A TEACHER training programme has been praised in its first inspection by Ofsted.

Anton Andover Alliance School-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) was launched in September 2016 by Anton Junior School, offering training in general primary or physical education working with 30 schools across the Test Valley.

The provider was visited in two stages last year, first in July and then in December, and it has now been rated as ‘good’ in all areas, including outcomes for trainees, the quality of training, along with quality of leadership and management.

The original director of the provider and Anton headteacher Tom Donohoe left in June last year and has since been replaced by James Coleman.

A report published last month said: “Leaders take good account of feedback from trainees and regularly survey their views on training and the impact they think it is having on their practice. Where a need for change becomes apparent, they are quick to make improvements.”

Inspectors said that the leaders’ determination to provide “good or better” teachers was “bearing fruit” as half of the 73 trainees are now employed in partnership schools.

The report added: “Trainees are right to be confident that their training will make them good or better teachers, that they will be able to demonstrate how they meet the teachers’ standards and that they will secure employment.”

Ofsted noted that trainees are “well prepared” to teach across the primary curriculum and understand that the “quality of their teaching is determined by the impact it has on pupils’ learning”.

Inspectors did find there were mixed views on how successful the significant expansion in trainee numbers in 2017/18 was.

But they did say that the “new leaders are determined that it is time to take stock in order to refresh training and the way the partnership operates” and that changes to the staffing structure meant that the “new director is better placed to focus on quality rather than administrative tasks”.

Mr Coleman said: “We are incredibly proud of the report from our recent Ofsted inspection. Since the SCITT’s inception over 100 trainees have been supported by the programme and have secured jobs in schools across Hampshire and in particular, Andover.

“We are really pleased the report highlighted the expertise and commitment of the practitioners delivering training every week to our wonderful trainees.

“We look forward to working on the recommendations of the report and a key part of that will be continuing to build on the fantastic network of schools we work with and ensuring we continue to deliver a course programme that puts trainees first and delivers the next generation of teachers for the local market.”