hominemtememento

Isn’t it obvious?

Everyone is so worried about OFSTED – the Office for Standards in Education – that we forget that our aim should be to get students to learn – not just achieve qualifications.

Having worked for many years in the Secondary, Further and Higher Education Sectors, I am disappointed that we seem still not to recognise how we are failing our students.

I’m currently teaching on a Level 3 BTEC course and am told that the Minimum Expected Grades for my students are all MMM and above. Many of them have targets that include Distinction and D* grades.

Assignments have just been submitted – some students have not bothered to submit – missed the deadline and therefore failed to meet any criteria.

When told about it, one says “I’ll email it to you” and he then submits a blank Brief – no actual assignment from him. “Oh, sorry,” he says and then asks, “Can I send it to you tonight? It’s on my system at home.”

He doesn’t submit.