I'm currently a student at Stratford upon Avon Grammar School for Girls. Next year the school intends to bring in vertical tutoring from years 7 to 13. Many students and staff that I have spoken to are very opposed to this yet the school refuses to listen to our opinions. I have now created a petition on Facebook. I would be very grateful if you wanted to join this group to promote democracy and fairness in our school

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Miss Magwich

My DDs school have vertical tutoring and works well, what are your concerns about it?

People often dislike change.


PS have removed the link to facebook, I think it would be better if people contacted you by private message if they want the link.

I know many people who have had terrible experiences with it involving the police and bullying. A lot of our student population is against it but my main complaint is that the school has failed to enforce the democracy that it claims to uphold.

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Miss Magwich

sounds like a school that would have had problems anyway !

Main problem I suspect is the change, the same problem is happening at schools I know over the "cashless catering" and using fingerprints to pay for things in the system - one school rebelled via facebook ++ however in the end they got over it and the system is OK. The other school will survive too.


There can be benefits to a vertical system - many schools find that vertical tutoring HELPS to avoid bullying as the pupils have people they know throughout all years of the school.

This is not a school with problems in the first place and therefore there is no need to change the system that works perfectly as it is. I have nothing against beneficial change but it seems that this is change imposed from above on those who definitely do not want it. Why, therefore, should it be enforced?

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Miss Magwich

Both my dd's go to different schools that have vertical turor groups. They both are having positive experiences from it. dd2 is in yr 7 and because of the vertical form groups it means that only 4 yr 7s are new in that form. Because of this they can get more attention than if they were part of a form of 30. The older dc's help them settle in and are also there if they are getting lost, having homework problems or need to know about the clubs.

dd1 is one of the eldest in her vertical form, but has been there since yr 7. One of her good friends is in the year above. IT has been seen to prevent bullying as the dc's make friends from all year groups and support each other as they progress through school.

Of course they still do all their lessons with their year/house group.


I can understand you feeling frustrated that the school isnt letting the pupils have a say in this but i think they are probably looking at all the many schools accross the country who have benefited from this system, Can you not raise this with your student council?

my son has no problem with it at his school - doesn't even mention it! Think it's the change which is prob worrying students more than anything, and not being with friends?

My DS has this at his school and we all think it works really well. My DS has got to know boys in other years and is not as intimidated as he would have been.

As I continuously say, however, the issue here is democracy. There are also many negative arguments for vertical tutoring as I'm sure you all know and our school is lucky enough not to need radical reform! I know some parents on this forum are against vertical tutoring specifically at Shottery and so I have created this group to promote democracy for pupils and their parents.

Why should we have a reform for reforms sake which is neither needed nor wanted?

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Miss Magwich

It might be for reasons that you are unaware of and anyway no school is perfect, there is always room for improvement