OXFORD Brookes University has been rated as “outstanding” for the way it educates primary school teachers, following an inspection.

Education watchdog Ofsted also rated its teaching of secondary school teachers as “good”.

Brookes offers a wide range of different teacher training courses, ranging from a one-year post-graduate certificate in education, PGCE, to a four year work-based BA where students spend three days a week as teaching assistants in schools, one at the university and one studying.

Hilary Lowe, associate dean of the Westminster Institute of Education, at Brookes’ Harcourt Hill campus, said: “We are very good at what we do and have very high quality teaching staff who are very committed to what they do, and very committed to the progress students make.

“We are confident about what we do because we know we do it well, but we never stop evaluating, thinking about how we can do it better and we know what we need to do to get to the next step.

“We have a very diverse intake where we add enormous value to the students as they progress.”

She pointed out that as well as carrying out lengthy placements in local schools, many students chose to remain in Oxfordshire to work once they had qualified.

The report was full of praise for the course and its students, describing trainees as “conscientious” and highlighting their maturity and professionalism.

Inspector Robert Lovett, referring to the primary courses, said: “Almost all trainees quickly form very good relationships with pupils and school-based colleagues.”

Rachel Payne, 22, is in the final weeks of a primary PGCSE specialising in primary languages, after graduating with a history degree from Cardiff University.

She said: “Both my parents are teachers so it has always been something I've been interested in.

“I just love working with people, particularly children, and I considered studying teaching at 18 but wanted to do an academic degree to give me another option.

“Brookes had everything I wanted, it gave me the flexibility to do what I wanted to do and I knew it had a very good reputation.

“It has given me the confidence to teach and given me ideas and made me enjoy some subjects, like science, that I did not enjoy before.”

fbardsley@oxfordmail.co.uk