A ONE-year teacher training course at Tavistock Community College has been given the highest possible grade by independent inspectors for the second time running. The Devon Secondary ?School Centred Initial Teacher Training? (SCITT), has been given an ?A? grade, signifying good or excellent features. SCITT has been running since 1999 and was initially awarded an ?A? grade by Ofsted in 2004. The innovative Devon Secondary Teacher Training group is a partnership, managed by Devon County Council, with a number of secondary schools across the country taking part. It provides initial teacher training courses, based in schools, for graduates seeking a PGCE qualification in performing arts or modern languages. The Ofsted report concluded: ?The excellent quality of the leadership and management of the programme remains and ensures that all partners contribute fully to the high quality training.? Devon?s executive councillor for children?s services, John Smith, said: ?This is an excellent example of the partnership between Devon County Council and our schools. ?It is important our schools have a good pool of applicants from which to fill their vacancies and many of the trainees on this course will go on to work in Devon?s schools.?
