If you don’t know what I mean by “three rings” then you are waaaaaaayyyyy too young! Do I have to explain this? In the “olden” days we used to use an old-fashioned phone (I know!) to ring our mates/mum and let it ring just 3 times to let them know that we were home and OK. It saved the cost of the call! Anyway, I’ve just got in from my day “off” as Seager calls it and I’m full of flu so this seems as good a time, as any, to try out my new “thing” on you … whats the phrase??

You’ve probably got it right and it is what I thought reading the headline about the “confusion over numerical grades” last week (theres a little time lag with my thoughts and blogging at the minute – I’m a little behind as I’ve had an IT issue but that’s another tale to tell. Let’s just say that there is no such thing as a simple keyboard change!) 

It’s not just students and parents that seem to be confused – the message, in terms of accountability still isn’t getting over to teachers either. I wrote (blog post-> here ) about the accountability measure for secondary schools being a 5 back in November when I did a poll which showed only 46% got it correct!

Last week I did “Poll 2” asking the same question and whilst on the face of it, it does seem to have improved with 62% now stating that its a 5:

I should point how that Vic Goddard may have thrown out my results by replying to my tweet with the answer on an “ofqual postcard” so on some devices when viewing the tweet the answer was evident for all to see – I’m thinking of blocking him (I won’t!) the next time I run the poll (just before Easter!!). Regardless of this there is still close to 40% of over 760 people who are under the wrong impression that schools are being measured on a 4 (even if just for 2 years!) .. flipping ‘eck! Some people will have a shock come the publication of the performance tables.

On that note … signing off! Early start!