Course Feedback

Feedback received from BTSA courses:

Secondary Middle Leaders programme

"The best course of its type I have been on"
"Handouts and materials were well structured and useful"
"Informative peer-discussion; relaxed and friendly atmosphere, thank you"
"Helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses moving forward"
"Emphasised the importance of adapting and fighting for your vision and maintaining your moral purpose"
"I'm really grateful for being here - thank you so much"
"Speaker was very engaging - can never have enough"
"Thank you for providing a useful and instructive course. It has been lovely to network with others as well"
"Conducting lesson observations and learning walks was most useful to me as it was in line with my career progression"
"Session leaders were very comforting and made a relaxed environment where you felt you wouldn't be judged"
"I found the course very useful and informative particularly visiting other schools and meeting other professionals"
"Thank you for your encouragement!"
"I really enjoyed the opportunity to develop my leadership skills through this course. I feel a much more confident leader and ready to take on a new challenge. It has been fantastic to hear from other schools and it would be nice to continue to have this opportunity"
"Lots of thought provoking sessions and discussions - really useful to network with colleagues and teachers from other schools"
"I found this to be both very enjoyable and useful. Topics were real and applicable and I was able to link them easily to my own situation"
Programme evaluation showed that 100% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the programme was well organised, enjoyable, informative and helped candidates reflect and develop as middle leaders.

Primary Middle Leaders programme

"Very insightful, thought provoking sessions which will improve my leadership style"
"A good opportunity to reflect on personal motivation"
"I'm excited to attend the next sessions - very thought provoking and exercises were useful"
"This has been so interesting and a great opportunity to be reflective. Course leaders well prepared and clear"
"Made me more aware of how effective leaders are emotionally intelligent and aware"
"Thought provoking, time to reflect, super materials which I have never seen before and have given me an insight into me"
"Has helped me to think about how I am going to relate to certain members of staff"
"Excellent opportunity to reflect with colleagues in a secure, confidential and supportive environment"
"It's good to have the opportunity to think about what drives us"
"Great advice and recap from HR consultant, delivery in a smaller group setting was very effective and helped focus of the session"
"HR consultant gave some very insighful comments that will help me greatly"
"A really good way to reflect on own leadership styles and drivers"
"Very well organised, friendly and insightful"
"Good guidance on dealing with tricky types of staff/situations"
"Knowledge trainer, thought provoking activities for reflection"
"Really relaxed and informative, clear session goals"
"Very interesting insight into drivers and how our personalities influence our role"
"Very supportive group, well led, materials shape new thinking. Great to be able to have time to reflect"
Programme evaluation showed 100% positive feedback from participants, they especially enjoyed the "think-pair-share" approach which offered delegates a chance to reflect on questions and share with partners before bringing their response to the group. Previous delegates have been promoted and found positions as Deputy Heads and/or Headteachers.

Developing Mastery in Maths from Year 3 to Year 7

"Fantastic and informative"
"Thought provoking, made me re-evaluate maths teaching in my classroom and left me wanting to find out more"
"Excellent examples to deepen understanding"
"So well explained, thorough and adaptable to all year groups"
"Great pace and recapped use of bar method. It was lovely to see how it was applied to algebra!"
"An excellent insight into how to implement Singapore Maths"
"Very informative, provided strategies and ideas to use in class"
"Well presented - good handouts"
"Thank you - very informative and relevant"
"Great delivery and belief of bar modelling working. Loads of areas of maths covered"
"Interesting and full of good ideas"
"Very clear models - thought provoking"
"Good to know how we can incorporate Singapore Maths into our everyday teaching"
"Very compact - lots of information within the time and practical application"
"Interesting and great notes to take away"
100% of feedback received was rated with excellent or good and participants were eager to develop their training within the classroom.

