Leeds Trinity University’s School of Education has successfully piloted a new model of Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) before it is rolled out to all Initial Teacher Training providers nationally by the Department for Education for the 2024/25 academic year.

From September, all providers of Initial Teacher Education will be required to include an element of ITAP in their undergraduate and postgraduate provisions. ITAP is intended to help consolidate trainees’ knowledge of key evidence-based principles for effective teaching, and provide opportunities for trainees to apply them to their developing professional practice.

In preparation, Leeds Trinity decided to run a pilot programme with their Primary PGCE students during the 2023/24 academic year. The programme took place across two separate blocks, spanning a couple of weeks each, allowing students to develop their skills on campus and in schools to integrate research, evidence and quality classroom practice.

The first block, held in November 2023, focussed on planning well-structured learning sequences that lead to pupil progress. This drew on evidence-informed approaches including metacognition – the process of students planning, monitoring and evaluating their thinking in relation to a learning objective - and Rosenshine’s Principles of Education, which are a set of ten teaching techniques that can be implemented into everyday teaching for simplicity and clarity.

The second block, which took place in February 2024, was a period of school and centre-based learning focused on assessment, questioning and feedback. This fortnight examined how, through carefully considered questioning and feedback strategies, teachers can understand what their pupils need to move their learning forwards.

The February block also featured an expert panel event at Leeds Trinity’s Main Campus in Horsforth featuring Claire Gilhooly, Assistant Headteacher at Sacred Heart Primary School, Ilkley; Ben Kerr, Assistant Headteacher at Cookridge Primary, Leeds; and Chris Wilkins, Director of Primary Standards at St Gregory the Great Catholic Academy Trust, Leeds. Through presentations and a Q&A session, they discussed how assessment is crucial in developing a teacher’s knowledge of their pupils learning and progress and how this knowledge is used at different points throughout the school year to inform different stakeholders. In addition, the block featured a guest presentation from Jill Harland, Headteacher of Brudenell Primary School, and leading speaker on growth mindsets and self-regulation for learning.

Following a period of review, students have commented positively on the opportunity to engage in high-quality professional conversations and see key evidence and research in practice in schools.

Alison Griffiths, Deputy Head of School of Teacher Education at Leeds Trinity University, said: “These Intensive Training and Practice models have allowed us to direct a laser sharp focus onto two crucial aspects of teaching. Through deconstructing practice and engaging with research, our students have formed a more nuanced understanding of why they do what they do.

“We chose to run the pilot to not only prepare ourselves for the upcoming changes, but to ensure we are in a position to continue delivering top quality education to our students, as the School of Education at Leeds Trinity has a proud history of doing. Now the pilot has concluded, we feel equipped and ready for the 2024/25 academic year. However, between now and September, we will continue to refer back to the lessons learned and take on board guidance as we put further plans in place to meet the new requirements.”

Anna Park, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education at Leeds Trinity University, said: “We’ve been so impressed at the depth of thinking, questioning and discussion that our students have demonstrated during these ITAP weeks. Schools have commented on the positive change in practice that they have seen our students demonstrate in the classroom.”

Further details about ITAP and the national roll out in the 2024/25 academic year are available online.

For more information on Primary PGCE degrees at Leeds Trinity, visit the University website.