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Should I write to Ofsted about my college? Would they do anything?

My college has honestly been a joke, around a month ago I was kicked out for 'Being intimidating' Towards a teacher, this is ********, they have lied and taken everything I have said out of context and exaggerated everything. Essiensly I had problems with my coursework so I went to head of pastoral to talk about it because all other teachers i went to "Wasn't aloud to talk about it and that I should see them" When I went to her she fully lied to me about things, and made everything out to be my fault even sounding semi-blackmail saying I shouldn't write to the principal or it might backfire on me and it would be a bad idea. And then when I tried to actually talk to her and explain my problems "Im not having this discussion with you get out my office". I was kicked out of college but thankfully I was aloud to do my exams. However I have needed to go back into college several times for meetings with the vice and head principal and this is where I feel like I should write to Ofsted about.

Firstly in the first meeting there was the vice principal and the pastoral teacher. they said they were taking notes of the meeting which the principal will have to see to make a final decision, but it was the pastoral teacher making the notes even though she was directly involved with the incident. Seemed really biased so we asked for a copy of the notes which I think/ not 100% sure, they are legally required to give to us if we ask specifically for them, and they said they would send it to us. In my second meeting with the principal they fully lied about this and went to say that they were personal notes and that the college doesn't have to give us the notes because they "weren't about the meeting". Also in this meeting they wasn't taking notes but the pastoral teacher was doodling on a piece of paper.

Another thing about this pastoral teacher is that she is a liar, she clearly lies to our faces and the college doesn't respond to it theres been a lot of examples but in the second meeting I walked in and the first thing I did was apologies for my behaviour and how it could be interpret and specifically for swearing, (All I said was "****ing go on then" when she was calling security to escort me off college, before then I didn't swear only reason I did because at this point I was already being kicked out and I was proper frustrated":wink: Apparently however I said "You ****ing better do it then" and then she called security. I was denied this because there is a huge shift in context there. When I made my point she went to say there there have now been 3 ways I have said that. I asked what was the third and she replied with "You denied in this meeting that you swore" which I literally apologised for doing at the beginning and then she said "It doesn't really matter though does it".

This pastoral teacher is rude as shown as when I tried speaking kept interrupting me and one time as soon as I started speaking, haven't actually made a point yet, started shaking her head at me. I wasn't even talking to her I just saw it in the corner of my eye. I called her out on it saying "Can you not shake your head at me, kind of rude honestly" and then the vice and head principal completely ignored it. Like they did when we proved she was lying in that meeting alone.

My main points are about this pastoral teacher who should not be working in education. Also to note they never specifically said I threatened her but that she felt threatened. Sorry not my fault I'm 6,3 and shes like 5 foot, if she really feels intimidated or threatened by an upset student she should not be working in education. It's obvious she didn't feel intimidated she just didn't like when I called her out and shes exaggerating everything and not taking any of the blame, which a portion does lie on her when she avoids talking to students and instead blames everything on them and when they try to talk calmly is rude and dismissive.

Theres also been other incidents since the time I've been in that college with other teachers, such as one teacher giving half the kids in her class panic attacks because of her "Teaching style" which when we bright up were told we "Have to deal with it" I've seen my best mate break down in tears because of this teacher. Another teacher, economics actually, cannot work out income tax and told us we were wrong, next day he said it doesn't even matter. Computer science, oh my god there has been so many. 1) We didn't have a teacher for 2-3 months. 2) We had a teacher who quit after two days 3) Our current teacher has been teaching us the subject wrong 4) At least half my class has complained and everyone has been ignored, 5) No one got higher then a D on a mock exam 4 months for finals, apparently its because none of us tried when really honest to god we was never taught half the stuff on that paper, 6) We're told we have the 'resources' and then given 20 year old books with which we checked and half the stuff in it has been changed since and would be technically 'wrong' for our exam. 7) We're told the reason we're failing is because we're disruptive and that "we don't want to learn" 8) Told the final coursework deadline a week before submission. 9) even feed back given for this coursework was just "Change font" and then giving us Es and Us and not actually providing any help. 10) Ignoring emails I send about the coursework 11) threatening to kick some-out out because the teacher didn't like a joke somebody made

This is not an environment were I felt safe, I couldn't complain because I was just told it was my fault the teacher wasn't teaching and if I formally complained it would look bad on me. I don't even care now because I only have to finish my exams and I'm out of that place forever, but other student shouldn't have to feel scared to complain about bad teaching and teachers because if they do then its taken out of context and they're kicked out 2 weeks before exams.

I just want to know if I wrote to ofsted about this and voiced my complained about the college if they'll do anything, I am scared because I feel like if I do complain then the same thing will happen and I'll be blamed and worst maybe be taken out the rest of my exams. In the meeting we brought ofsted up and they said "We don't have anything to do with ofstead because we're a college" but I've checked and ofsted does reports on the college and aren't all colleges/ sixth forms monitored by ofstead anyway just like secondary schools. They're ofsted report is Requires improvements in all areas.
(edited 6 years ago)
If I was you I would've just left and gone with a different college. Sounds blunt me saying this but it's what I would've done.
Just to reiterate I never threatened or made myself intimidating, I cannot stress this enough. The only time I was in the wrong was when I swore which I fully apologies for. And even then I didn't swear to threaten her like she says I have, its just the college taking her word against mine even though she has fully exaggerated it.

Also just remembered I stayed calm in both those meetings, apart from calling her out for being rude which I don't consider not being calm. But in my first meeting they said near the end "I walked into that meeting with a very aggressive body language" which also upset me because I didn't they're making stuff up to make me and my actions seem worse then they were
Original post by Digisirran
If I was you I would've just left and gone with a different college. Sounds blunt me saying this but it's what I would've done.


Honestly at times I did wan't to drop out and go to a different one. But honestly AS there were barely any problems, and definitely not on this scale. By A2 I didn't want to start again from AS at a different college because I didn't want that whole last year not to count. Had that mindset of "It'll get better" and it just got worse and worse. There were times when I was honestly so depressed from college that I didn't want to go in near the end but forced myself because of how close I was to finishing. If that makes any sense? I don't know maybe it just sounds silly.
(edited 6 years ago)

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