach can take as many as 31 cars of the road*, provision of school transport can be key to schools’ sustainability efforts. Commenting on the findings, Godfrey Ryan, CEO of Kura, said: “Schools are undoubtably under pressure to make budgets stretch further and shifting priorities are leading to a stall in action when it comes to sustainability. “However, our research highlights a disconnect between what school leaders expect to see and what they’re investing in. For example, 34% believe that there will be more electric vehicles for school transport in the next three years, but just 9% intend to invest in this area. “With the government expected to introduce sustainability targets for schools from 2025 and research revealing worrying levels of pollution around the school gates, school leaders can’t afford to put the brakes on reducing emissions. “To help tackle the issue, schools can invest in school transport, car share schemes and initiatives to reduce traffic at peak pick up and drop off times. A quarter of rush hour traffic can be attributed to the school run and this can be significantly reduced with the right measures in place. “Transport technology also has a role to play. For example, route optimisation means that drivers can take the most efficient route to pick up students, shortening the school journey and reducing emissions. “It’s no longer just a sustainability issue. Whilst schools have a vital role to play in reducing emissions, high levels of traffic and pollution also pose a significant safeguarding risk to students and the local community. As a result, schools must get on board with the school run revolution.”
Majority Of Britons Regret Not Learning Another Language
England and Tottenham footballer, Eric Dier, and learning company, Pearson, have teamed up to help the next generation avoid the same language regrets as today’s UK adults, as new research reveals the challenges facing monolingual-Britons. Three-quarters (73%) of people who speak just one language wish they could speak another according to new research released today by Pearson, the world’s digital media learning company. The survey of 2,000 UK adults revealed that more than half (54%) of monolinguists have faced difficulties in life as a result of not being able to speak another language. Nearly a quarter have felt embarrassed by their inability to communicate on holiday or while travelling (23%) with a fifth feeling uncomfortable that they could not speak to someone who communicates in a different language (21%). One in six feel that it has limited their confidence to travel abroad (17%). In contrast, nearly nine in ten (86%) UK adults who speak another language say it has supported them in a multitude of ways, including understanding other cultures better (47%), having the confidence to travel the world (36%), making international friends (34%), increasing self-confidence (31%), and as well as living abroad (30%). One in eight even attributes meeting their partner to knowing an additional language (13%). With two-thirds of Britons saying they would have chosen to learn a language at school (66%), Pearson has announced its plans to help ensure today’s learners don’t have the same regrets by launching their reformed 2024 MFL GCSE draft qualification with a nationwide More than words campaign, which aims to encourage more young people to consider learning a language. England and Tottenham footballer and polyglot, Eric Dier, is supporting the Pearson ‘More Than Words’ campaign, and spoke with students at Regent High School in London about the impact language learning had on his life and the doors it can open for others. The Spurs defender said: “Languages have been an integral part of shaping the person I am today. From my childhood in Portugal, where languages helped me to make friends and understand and thrive in different cultural communities, to communicating effectively with my teammates and coaches in my football career today. “People don’t always expect me to be able to speak so many languages, but I enjoy the process of learning them and the world of possibilities it opens up.” Discussing the wider picture of language learning in schools and their plans to ‘reignite interest’ in languages, Katy Lewis, Head of MFL at Pearson said: “Almost half (45%) of all UK adults think that it is more important to speak another language today than it was 20 years ago and yet, uptake in GCSE and A Level languages has been in steady decline. We’re committed to reigniting interest in the subject through meaningful qualifications that allow all students to develop their language skills, regardless of their background, ability, or reason for studying a language. “We are working with schools, language experts, inspiring multilinguists, like Eric Dier, and learners across the UK to promote how languages are so much more than words and their power extends far beyond the classroom walls. By creating inclusive and relatable content and deepening the collective passion around language learning, we can better equip all students for life and future careers in our increasingly connected world.” When respondents to the Pearson-commissioned survey were asked what would most encourage young people to study a language today, the top five responses were: showcasing the benefits to their future lives, making the subject more interesting, learning about different cultures and lifestyles as well as vocabulary, making content more relevant to young people’s lives and making it more accessible. Pearson’s new range of future-focused language qualifications in French, German and Spanish have been designed in consultation with hundreds of schools and trialled with over 800 students to authentically represent and reflect the rich diversity and experiences of students across the UK. Built on the foundation of inclusivity, accessibility and transparency, the qualifications, for first teaching in September 2024, take a student-centred approach and combine clear, concise and straightforward assessments with engaging, relatable content. If you are interested in finding out more about Pearson’s More than words campaign and their new language GCSEs, please visit: go.pearson.com/MFLGCSE24
