CONTENTS

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CONTENTS
The Department
Science Dept Self Assessment
Student Consultation
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The Department Unofficial SAR

• My view of the main issues for the science
  department
• Few administrative procedures (or even policies)
  in place across the department such as student
  consultation, lateness and homework
• Little QA across the department (i.e. checking
  by CLs HOD)
• Little sharing of good practice across the
  department
• Staff acceptance of average or slightly below
  average
• Staff still adapting to courses and the lack of
  support from college
• 2 members of staff on unreasonable timetables
• Some courses lacking good student exam
  preparation materials

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My Aims

• Improve ALIS
• Improve Retention and Results

• I thought about placing Results above Retention
  but the danger there is that I could end up
  promoting a get rid culture. Im happy with
  getting rid when its the best thing but not
  simply to improve our results.

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Science Dept Self Assessment
The following slides give an overview of the
courses in the department and draft copies of the
department summary and development plan.
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• Self assessment of Mark Rothery Key points
• Standardised ALIS residual (n61) for AS A2 is
  0.21 (statistically significantly ve)
• GCSE (n6), higher pass 0, increase 1 grade
  2/6
• External lesson obs. grade 3. Feedback
  basically sound but a lack of pace and challenge
• Student feedback was mainly positive (see later
  item on consultation) but highlighted points for
  action such as this comment The worst things
  are that whenever I come to revise for a test the
  notes seem to be either just in picture form or
  bullet points. Fuller explanations need to be
  written down next to these

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• Sciences SAR Academic Year 2001-2002
•  
• Overall provision in this area is Satisfactory
  (grade 3)
•  
• Strengths
• good pass rates in AS and GCE A Level chemistry
  and geology, GCE A Level physics and GCE A Level
  design
• good attitude of students towards department
• good effective teaching in many lessons
• high levels of recruitment and student
  progression to related HE courses
•  
•  
• Weaknesses
•  some poor accommodation
• poor retention in AS biology, design and PE
• poor pass rates in AS level design and AS and GCE
  A level PE
• large classes of 20 in some practical lessons
• poor achievement in GCSE biology

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Student Consultation

• As I outlined in the memo prior to this meeting I
  was very aware of two things
• The reliance on AJs teaching standards
  questionnaire in writing SARs.
• The lack of a clear policy on student
  consultation across courses within the department
• We need to develop a system which collects good
  data which can inform change

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THE BEST WORST THINGS ABOUT BEING TAUGHT
BIOLOGY BY MR ROTHERY (A2 2002) BEST
THINGS ? The best things about being taught
Biology with Mr Rothery is that he always makes
lessons fun with his humour which makes a relaxed
atmosphere in the class, this makes it easier to
learn and also makes me want to come to the
lesson. Also he tells you where your downfalls
are which makes it easier to know which things
you need to go over. He is also very
enthusiastic about his teaching and doesnt just
sit there and make us copy notes. The revision
notes (booklets) are class. Get excited to look
over them (sad). He is always there to help you
when you need it. Lively/entertaining teaching
approach- usually holds interest for the lesson
well done! Lessons are never boring, he uses a
variety of techniques such as notetaking, OHP
computers, practicals, diagrams to make the
lesson more interesting! He provides detailed
notes and labelled diagrams which he interprets
his own way (sometimes going off on a tangent)
but it does simplify the complicated aspects! I
enjoy and benefit more from active learning
(writing notes) as all the information goes in!!
(I hate listening and not writing)   WORST
THINGS ? The worst things are that whenever I
come to revise for a test the notes seem to be
either just in picture form or bullet points.
Fuller explanations need to be written down next
to these. Also I dont like it when I have to
draw an eye or leg etc because I am a terrible
drawer and when I look over it, it looks
unrealistic and I dont know exactly where the
labels are pointing to which makes me make
mistakes. Practicals ALWAYS go wrong, he might
as well just do one beforehand to make sure that
it actually works before we waste time. Notes
sometimes difficult to understand when revising
topics. Sometimes in confusing order. When
drawing diagrams he tends to keep adding and
adding more labels and rubbing out others which
makes it (sometimes) difficult to follow. The
notes, although they are detailed they are
sometimes a bit confusing in that they dont have
a sequence to them, this makes it difficult when
its time to revise. (Do love the revision notes
though).
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