Warm boot recommendations please

[Martin B]

Save Our School!

 

On behalf of the approximately 850 pupils at my school, I would like to ask you to support us in overcoming the proposed new plans of how the school is going to be run.

Proposed Plan: The school will be split up into 4 houses; Billesley, Greville, Oversley, Ragley

 

Each house will have 10 tutor groups

 

Each tutor will have;

 

4/5 - Y7's

4/5 - Y8's

4/5 - Y9's

4/5 - Y10's

4/5 - Y11's

 

We appose all of the points that this plan outline.

 

I am currently in year 10 and I have been with my lovely tutor group for 4 years now, We all get on really well and have a great time in the 20 minutes we spend with each other each day. The school plans to divide the tutor groups, therefore leaving our friendships in tatters. We will be left in a group with younger children, who are considered by us as immature and annoying. Every single pupil opposes the plans.

We would like you to support us by signing our petition. If you would like to remain annonymous then please pm me. I can then further to you a copy of the petition via email.

 

Please Please stop this disastorous opposal.

 

Thanks,

Martin

Edited May 18, 2007 by Guest

[AnnieP]

Oh Martin, I am sorry for you if you feel that strongly about it, but why are the school proposing to do this? If there is a good reason, then maybe you'll just have to swallow it.

 

Don't you have a student council? Were they consulted?

[Looney]

Hey Martin,

 

I can see why you are against this idea....however have you asked the reason why the school is doing this? Is it aimed at integrating the different year groups more so there is a less "us and you" culture between years? Is it supposed to reduce bullying?

 

I would be interested in hearing the reasons.

 

Thanks

Lorna

[theherd123]

It does seem a little odd that they would want to split the tutor groups up like this

 

Did they consult you & your parents about this?

[bronze]

I would be interested to hear why too.

I went to a school that was divided as yours is going to be.

[Martin B]

Hi we have had discussions with HOY, out tutor group was very rowdy and we walked out at 25past in protest.

 

They are doing this to stop bullying, but we think that if the year groups are together then bullying will be furtherned. There is no way a year 10 will sit by a year 7 or whatever.

 

We've been told like it or leave the school!

 

A lot of teachers are also in tears because they oppose the idea.

 

There is so much uproar it is untrue.

 

We will not be stopped, please take a moment to think as if you were a little year 7 child being enthrusted into a group of big year 11s, how intimidated would you feel.

 

Martin

[Looney]

My OH went to a school that had split tutor groups and I think it went some way to stop bullying as the older kids in the class became quite protective over the younger ones in their tutor group.

 

It is a tough one, and definitely a major change from your current system

 

I think my advice is to choose your battles very carefully and to fight them with intelligence as opposed to hot-headedness (if that's a real word!). I'm not in any way saying you are wrong to feel how you do just to think carefully about how you go about things......

[Martin B]

[Karen & co.]

When I started at high school the tutor groups were mixed year and it was great, and as Looney said it made the older pupils more protective of the younger ones and more tolerant.

 

My children are in single year groups and this can be a little different, as there is rather a lot of them and us, upper school versus lower school etc. The school I work in has single year tutor groups, and as far as I can see, the only time it comes in useful if for PHSE as the younger ones cover subjects at a different level

 

I'm sure it has been looked at carefully, it will be interesting to see how it goes

 

karen x

[Egluntyne]

No criticism intended Martin, but I am a little worried that you have identified the school online....in today's world you have to be extra careful about giving too much detail about yourself. You never know what sort of person is reading the info.

 

Good luck with your campaign, but I wonder if a moderator can tweak your post so that the name of the school isn't evident.

 

Sorry to be a bossy mother.

[Martin B]

Yer that's fine Egluntine, crop away mods.

[AnnieP]

Thanks Egluntine. Good call. Martin, hope that's OK: Its a bit of a hatchet job!

[Mrs Frugal]

Well done Egluntine and good modding Annie .

[Popcorn]

Change is always hard to get used to when you have been so used to the way things have run for years.

 

I have to admit Martin, I agree with the points in the letter and think it is a very good idea. It will unite the school as best as it possibly can, and as a parent, I would be over the moon if my Stefan was in the same tutor group with such a great person like you. You have such good values and could offer so much to someone younger.

 

The bond that you have made with your current tutor group is yours forever. "Ooops, word censored!"ody can take that away from you and you will have those friends always. The new scheme is a wonderful opportunity for you to lead by good example and get to know more pupils in the school on a more personal level and really have a positive effect on their schooling experience. I'd have loved a big person looking out for me. Maybe I wouldn't have been bullied so much?

 

I would give it a go. If it doesn't work, you then have a very good argument to start up a petition.

[theherd123]

Having read the letter the opening line worries me a little

 

Working & managing a sector in a school i understand that some decisions need to be made without consulting the world and its sister and sometimes choices are made that will upset someone but i would have thought that such a huge change would warrent consultation with parents before a decision was made.

 

 

I think Lornas words of advice are good - pick & fight your battles carefully.

[Chicken Licken]

We went to vertical tutoring at my old school and I have to say that as a tutor it was great. I felt I knew the students in different year groups much better and as they went off to year assemblies on different days it meant that I got more quality time with those remaining. It was good for students to feel they had support from older peers and was great for preparation for exams, GCS choices, paired reading etc. It also broke down the year group mentality that existed and made the corridors outside tutor rooms much calmer.

I am now back with 30 year 9s in my current school and much prefer the vertical tutor group system. For us we had 4 houses of 12 tutor groups.

[Cinnamon]

Martin,I have some first hand experience of this.

 

Devons school changed to a House system 2 years ago,after she had been there for a year already & was settled into the tutor group she was in.

There are 6 houses,& all tutor groups are now vertical - they all have pupils from every year in school in them.

 

Like you & your fellow pupils, the school pupils were very,very against this system.

I will never forget all the girls crying in the playground when I went up there that day! The older pupils were particularly upset.I remeber one boy saying " they are trying to make this like Harry ****** Potters school"

 

However,it has worked out really well. The vertical tutor groups are great & there is a real sense of belonging with the House system.

The school is split 50/50 for teaching (that is 3 houses are taught together & the other 3 taught together).

Devon has had tremendous support from some of the older friends she has made in her tutor group too.

I am sure you yourself will make a great role model for some of the newer puplis in your new tutor group!

 

The only thing I disagree with about the change is that the school also introduced "The Learning File" which is a big ringbinder in which all the books are kept,& you have to bring all your books in every day whether you have that lesson or not

 

There was an OFSTED inspection a month ago & they were full of praise for the house system.

I told Devon this & she said that she much preffered it now to the old 1 year tutor groups there were before.

 

I do understand that it seems a big change,but do give it a fair go,Martin.

You may find yourself suprised!

 

edit; just took out school name for internet safety Sheila