Worried almost NQT!

[JennyHoddy]

Hello lovely MNers.

I am currently a third year student finishing a BA 3 year degree in Primary education.

I had a good experience with the children and school I have just finished my placement in, and have come out with a worse final grade than I did in even my first year.

Long story short my mentor did a PGCE, which is much more intense than my 3 year course, and she consistently told me that I was doing so much less than she was to even get a good. I battled through sinusitis and an ear infection for weeks while still keeping up my teaching and paperwork, but she just consistently put my work down and gave me no input on how to improve it. My colleagues at the school and University tutor raved about how good I was. I was in such shock at being told my mentor had given me such a low grade for my final report that I just had to agree to it. And there's no way to contend the grade as the University can only go off what my mentor thinks. My observations were consistently outstanding and so many positives were given, but my final report just does not reflect it. (Last year I got an oustanding overall and now I have a final report where I have grade 2 "goods" and one 3 "Requires improvement" in assessment.) My visiting university tutor said that this was an intense and tough placement due to the end of the year.

I'm a little devastated as these final grades get given to my University tutor to put into my reference and I'm worried that it will affect my job prospects. I got an outstanding in my professional responsibilities and conduct.

Anyone who has been involved in the hiring NQT's world, would a low final report put you off hiring me?!

I may well be being unreasonably and just worrying for nothing as I have to start applying for jobs soon! 

[Cat0115]

Hello. Don't fret too much about this. This can be a very subjective profession. The course gets harder too...perhaps your final year was 'good'. This is not at all uncommon either. Student teachers develop at different rates. I would be looking for resilience and a 'can do'attitude in a new teacher not boxes ticked on paperwork. In fact I would have reservations about an 'outstanding'student as it makes the inevitable knocks of the trainee year and NQ/RQT year a lot harder to negotiate.

[CandODad]

I did my PGCE last year and my first mentor did a BA. She always was at pains to tell me how unprepared she thought I would be (I'm positive she just enjoyed being a bitch) On my second placement I got a mentor that did PGDE and was lovely. It is all subjective, just chill and concentrate on finishing and learning.