Retention and progression through collaboration
Collaboration is key to creating an education system that helps every child reach their potential.
Over the years, we’ve built strong partnerships with teaching school hubs across the country to deliver a range of transformational programmes.
One of those partners is Saffron Teaching School Hub.
We spoke to Doug Brechin, their director, and Kerrie McGivern, deputy director (ITT and NPQ lead), to learn about their experience as a Teach First delivery partner.
About Saffron Teaching School Hub
Saffron works with 266 schools across the North West and Mid Essex, from primary to sixth form and SEND schools.
There is a wealth of diversity within our region, from the geographic - with schools in cities, towns, and rural settings - to the socio-demographic profile of our schools, serving wealthy urban enclaves to areas of high deprivation and high pupil-premium.
We've been a delivery partner with Teach First since 2020 for the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) and in 2024, we've become a delivery partner for the Early Career Framework (ECF).
Why Teach First?
Teach First’s reputation and track record of delivery was a key factor for us.
When we first started working together, we knew we wanted to offer the full package of NPQs, and with Teach First we're able to offer that with a strong suite of programmes.
We were also keen to ensure that any programme wouldn’t place undue stress on teacher workload.
The way that the Teach First modules are aligned and offer hybrid opportunities to work with teachers was a definite selling point.
A shared vision and collaboration
Another reason for choosing Teach First was the alignment of vision and values that both our organisations share – to improve the life chances and choices for all children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Through regular steering groups and ongoing dialogue between Teach First and delivery partners, we’ve been able to affect change which has enhanced the design, implementation and impact of the programmes.
We’ve been appreciative of the proactive way leaders at Teach First have listened and responded to challenge and feedback.
Flexibility and support on our NPQs
We deliver the full suite of NPQs to ensure colleagues at all levels have opportunities for professional development and career progression.
To date, over 500 teachers and leaders across our schools have completed an NPQ.
Increased retention and progression
We’ve seen increased retention of staff who have completed an NPQ, with many teachers progressing their careers as a result of their training.
We’re also seeing more schools mapping career pathways with NPQs in mind.
Career progression doesn’t always mean promotion, and so the NPQs offer opportunities for colleagues to diversify their roles by widening their knowledge and experience. This in turn enables schools to retain brilliant teachers.
We’ve also seen a number of our programme members become facilitators for us. This presents opportunities to impact teaching and learning beyond their own classroom or school setting.
NPQs have also strengthened the professional dialogue in schools. There are so many takeaways in terms of subject specialism and leadership that programme members are taking back to their settings. It’s been incredibly impactful.
Most recently, we’ve started to see teachers progressing straight from the ECF to an NPQ as they are so keen to continue their professional development journey.
A welcome focus on SEND
Across our Hub area, we’ve seen an increased focus on supporting disadvantaged and SEND pupils.
It’s critical that there’s a SEND qualification in place that gives aspiring and existing SENCOs the knowledge and expertise needed to support pupils and to become stronger leaders with a better understanding of impactive implementation.
Teach First’s NPQ for SENCOs has a great balance of the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to support that.
The benefits of working with Teach First
We’ve found the fortnightly meetings with our Teach First account manager most valuable.
It’s an opportunity to check on priorities, challenges and what’s upcoming, and to make sure we’ve got all the elements of the programme in hand.
It’s a distinguishing feature of Teach First’s that you have a relationship with an account manager who really listens and can respond and advocate on our behalf.
The account managers have a genuine knowledge of the educational landscape, so this makes for powerful working relationships.
The research evidence base is another reason why we wanted to work with Teach First because it's very strong and comes predominantly from the UK.
Unrivalled support and networks
Our facilitators have found the support videos that are provided around training materials incredibly helpful, and Teach First’s networks allow for joined-up working with other hubs.
Often our facilitators meet up and share best practices.
Moving forward with the ECF
Having had great success working with Teach First on NPQs, we decided to partner on the ECF to provide coherence for our teachers who can now easily move from the ECF onto an NPQ.
We were also attracted by Teach First’s ECF subject and phase-specific offer in Year 2 of the programme.
Another factor that influenced our decision is the way Teach First respects our local expertise. This means that we can make the programme our own in terms of providing training that will work within all our different contexts.
Seamless and straightforward switching
Switching from our previous lead provider to Teach First was seamless and straightforward with ongoing two-way account manager support.
The ECF and NPQ programmes are as much a priority for Teach First as for us, and we are reassured by that from a marketing point of view.
We feel Teach First puts the effort into supporting teachers, school hubs and delivery partners in advocating for the ECF and the NPQs.
Another reason for our switch was the high quality of the online learning platform. Teach First is fully up to speed in terms of the digital delivery and that's massively important to us.
Ultimately, the quality of Teach First’s delivery partner offering lies in the people and the platform. What’s reassuring for us is that Teach First wants to keep improving and continues to do so.
Want to offer high-quality teaching and leadership training to your schools and other settings?
Find out more about becoming a Teach First delivery partner and discover how we can enrich your training provision to bring more positive change for young people across the country.