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Some teacher educators use numerical grades when assessing teaching competencies. In this situation, statistical analysis can be used to monitor consistency and look for correlations between assessment outcomes across teacher training partnerships and at different stages in training. Another approach is to calculate effect size metrics. These do not claim statistical significance but do seek to explain the practical impact of patterns in quantitative data. This study looks at number grade assessment data from a large secondary initial teacher education programme across schools working in partnership with a higher education provider in the Northwest of England. The proportion of variance between numerical grades for individual Teachers' Standards and overall teaching was calculated at each formal review point over three consecutive years. Despite the complex process involved in assessing teaching competencies against performance criteria and the potential for subjective variation between individual assessors, the data consistently demonstrated underlying patterns. These suggested that quality assurance and management of assessment issues could have been a major influence on the assessors.

Schools and Initial Teacher Training/Education providers have joint responsibility for developing trainee subject knowledge. Due to the current curriculum and training emphasis placed upon the importance of subject knowledge, the relationship between it and overall teaching grades is of interest when monitoring trainee assessment data collated from school mentors in placement schools. This paper reports a statistical analysis of numerical grades awarded on progress review forms completed by mentors using the teaching competencies described in Teachers' Standards in England. It includes the assessment data gathered from two consecutive cohorts of secondary Post Graduate Certificate/Diploma in Education trainees whilst on school placement experience. All the schools were in partnership with a single Higher Education provider in the North West of England. The focus for the analysis was the distribution of grades assigned to trainees in English National Curriculum core subjects for overall teaching and two standards with descriptors covering aspects of teacher subject knowledge. Of twenty-four comparisons, only six indicated significant differences. In these instances, more high grades than expected were assigned for the standard describing teacher subject content and curriculum knowledge compared to the standard describing pedagogy and/or overall teaching.

Subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) courses are one option open in England to graduates with a science background whose first degree content is judged to be insufficient to train to become chemistry or physics teachers. Previous articles in "School Science Review" have discussed the structure of one type of extended SKE course offered at Liverpool John Moores University, and its impact on outcomes for students. This article focuses on the qualitative responses collected from the anonymous exit questionnaire surveys returned by chemistry and physics SKE students about to continue on to their science Postgraduate Certificate in Education course. The main positive course characteristic cited was student support. The main positive outcomes perceived were improved subject knowledge and skills and increased confidence.

During extended subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) courses, graduates without chemistry or physics bachelor degrees prepared to enter a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programme to become chemistry or physics teachers. Data were gathered from the exit survey returned by Liverpool John Moores University SKE students about to start their science PGCE course. Lesson analysis and final report forms from the PGCE course and an early survey of first destinations were also analysed. Findings suggest that the 2011-12 SKE students valued their course highly. Many issues encourage caution when interpreting PGCE assessment information but, on summative assessment of subject knowledge and overall teaching, there was no statistically significant difference between the frequency of grades awarded to 2011-12 PGCE trainees who had followed a SKE route and those who entered the science PGCE directly. Early indications were that their employment rates in teaching were also similar.

A recent Government response to shortages of new physics and chemistry teachers is the extended subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course. Graduates without a physics or chemistry bachelor degree are prepared by an SKE course to enter a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programme to become science teachers with a physics or chemistry specialism. SKE courses challenge common assumptions about the nature of subject knowledge for teaching and who should teach it: school science educators or scientists? This article shares the SKE course model developed and taught by the Science Education team at Liverpool John Moores University, and some early insights into supporting subject knowledge development. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.) (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)