Are leaders sufficiently ambitious for their learners?
The Inspection Handbook refers to and explores the concept of ambition in education, emphasising that while most tutors and coaches consider themselves ambitious for their learners, defining and measuring ambition can be challenging. Ambition varies based on subject matter, age, and specific knowledge of what learners should achieve at different stages and levels. It also depends on benchmarks beyond personal experience, such as knowing what is achievable in other organisations and understanding each learner’s potential. The difficulty lies in setting realistic yet challenging expectations, as educators must balance general standards with an awareness of their learners’ unique capabilities.
Target setting, together with stretch and challenge, is about being ambitious. If an inspector or observer asks learners how well they are challenged to work harder, produce more, and complete on time. Will they say targets help push the boundaries of their ability to learn, achieve, and apply that learning, or will they say targets are pretty easy to meet? “Written feedback on apprentices’ work, while prompt, is too superficial and does not set out what they have done well or link closely enough to agreed goals and targets set out in their learning plans.” – Ofsted Report.
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