At Reach to Teach we are committed to working directly with schools and communities. In our Education and Community Programme (ECP), we seek to improve the quality of learning and enhance life chances of pupils. We work alongside teachers in classrooms and headteachers to support them to improve learning, and with parents to improve pupil attendance and engagement.
In 2019, RTT commissioned Dr Tim Bristow, HMI, to carry out an inspection of ECP schools and report on his findings. In September, Tim visited a series of schools across the three projects, and spent time with headteachers, teachers, pupils, community members and project staff in order to evaluate the impact of the ECP on the quality of education in those schools.
We are really encouraged that Dr Bristow recognised that:
“Teaching has improved in all nine schools visited because of the guidance and training received from the programme.”
“In all the schools visited pupils enjoy coming to school... teachers, with the guidance of RTT, have established safe environments for learning and warm and productive relationships with the pupils.”
“Attendance is a success story. The rate of attendance has improved markedly in all nine schools.”
“Since the start of the partnership with RTT there has been a change in the attitude of parents towards education.”
In addition to improvements to teaching, headteachers have gained from training that prioritises a focus on teaching and learning and working collaboratively with teachers.
While we recognise that further support is needed to ensure that the improvements in teaching feed through into significant and sustained improvements in learning, we are encouraged by the recognition of the skill of the RTT field teams working in partnership with schools and communities.