How often do universities get the equivalent of Ofsted?

[eatyourveg]

Been looking at the QAA reports for a few places and some are as old as 2009

Does anyone know if there is a schedule similar to Ofsted schools and colleges inspections whereby if you're doing well they leave you alone for a while and if you're not doing well they come back a lot sooner?

So he wants to go to a place that clearly spends more on marketing than teaching?

You read my mind, PiratePanda! I'd love to hear the OP's DS on what he considers "bland" -- I suggest that a bit of digging into the department's website to see what's offered for current students could be useful, rather than just the prospectus.

OP, you say your son is looking for hands-on practical training and has rejected fairly well-ranked degree courses which are too theory oriented, in his view. I can see why he'd think this way, if he's really committed to a certain kind of work, but it's worth considering that the thing about a university degree which is different from apprenticeship or on-the-job practical training, is precisely the orientation towards theory.

"Training" can give practical skills; but it rarely offers the opportunity for deep thinking, and learning about how to think. Thinking skills will often be crucial as a career progresses, and particularly in career changes.

In some areas, while a new graduate may be behind an on the job trained person when first starting out in employment, it's the critical skills, writing skills etc ("theory" if you like) and generally a trained way of thinking, which can be a huge advantage a few years into a career. Which is why people without a university degree can find themselves needing one or the kind of thinking it engenders later on in their lives.

I agree with UptheChimney (again!) that theory is not the opposite of practical. I spend a lot of time on our open days explaining why we emphasise underlying theory - it is the essential tool to innovation in our field, if we just trained students in current technology then that would limit what they can do in the future, when new technologies need to be invented - by them. Inventing something new means going back to the drawing board and that drawing board is theory.

chemenger brilliant way of putting it. Again it's the difference between school and university, and between training and education.

OP, please share this thread with your DS - I can't agree more with what Chimney and Chemenger have said!

For me, having worked in admissions, one of the most important things, above the number of 2.1's, the NSS and Unistats data, is whether a place feels good to your son. Choosing a university isn't just choosing a product, it's choosing a place to live, a social life, a job (in a manner of speaking). If you as an adult think about the factors that go into making that decision, I think you would acknowledge that there is an emotional component.

I always advise students to visit as many places as possible and don't be afraid if a place feels right. Even if it's not objectively the best, if it feels right for you, it probably is. Issues like campus vs. city, accommodation availability, institution size are all important.

I recommend prospective students all the time to take the time to listen to their gut. After all, it's better to choose the place that feels right the first time than go through the pain of dropping out and re-applying.

He will have to do theory wherever he goes, he's not averse to it at all - what he considers to be the bland courses are where it is pure theory and any mention of a work placement is "an opportunity in the summer" if he so chooses, as opposed to courses where placements within the industry are an integral part of the course each year and where the pre-requisite professional qualifications are gained as part of the degree, not as an aside in your spare time. I think he is perhaps a bit impatient to be out there doing it.

Now got it down to 10/11 open days - first one at half term. A range of places in the north, south and west of the UK, both city and campus.

Thanks for all the replies - I will certainly share the thread with ds

I know you're worried about going to a lot/too many Open Days, but believe me, once he starts to go to one or two, he'll start to narrow down his possibles.

Encourage him to be self-reflective: what are the things that are really important to him? Lifestyle: Location, campus type, access to country, city centre etc
Education: types of assessment (exams? group projects? and so on)

And so on

Once he starts to get a feel for what he's looking for, on the ground so to speak, he'll be able to be more selective out of that 10 or 11. And you won't have to be so much of a cash machine for travel ...