The Phail Whale of British Schooling

What do the words 'embed', 'learning initiative' and 'radical strategy' have in common?


They're just a small selection of terms thrown around within the British Educational Sector. And let me tell you, they're just the tip of the 'blue-sky thinking' iceburg.


Within the past 10 years there has been a 'radical' transformation within the educational sector and, being a student at a so-called 'good' school, I've seen first-hand the implications and repercussions these 'radical strategies' and 'learning initiatives' have.


And let me tell you, it seems we're moving from the 'information era' to the 'phail whale era'.



Of course, slagging off the educational system of my own country means nothing without something substantial to actually give it relevance. So, let me tell you about a lovely, controversial 'change of school culture' that my school has decided we are 'ready for'.

It's called 'Vertical Tutoring'.

Normally, when a pupil arrives at any secondary school in Britain, they enter what's known as 'Year 7'. Each school year they arrive at the next 'year'. This continues up until 'Year 11'. At that point, the student is provided the opportunity to continue to 'Sixth Form', to get a non-'standard' qualification or to head into the 'world of work'.


Under the current system, when a year 7 arrives they are put a in group (better known as a 'form') of other year 7's in which they spend all of their lessons together and also registration time. Every year more and more separation occurs for the lessons but, regardless of what group a child is given for their subject, the 'form' stays the same regardless. Traditionally, that 'form' has a specific teacher (also known as a 'tutor') which is there to support and nurture them until they leave school.


Registration time is 15-20 minutes a day, after lunch, when the students of the form, whether 11 years' old (Year 7) or 16 (Year 11) gather together to 'develop' and/or chat about inconsequential stuff which they wouldn't otherwise be able to talk about at lunch or break time.


So far, this system has worked fine. We call it 'Horizontal Tutoring'.

Of course, this system wasn't enough! Straight in line with other the other pie in the sky ideas of this current decade, a new system has been released. Yep. It's Vertical Tutoring.


So, let's go back to those Year 7's.


With Vertical Tutoring, when they enter the school year they are all divided into fours and slotted into forms containing:

• 4 Year 8's
• 4 Year 9's
• 4 Year 10's
• and 4 Year 11's.

Or, if you're a Sixth Former, like myself, you end up with a form containing:

• A handful of Year 12's
• A handful of Year 13's.

Beyond the fact that this type of tutoring was denounced in the 80's and is riddled with problems, the 'leadership team' (that really means the managers) of my school have decided to instigate it. Fancy, eh?


And why is that?

1. 'Greater chance of cross-pupil development'
2. 'A change in the school culture'
3. 'A better "climate for learning"'
4. '"Dilution" of bad behaviour in registration time'
5. 'A reduction in bullying in registration time'

Of course, let's not forget that:

A) Most bullying, at least in MY school, occurs on the trips to and from school,
B) Most pupils spend a lot of their registration time interacting with other members who they wouldn't normally otherwise, and so will bring that into their lessons instead,
C) Most impressionable Year 7's will be vulnerable to the less-than-pure influences from Year 10/11's (a good minority of which take drugs and/or smoke)
D) A tutor cannot possibly tend to the needs of an 11-year-old at the same time as a 16-year-0ld without some sort of quasi-communication,
E) The majority of both pupils and teachers within schools that implement this type of tutoring are opposed to it,
F) This type of tutoring has already been and failed, causing the reinstatement of horizontal tutoring in the 1980's.

And even then, take a look from MY o-so-'selfish' view. For the past 6 years I have learnt the ins and outs of a group of, what is now, 16ish people. We've been through thick and thin together. Through form-fun days and changing the clocks to get out early. When did that mean that some group of managers, of which less than a quarter know even one our names, get the right to chop us up and redistribute us?


Please, though, don't see me as a Negative Nancy or No-Change Norman. I'm willing to change. In fact, I am FOR change. For example, with this Vertical Tutoring comes a house sytem. That's great. It's different and it sounds fun. And, moreover, there are more than enough problems within every school around the country, including ours. Sure, let's fix them. But why start here?


As a close friend of mine said last Thursday, "if it aint broke, don't fix it."

I'm inclined to agree.

But you know what? I wouldn't be as opposed to this vertical tutoring idea if it weren't for the following cynic-proving info.:

- With VT, they can change 5 heads of years (Year 7 head, Year 8 head, etc.) to 4 Heads of Houses. Saving the school a hunk of money? You bet.


- Now the school putting in VT can show that they are continuously 'improving' the school and are keeping up-to-date with the latest 'educational strategies'. Great for OFSTED reports? Don't you forget it!


- Schools: they're democratic, right? They listen, right? After an interview with one of the members of the 'leadership team' yesterday, I stumbled on the conclusion that this was definitely NOT the case.

And now I'm wondering what to do. Do I garner a fight against this? Do I ride the wave and live with it for the year of schooling I have left? Do I send journalist pieces to local newspapers to show how we're fighting it or sabotage it once it's 'on its way'?

They're calling it tough love, I'm calling it Oligarchy.