Dear Mike
This sounds awful.
I have to say you may be better off escaping from such a short sighted and aggressive management team.
I worked at a large college that used redundancies to reduce their Exams Team down to one person.
I popped in one day to say hello to a friend and spent the afternoon being chased around the building by a senior manager desperate to get some experienced members of staff back in to help. Chaos does not describe what was happening.
I can only imagine what a mess your college will get into, not only with the day to day (minute to minute)exams work, but with all the achievement data and the exams budget monitoring.
Best of luck
Matthew Fletcher
Examinations Manager
College of North West London
Willesden Centre
Dudden Hill Lane
London
NW10 2XD
Tel: 020 8208 5083
Fax: 020 8208 5151
email: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: The FE Exams Network mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Bland
Sent: 02 April 2013 12:05
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Exams department made redundant
Hi Mike,
It appears that the" lunatics have taken over the asylum".
How do they expect to run an exams system with no Exams Officer or Exams Staff. They do not realise the complexities and knowledge requirements of our jobs, as well as the importance of what we do to the College and the lives and future prospects of the students. A lot of people are going to be for a nasty surprise. All people see is the end result but have no idea what goes on behind the scenes to enable students to take exams.
Good luck with this situation and I hope they see sense before it's too late.
-----Original Message-----
From: The FE Exams Network mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jake Meechan
Sent: 02 April 2013 11:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Exams department made redundant
Hi Mike
I am with everyone else on this, how can a college manage without an Exams department. There are the JCQ general regulations to be adhered to and that is just for starters. How faculties could administer all the online, on demand tests we now have to run, I have no idea. Who will collate rooming, invigilation, access arrangements, results reporting.
I wish you all the very best in getting the situation resolved.
Kind regards
Jake
Jake Meechan
Exams Manager
Information Services
Tel: +44 (0)1483 44 8500
Ext: 8583
Web: http://www.guildford.ac.uk/
Guildford College, Stoke Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1EZ http://www.guildford.ac.uk/
From: The FE Exams Network mailing list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mike Swann
Sent: 02 April 2013 11:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Exams department made redundant
Hi all I am humbled with all your responses and will collate them all as a way showing the necessity for a exams department.
For those of you that have not responded and feel you would like to help strengthen my fight to prevent the precedent that this college may set in the way to cut costs in this economical climate, please send your concerns even if it has already been sent by others.
Once again thank you all for the support that you have shown.
Thanks
Mike Swann
Exams Manager
Huntingdonshire Regional College
Sent from my iPhone
On 2 Apr 2013, at 10:00, "Wilma Khaliq" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi Mike and good morning all.
>
> I am sorry to hear about the proposed changes and I agree with all the
comments that colleagues have already made. I think staff in the exams department often work way beyond the call of duty and that is often overlooked.
>
> We often work late or forgo lunch breaks because of one exam crisis or
another in order to do our job, and to do it well so students don't suffer. By putting the services we provide to the curriculum areas, I think quality will suffer along with the rest of issues already outlined by the group.
>
> What about rooming and scheduling exams? Who is going to co-ordinate
that across curriculums? Does that mean that curriculum areas will be holding exams in their own rooms?? Who is going to sort out clashes and overnighters?? The list goes on......
>
> I wish you all the best for the future Mike.
>
> Regards.
>
> Wilma Khaliq
> Examinations Manager/Deputy Student Information Manager Sir George
> Monoux College Centre Number: 13425
> Tel: +44(0)2085233544 Extn 2367
> Fax: +44(0)2084982466
> www.george-monoux.ac.uk
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The FE Exams Network mailing list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Shirley Hallett
> Sent: 02 April 2013 08:44
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Exams department made redundant
>
> Hi Mike
>
> I reiterate everyone's comments.
>
> What about:
>
> Late fees
> Resit fees
> Incorrect registrations - yes they do make them Btec registrations and
> the January refund deadline Transfers with the awarding body and then
> in the MIS system Access arrangements Recording of achievements - the
> right qual/and level...
> External candidates
> Inspections
> Booking tests
> Making entries
> Invigilation - setting up rooms correctly and training?
>
> All these functions have to be right and timely...
>
> I think this will cost them dearly not only in money but also possibly
in sanctions if they do not adhere to the awarding bodies rules and regs..
>
> I wish you well.
>
> Regards
>
> Shirley
>
> Shirley Hallett
> Examination Manager
> 01925 494450 extn 4450
> 01925 494497 Fax
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The FE Exams Network mailing list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul King
> Sent: 02 April 2013 08:28
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Exams department made redundant
>
> Hi Mike,
>
> I'm really sorry and sad to hear about the proposed changes at your
college. I second Fiona's statement that this will cost money in the short and the long term. If the college is under such pressure they can do without your services, then the teachers are going to be under additional pressure from other directions, so the 'exams' element of their work will become neglected. What odds on each curriculum areas taking on an 'admin' assistant to deal just with exams admin in the next few years, and what additional cost? It will just devolve the exams personnel budget around the college to the curriculum areas, possibly multiplying the amount of people and resources needed for this pressurised and specialised job. BTW, would 'admin assistants' be able to call their Programme Managers to book for their area's late fees, or for their teachers not attending invigilation slots?
>
> I too wish you all the best for the future.
>
> Paul King
> Exams Officer,
> Leyton Sixth Form College
>
> Tel: 020 8928 9135
> Fax: 020 8928 9200
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The FE Exams Network mailing list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Davis, Fiona
> Sent: 02 April 2013 07:37
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Exams department made redundant
>
> Hi Mike,
>
> I think your college has made a massive error in closing the exams
department as nobody understands exams like an exams department. People don't understand how complex some awarding organisations can be, and lets face it, curriculum areas aren't the best with their data as it is.
Who is going to check that the learners have achieved the correct qualification and registered on the correct qual and within the specified time frame - does she not realise that this will cost her money? Are you expected to train the curriculum areas up in exams?
People how no idea how complex exams are and how knowledgeable the exams team are.
>
> I would like to wish you lots of luck Mike in the future whatever you
do.
>
> Fiona Davis
> Funding & Registry Data Manager
> Boston College
> 01205 365701 ext 3221
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The FE Exams Network mailing list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mike Swann
> Sent: 28 March 2013 16:21
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Exams department made redundant
>
> Hi all, first I would like to say happy Easter Then I would like to
say beware. This college has decided and issued its proposal to close the exams department in full. All exams work will be placed in to curriculum.
> Please can I ask that if there are or you know of any colleges out in
the big wide world that do not have a dedicated exams officer or no exams officer at all.
> If you have any view as to the above please can you respond ASAP so
that I can reiterate it to the head of this centre as I Firmly believe she has made a drastic error of judgment.
>
> If you do not reply may I take the time to thank you for your support
over the past six years and wish all of you the best for the future (especially administering the functional skills exams :) Please watch your backs as quality (so I'm am being told) is not important, just the pennies count.
>
> Thanks
> Mike Swann
> Exams Manager (redundant)
> Huntingdonshire Regional College
>
> 01480 379117 ( in work from Wednesday for a few days) LoL
>
>
>
> Thanks
> Mike Swann
> Sent from my iPhone
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