Active Learning Approaches for NQTs/ITTs

"Very helpful to take part in the examples given as you can see them working"
"Lots of practical approaches to key problems when teaching Shakespeare"
"Good to get early knowledge - not things I could just pick up from placement schools"
"Really liked the focus of practical games lessons and strategies that we could use in our classes"
"Interactive and enjoyable, excellent range of resouces and informative"
"Excellent - all questions on fieldwork were answered and extended on - fantastic top tips on joining websites"
"Really liked Desmos - an area I am developing myself and so appreciated how it can rapidly develop understanding"
"Very beneficial for planning for KS4"
"Fantastic, very useful and engaging - I have more confidence with practicals now"

Advanced Teaching & Learning programme for primary LSAs

"A very animated, enthusiastic lesson - great! Really enjoyed it!"
"Very helpful, handy tools and tips and love the fact I have a takeaway!!"
"Really good ideas in a friendly environment"
"Very good knowledge of subject; gave me lots of ideas on how to improve practise"
"Thank you for sharing great phonics ideas and games"
"Picked up some useful hints and tips on grammar - I'm sure I'll refer to the handouts"
"Information like this should be in all classes for all staff"
"Quite involved and detailed but it's just what I needed!"
"Good presentation and a pack full of information to take away"
"Gave some new ideas that I can use with my interventions - very animated and fun session"

Key stage 2/3 Primary Science course

"Very helpful particularly in matching working scientifically to content statements"
"Great to break down barriers to my own learning/skills"
"Alexandra (facilitator) was positive and open to discussion. Resources were well prepared and useful"
"Good ideas for planning and assessing"
"Really great to see other colleagues and to plagiarise ideas for investigative science lessons"
"Raised profile of working scientifically skills"

Leadership training - Managing Change Effectively

"Useful to reflect on change, how group dynamics may affect the implementation of its impact. Good to work collaboratively and prepare for this"
"Very informative, well delivered, good mix of 'active' and 'passive'
"Good to explore the viewpoint of fellow professionals in a different school policy"
"A good balance of introspection and discussion to both develop me as a leader and remind me of what to do"
"Really enjoyable and helful in refocussing on what is important, thank you"

Mathematics: Outstanding Teaching & Learning at Key Stage 3

"Excellent introduction with great resources and ideas"
"Pitched at a good level and a variety of exercises/resources available"
"Very helpful - loved the resources - need more courses like this"

KS3 English course for non-specialist teachers

"Very helpful being able to discuss ideas with colleagues and share strategies"
"Great discussions - maybe we could bring resources/sows and share ideas?"
"Some great resources and teaching ideas that we can use in our own teaching"
"It was good to be able to discuss how to teach complicated texts that we haven't been teaching for years"

Removing low-level disruption to improve learning

"Interesting and practical advice on managing behaviour"
"Detailed training with lots of practical elements that can be introduced to lessons easily"
"Useful videos and resources, starter was thought-provoking"
"Helpful ideas which I hadn't heard before"
"Well delivered and clear. Met objective - very helpful"
"Excellent, good pace, useful ideas, variety of inputs"

NQT programme

"Really excellent sessions, lots of clear and appliable skills"
Well educated speaker - good strategies"
"Very good strategies and modelling techniques"
"Helpful for planning and ensuring all children are supported and making progress"
"Really powerful demonstration of concepts"
"Useful to find out information on illness within school and how to deal with it"
"Some excellent ideas that were practical to use in the class. Very engaging trainer."
"Found this training very helpful, will use many new communication techniques picked up during the session"
"Very informative - lots of useful hints and tips for Ofsted inspections; all questions answered - feel more prepared for the inspections"
"Consolidated understanding - gave me new strategies to put in place"
"PE - new ideas for warm up's - inspiring! Helpful to know how to differentiate"
"Really good overview of SEND and the roles of a SENCO"
"Really useful information about Ofsted - from an Ofsted inspector herself!"
"Thanks for lots of ideas in a short space of time"

