vertical Form classes

[dotty.]

my grandson has had a bad day at school, the high school has converted to vertical forms from today or 3 years, he's now not with anyone he knows. he thinks it's something new, it might be to him but it's really just reverting back to the village school classes of the 19th century! probably some educational elitist reckons it will make some kind of difference to someone.

[bednobs]

What The Funicular is vertical forms?

[jno]

going to get the older ones to teach the little 'uns, are they? Sounds like a Gove idea to me.

[cazzz1975]

my daughter has vertical form classes as well, Im sure he will get used to it once he familiarises with some of the kids in his form.

[dotty.]

5 pupils from each year (yr7 - 11) in one form, so 5 x11 year olds in a class with 5 x12 yr olds 5x 13 yr olds 5 x14 yr olds and 5 x16 year olds, so all the forms have an age mix

[bednobs]

is it just the tutor groups? If so, he'll be with people he knows for the lessons wont he?

[dotty.]

how does it work cazz? by that i mean in a development way? surely a 16 year old is at a different level of personal development than an 11 yr old?

[Nibble]

How does that work, how does the teacher teach people of different ages?

[dotty.]

yes it's only the form class, he's in his usual lesons.

[cazzz1975]

it works quite well surprisingly, my daughter has gotten to know a lot of the older kids which she would normally not have done, a lot of the older kids are requested to help the younger kids in form. no one bats an eye at the age differences.

[boxtops]

I don't understand that, in my school we always had the same lessons for the whole form.

[cazzz1975]

its only for registration and tutorial, not lessons.

[daffy654]

My son's school has had the same system for a few years now. They have lessons with their own age group, it is just their 'mentor' group that is this mixed age thing.

[rockyracoon]

I've never heard of this before, but I think I quite like the idea.

[factor-fiction]

I quite like them. Put a load of year 8s (second years) together and they mess around together. Put a mixture of year 7s , 8s, 9s,10s,11s together and they seem more attentive. Moreover I find the older members of the group look after the younger members around the school.
It's not a Gove thing- it's been around for years in some schools