Teacher training providers merge to create new offer for schools and future teachers across Norfolk, Essex and Suffolk
A new local teacher training organisation operating across Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk will support recent graduates and career changers into the classroom from September 2024. Norfolk, Essex and Suffolk Teacher Training (NESTT) is being formed following a merger of experienced “tried and tested” school-centred local initial teacher training (ITT) providers Suffolk and Norfolk SCITT and BEC Teacher Training. The merger has been agreed following the Government’s recent ITT market review report which made recommendations on how to make sure all trainees receive high-quality training, how the ITT market maintains the capacity to deliver enough trainees and is accessible to candidates, and how the ITT system benefits all schools. One of these recommendations was around the development of local partnerships. Whilst Suffolk and Norfolk SCITT and BEC Teacher Training will continue to operate as individual ITT providers until the end of the 2023-24 school year, NESTT leaders are already laying firm foundations for the future for the new organisation, including working with subject experts to design a new and exciting curriculum for the teachers of tomorrow. The NESTT programme will feed into provision for the Early Career Framework, which sets out what early career teachers are entitled to learn about and learn how to do when they start their careers,and ensure a coherent three-year training cycle for new teachers as well as comprehensive support for mentors in school. “The two SCITTs merging to form NESTT share a vision of working with all our local partners to nurture a vibrant, research-engaged community of teachers in our area,” said Anna Richards,Executive Leader of Suffolk and Norfolk SCITT. “We are a tried and tested local provider and will continue to be responsive to local need.Collaborating with local head teachers in each area will enable us to consult widely amongst our partnership schools and local multi-academy trust CEOs. “Unlike some of the new national entrants to the market, the SCITTs merging to form the new partnership all have 22-25 years’ experience of delivering ITT. Both legacy SCITTs joining NESTT currently have five-year teacher retention rates above the national average, in some cases by a substantial margin.” Christine Jarrold, Director at BEC Teacher Training, added: “The records of ourselves and Suffolk and Norfolk SCITT show the vast majority of teachers we train take jobs in local schools and continue their careers working in the area. “NESTT teacher trainers have all worked in local schools before moving into teacher training and have a wealth of contacts and personal knowledge of the region, which facilitates that. Existing excellent relationships with schools mean that NESTT will be able to ensure that every trainee has a suitable school placement and a skilled mentor from the start of the course. “The NESTT team will continue to foster the culture of trust and transparency which enables us to work with schools effectively to provide the best training for our beginning teachers.” NESTT will continue to provide the majority of training face-to-face rather than relying on online platforms and pre-recorded videos. “Face-to-face interactions provide valuable experiences for trainee teachers, facilitating learning through activities such as rehearsal and micro-teaching, which research has found to be highly effective,” Anna said. “It will also enable them to develop supportive networks in our area, aiding future retention of teachers. “We will keep up our current open-door policy and our locally-based teams will be able, as now, to respond quickly and flexibly to any questions raised by our schools. As well as trainees, the mentor training and skills’ staff develop as teachers will support broader school improvement. All this will be underpinned by our core values, Nurture, Empower and Teach.” The development has been welcomed by education and local authority leaders across the region, including both Suffolk County Council and Norfolk County Council who have long been strategic partners of Suffolk and Norfolk SCITT. Mark Bennett, Senior Education Officer at Norfolk County Council, said: “We are confident that NESTT will provide high-quality staff for our local schools and ensure they gain enjoyment and satisfaction from their careers, remain in the profession and continue to develop their expertise, contributing to their own schools and to the training of future teachers.” Samantha Fletcher, Assistant Director for Education Strategy and Infrastructure, Norfolk County Council, concurred: “Relationships are key, and we will continue to build on the strong partnerships with local schools that characterise our full provision, and offer our communities high-quality training and personalised support.” Ahson Mohammed, CEO of Compass Trust, the parent body of BEC Teacher Training, added: “We are delighted to be cooperating in this new venture. Our Trust has always had a strong commitment to providing the very best in training and development for our staff. The formation of NESTT will enable us to make our offer to trainee teachers even more attractive.” The University of Suffolk will continue to validate the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) on NESTT primary and secondary ITT programmes. “We are pleased to be able to extend our relationship with NESTT, and look forward to supporting staff and trainees alike,” said Dr Clare Gartland, Associate Professor of Education at the University of Suffolk. Primary and secondary schools in the following cities and towns (and surrounding areas) will be supported by NESTT: Basildon, Billericay, Brentwood, Bury St Edmunds, Colchester, Chelmsford, Clacton-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, Harwich, Hornchurch, Ipswich, King’s Lynn, Lowestoft, Norwich, Rayleigh, Rochford, Southend-on-Sea, Thetford and Wickford. NESTT is hosting Train to Teach Information Events on 9th May, 14th June and 13th July. For more information, go to www.nestt.org.uk