Logically illogical - an insight into autism

"Unique insight into autism, very helpful and informative"
"Excellent! Something I will implement in my future lessons"
"A fascinating insight into the world of Autism and I appreciated the valuable information"
"A real eye-opener - so good!"
"Great examples and analogies used to help understanding"
"Fantastic training ideas to put into practice"
"Interesting and insightful about dealing with autism"
"Brilliant - would like to hear more!"
"Allowed me to view things completely differently"
"Great comparisons to 'ordinary' life experiences. Will take advice to practice parallel thinking"
"Very well spoken and enthusiactic. Also very useful for understanding child (autistic) intentions/communication"
"Great to hear her perspective on autism. Very beneficial"

Coaching & Mentoring of teachers for School Direct ITT Mentors

"Really useful. Mentoring someone at same time so have applied some of the skills - and had results"
"Thank you for the coaching session - our staff found it very useful and perfect for our current situation"
"Relaxed, thought-provoking, enabling sharing ideas/experiences behind principles of effective coaching"
"Really enjoy the "psychology" of coaching and mentoring and putting theory into practice"
"Some excellent practical tips that can be used straight away for dealing with a range of different people"
"Although I have done similar training, this was up to date and relevant and thought provoking"
"Very good with practical tips and strategies, especially things like the psychology tools"
"Really good to hear how other colleagues look at things in ways I've not thought of"
"Small group, share ideas. Informal opportunities to focus on your difficulties/current experience"
"Good to reflect on options and variety in coaching and mentoring. I've got some inspiration to take away with me"
"Gave me an insight into how to deal with difficult persons/situations"
"A very useful opportunity to reflect on my role as an NQT mentor and to consider some other strategies"

Phonics course

"This course has helped me think of ways to apply Phonics to my own practice. I have always understood Phonics but not how to successfully introduce it"
"Very good ideas for making my Phonics more practical and fun for the children"
"Excellent - really useful to make the links between KS1/2/3/4"
"This was an incredibly useful and thought provoking course"
"Very helpful - useful to see how it happens in Primary School and as such taking Secondary back to the basics"
"A focussed session making younger techniques applicable to older pupils"
"The training has been really helpful - lots of brilliant advice, games, resources and teaching ideas that I can use within a range of classes"
"Very good course - to the point, fun and informative"
"Great lady, very good training and lots of ideas to taka back"
"Enjoyable and good to know our school is on the same page"
"Very informative, good fun and wonderful takeaway pack!"

Behaviour Management Strategies

"Really informative, great examples"
"Very helpful as practical strategies to put straight into action"
"Informative - made me think about the children in my class and how I can change my approach"
"Interesting theories which can be implemented in practice"
"Really useful and full of tips and advice"
"Was good to discuss setting up class rules and ensuring you rotate them"
"Very informative with really good ideas for dealing with challenging behaviour"

Cover Supervisor training

"Fabulous - really helpful, nice lady, easy to listen to, knows what she is talking about - lunch was fab too!"
"Very valuable, I wish this had been necessary prior to starting the position"
"Very well delivered, covered all aspects of what the role entails and I can leave with lots of new methods and ideas to use"
"Excellent, great to also meet with others in the same role. Informative and approachable tutor"
"Very useful information and good to discuss the role with other cover supervisors"
"Extremely helpful and made me realise how common sense methods can really help"
"Really detailed session - took a lot from it"
"Most helpful and gave excellent advice on all aspects of the job"
"A good overview of expectations and practical strategies of cover supervisor work"
"A lots of information on how to handle different situations and what to expect in the role. Also tools required along with back up needed from the school"
"Really enjoyed the course and learnt some fantastic strategies"
"A lot of ideas and strategies to implement, thank you"

Mindfulness training

"Extremely insightful with great tips for practical use"
"Great to STOP and begin to think differently"
"So powerful and really important, thank you!"
"Excellent presentation/explanation, very receptive, great strategies to cope with stress"
"Helps busy teachers to clarify their thoughts and discover a way to remain calmer"
"This course opened doors to awareness, calmness and serenity of mind and body, thank you!"
"Really important techniques to cope with the day to day and to be happy"
"So much better than the usual stress-inducing training we have to do"