P was about to give the students their feedback on their exam performance. Their work was dreadful. Only a couple had managed to complete the paper successfully.

P’s concern was that perhaps the paper had been too difficult, and now he wondered whether he should lower the pass grade in order to pull another few through. I argued that this would be fraudulent. However, I agreed to canvas the views of our more senior teaching colleagues to elicit their opinion.

S agreed with me. Standards must be maintained, and the students should all be obliged to resit the exam.