The Power of Partnership: Schools, Universities and Teacher Education Presentation to UCET 8 November Professor Sir Robert Burgess Vice-Chancellor, University of Leicester Chair, UUK/GuildHE Teacher Education Advisory Group

What is Partnership? Oxford English Dictionary Definition –noun 1 [mass noun] the state of being a partner or partners: we should go on working together in partnership 2an association of two or more people as partners: an increase in partnerships with housing associations a business or firm owned and run by two or more partners: the partnership now owns 22 department stores a position as one of the partners in a business or firm: she will be eligible for a partnership after a few years

ITT Partnership –Key Principles but no prescriptive formula Partners coming together and drawing upon research evidence and ‘best practice’ to determine what works in their specific context Partnership between Schools and Universities not new –Personally know this from 1960s

Sections Planned for this Presentation White Paper of 2010 Responses from Secretary of State and the Government

Friday 2 November Arrival of Student Number Allocations Challenge to the Rhetoric?

A Key Question: Should we be concerned about the allocations? Is this an obvious reaction by HEIs?

What Criteria are used? Outstanding OFSTED Inspection High Quality Recruitment School Direct

But do these Criteria Distort? Allocations to Core lead to ask are numbers viable? Can School Direct be Supported by HEIs? What is High Quality? What are the Roles and Responsibilities?

Will some Providers –give back numbers –come out of ITT Not be available –when demographic trends move into secondary schools

A Key Question For those who remain: What form can Partnership take?

Partnership - key issues Requirements –Common Principles –No Prescriptive Formula –Top-Down Models not helpful Genuine Partnership –Working together –Drawing upon research evidence and best practice –Determine what works best in context

Local alliances develop according to needs and capacity of partners Different alliances work separately on teacher development activities and come together to form meta-alliances Principles for relationship –Shared interests and values –Collegial collaboration –Dynamic model –Rejects false dichotomy between theory and practice Some Developments

Many successful collaborative ITE partnerships between universities and schools –Regional ITE provider networks –Masters in Teaching and Learning –Teach First collaborations Successful but expensive Hybrid model Sees teaching as an elite career

The Past Decade and Partnerships Greater will/capacity to contribute to ITE Greater recognition from HEIs of distinctive contribution schools/teachers can make to ITE More attention to CPD More emphasis on reflective practice Development of joint research activities Greater levels of employability

Explanations for Trends in Partnership Development Growing confidence of schools to make a greater contribution Government policy focusing on CPD Growth of professional Masters/ Doctorates Emergence of Masters PGCE Role of UCET in building relationships between ITE and the then TDA

Coalition Government Policy ITT Implementation Strategy –Emphasis on schools leading provision –Teaching Schools –School Direct

A Productive Engagement Emergence from natural development of existing partnerships Largely driven by collegiality and shared vision New relationships can be more difficult Most successful with professional dialogue Market-driven interests are a challenge

A Shift in Emphasis to School-led ITE: some problems Maintaining Capacity in HE Sector –Uncertainty in allocation model –Loss of capacity with diversion to schools –Schools could reduce ITE if too much pressure –Existing partnership models could be difficult to sustain

Developing Professionally Relevant R&D through Partnerships Practical and professionally relevant to schools/teachers Jointly carried out Enables focus on challenges/questions around teaching and leadership Opportunity for improvement

Some Key Questions How do I help my students learn how to divide fractions? How do I build in thinking skills into my classroom teaching? How can I take into account the backgrounds, knowledge and experience of the Bangladeshi girls in my class? How can participation in student voice initiatives be increased?

Benefits of using R&D Schools develop their own bespoke solutions Developed by teachers and leaders through R&D Form the basis for a powerful and practically useful knowledge base

Expanding Research and Development Links Teaching School Alliance Partners Supported successful funding bids from NCSL Develop Lesson Study approaches for specific learning problems

Examples of Good R&D Practice Enhancing student engagement in Year 10 through collaborative learning practices Improving students’ inference and analytic skills in Humanities Developing expertise of non-specialist science teachers Raising aspirations for white British boys Promoting independent learning

Further Partnership - the MA in Education: Leadership and Learning Support for school leadership and CPD Collaboration with Teaching School Partners Leadership and learning at the centre of individual and organisational change and improvement Identify and enhance potential

Focus on individual learning and school improvement priorities Enquiry-oriented leadership capacity Developing ideas and practices Enhancing learning and promoting spread and uptake

A Future for Partnership New Models Established Values Better Teaching BUT allocation of students needed to keep HEI providers if we are to have a professional training for a new group of future teachers