Of the training and support provided, Ofsted inspectors said:  ‘Knowledgeable and experienced tutors within the university’s School of Education provide trainees with personalised support. These professionals are readily available to support trainees with any difficulties’. In addition, the specialist support for mental health and wellbeing is identified as a particular strength and inspectors note that programme leaders make every effort to ensure that trainees’ workload is manageable.

The report also highlights the strong research tradition that informs our teaching of trainees, saying ‘Subject tutors are active researchers, giving trainees access to new and developing ideas, which they assimilate confidently. Trainees benefit from the university’s strong research tradition.’

Overall, Ofsted inspectors praise the well-developed partnership at the University of Bristol, and the strong connections between university and schools, saying: ‘Great care is taken to match trainees to their placement schools. This helps ensure that trainees have the opportunities and expert support they need to be successful’.  As a result, trainees’ experiences in schools are ‘consistently positive’ and they ‘learn how to teach engaging lessons and promote good behaviour’. 

The inspectors observe that ‘Graduates from the programme flourish, with some undertaking leadership roles. They are well prepared for the role of a teacher’.  The report notes that preparation to teach A level and GCSE is a strong feature of the PGCE and that ‘all trainees gain substantial experience of teaching students in post-16’. They also noted the ‘highly motivating experience’ for trainees who take part in short placements in specialist settings.

The University of Bristol currently offers teacher training in secondary education, including in post-16 provision, in English, geography, history, mathematics, modern foreign languages (French, German, Italian, Spanish), religious education (RE), and science (biology, chemistry, physics).  

We work in close partnership with over 40 schools in Bristol and the surrounding area. Partner schools co-construct the PGCE curriculum with the university team and are integral to its success.  The Ofsted report emphasizes that ‘The provider enriches the curriculum by including projects on issues such as representation and education for sustainability. Trainees appreciate the currency of these themes and consider the implications for their subjects.’

Ruth Bailey, Teacher Education Portfolio Director at the University of Bristol, said of the Ofsted report:

‘This report is a testament to the hard work of our PGCE team, associate tutors and professional tutors in school to educate the next generation of highly-skilled and committed teachers who will be working in our schools.

‘The University of Bristol PGCE partnership is dedicated to delivering high-quality teacher education which is research-informed, innovative and rigorous, so that our graduates can have an immediate positive impact on the schools they will be working in.

‘We are pleased that our Ofsted report so clearly recognises many of the strengths of our programme and we want to thank all of those who participated in the inspection process. We came together as a strong and unified community, which made us feel a great sense of pride.’

Professor William Browne, Head of the School of Education, celebrated the achievement:

‘ I am hugely proud of my colleagues who teach on and support our PGCE programme. This Ofsted report highlights the excellent job they do to ensure as a school we produce fantastic future teachers.’

Find more information about teacher training at the University of Bristol