Training schools are expected to offer training experiences which go beyond those expected from a well-managed institution. In particular, all leading training schools must be seen as working collaboratively with their local authority, local higher education institution, schools and others to improve education across a wide area, playing a central role in leading system-wide transformation.
As a minimum, training schools are expected to:
- Develop a culture and ethos of training and professional development for all: working towards at least 20 per cent of teaching staff take part in practitioner-led research and 30 per cent of teaching staff contributing to the development of in-house training programmes
- Assist in securing school workforce supply: working towards at least 75 per cent of subject departments being involved in ITT over a 3-year time period, 30 per cent of teachers being trained in coaching and/or mentoring and 90 per cent of trainees evaluating their experience as good or better
- Support workforce development; working towards at least: 30 per cent of training school budget being spent on collaborative outreach continuing professional development (CPD) activities, 25 per cent of all staff having participated in award-bearing or accredited professional development over a 3-year period of time, 90 per cent of CPD evaluations are good or better
- Support modernisation through workforce remodelling: working in quality partnerships with a variety of stakeholders such as other schools, universities and local authorities, social services, the health and police services; taking the lead in developing training for emerging national agendas such as the Every Child Matters agenda and the developments mentioned in the Children’s Plan
The benchmarking document, created to support training schools in evaluation of practice, enables schools to:
- Illustrate the best training school practice currently available
- Provide some national benchmarking and comparability across schools and across regions, and
- Help schools track their progress over their time as a training school
