#btec

As a teacher, i normally love this time of year, as it's always so lovely to see students getting fab grades and realising that they can pursue their ambitions... Not this year.

I've seen more students heartbroken and destroyed by the results they have received (if they've received any at all, unlike some of my students!) than those who are celebrating and it is just upsetting. My heart goes out to them, and I wish, as a teacher, that I could help.

Why do the government and exam boards insist that they know better than the teachers that have taught them for years? Why should results be required to be "in line" with previous years, otherwise it's obvious that teachers are inflating grades? I'm sure that there are some teachers out that that have done this, and those schools/colleges should be investigated on an individual basis, but to ignore teachers' predictions across the board just to make sure that the results 'fit' with the previous years range, it's unbelievable. Why is it so hard to believe that our children are clever enough to achieve high grades? That they actually work hard?

You, the government, begged us to keep this country's children going during such a difficult and unprecedented time, you forced us to move all of our teaching and resources online within 2 days and expected us to deliver the same standard of teaching and learning as we do in our normal environments. You told us that we had to stick to curriculum, deadlines, and then told us that any work completed during the pandemic doesn't actually count towards final grades... We made sure to mark our students work regardless, encouraging them to keep submitting work because it did matter. We based their grades on the work that they did, which is what always happens.

And while i'm ranting about the state of education in this country, i also want to point out that it is very, very clear now that the government does not value, acknowledge or care about FE teachers, since we don't qualify for the pay increase like the rest of our school colleagues (and before you comment, I fully believe NHS staff deserve a pay increase more than anyone), and now you decide that we are unqualified to assess our own students. If we are that incompetent, surely we have done more damage to the Pandemic Cohort in the 1-2 years we have taught them, than the 4 months of less than stellar home learning.

To the parents of students who have received their results and are now worried about their future - your children worked hard (not everyone, but the majority). As their teachers, we worked hard to support them not just over the last few months, but since they first stepped into our classrooms. We care about our students and are devastated that they have been let down so badly by our government. But things will work out. Telling them that grades don't matter, you never achieved anything and are now the CEO of a Fortune 500 company does not help. It. Does. Not. Help. Our young people are suffering now, and for many, this is the first time their efforts have had any major consequence and bearing on their future, and they do not know what to do. Stop giving them platitudes and start supporting them. Appeal the process, look into alternatives and give your damn child a hug. They need to know that they are not a failure or less worthy because of this.

I am so sorry for the rant, but i've spent the last two days of my holiday (i'm back working next week) chasing results, emailing students, reassuring and celebrating with them, but apparently i'm not competent enough to do so.

BTEC students, some of whom have exams on WEDNESDAY.

And Pearson are tweeting they don’t know if these will go ahead or not.

Our friend Marina has been given offers at all 5 universities she’s applied for but because she’s an asylum seeker she is ineligible for student loans and has to pay international fees. Marina is an extraordinary 20-year-old woman, intelligent, brave, resilient and determined to make something of her life, even though she has been through horrendous experiences and is now in a legal limbo. I am making this appeal for her as she still has to live in hiding from the criminal gang who seek to re-traffick her. Marina’s life is on hold through no fault of her own. She has been waiting for Asylum for 5 years and, in that time, she has learnt English and achieved top grades in her BTEC in Biomedical Sciences, all whilst being the sole carer for her physically and mentally ill mother. We are hoping to raise the funds for her first year and any surplus we will be donating to an asylum charity that supports young dependents of asylum. We, and Marina, are grateful for any contribution that you can make towards her education.

I've been trying to stay on top of my work but kind of struggling. I want to start getting up early to do work but I only really get motivated at night and I'm easily distracted.

I usually sit in my room but being hunched over on my bed hurts my back.

And I also sit in the kitchen sometimes but then people start walking in and out and i get distracted.

So, I finally gave in and bought myself a desk for my room which should be here next week.

I couldn't help myself.