To think secondary schools could scrap the tutor period?

[padthehallways]

I think most schools are like the one I work in, with a twenty / thirty minute tutor period either in the middle of the day or first thing. Once a week assembly.

Ours is currently first thing, and once a week we don’t have it and finish twenty minutes early.

Do we need it at all? Once a week assembly for each year group, so once a week in a bit earlier.

Maybe in my naive utopia I’m thinking it would reduce school traffic a bit with staggered starts, give teachers a bit more time (yes teacher bashers, we do need it) and reduce another layer of stress.

Perhaps I’m being naive.

I think turtle (I’m calling it that now) time has to be in the morning to be effective. It’s a good way to start the day and set the pupils up with some positive messages. After lunch or art the end of the day, pupils have had enough and just want to leave.
We have a cake rota in my turtle group - really helps in the afternoon sessions.

I’m not a pastoral teacher

Are you in the UK? because if you are- you are a pastoral teacher- we all are. Tutor time is the time to pick up patterns, notice things, talk and do all those important safeguarding 'professional curiosity' things.

It comes down to the old saying we were taught at PGCE-
" What do you teach?"
"Maths"
"No , your subject is Maths, you teach Children"

I do understand your point about disengaged Year 10- are you new or have you had them since Year 7? or in your school does their tutor change each year (unusual and a rubbish system)
When I have students like that- homework is best, but distract and chat whilst they do it, you can normally engage at least one and then others will follow

I was really surprised to see this suggestion from a teacher.

I’ve always seen my tutor time (have had tutor groups of a variety of ages Y7-Y13) as really important. Relaying messages is obviously one aspect, but in terms of pastoral care I have usually been the ‘go to’ teacher for issues my tutees have been facing. I suppose my thought is without tutors who would be specifically looking out for a child? A head of year wouldn’t be able to have the same depth of relationship with every student that a tutor does, and I just think it would allow so many students to slip through the cracks. Similarly, tutor at the beginning of the day is often a good time to address any issues with equipment/uniform etc which can be rectified before lessons start.

A lot of safeguarding disclosures have come from my tutees over the years; for some students they would not feel comfortable asking their subject teacher during (or after) a lesson so it is an important extra support network for them.

In terms of parents bringing up issues, if tutors were not there then Heads of Year would be inundated with things that could be nipped in the bud by the tutor.

There are so many other reasons I could give but those are the first that come to mind! I think the role of a tutor is so important and I struggle with the idea of it being removed!

I think students are actually crying out for all the normal routine stuff about school- they are sick of the Covid loneliness- ours want school discos, assemblies and form time and I am in a very average comp with a broad demographic- our kids have missed all the tedious things they used to moan about (whole school carol concert for example)

We have to be really careful not to teach children like mini adults- they are not, they need the safety and routine of school now more than ever

Your year 10s don’t necessarily need to engage with you specifically though to be gaining from form time - like PPs have said it’s an opportunity to catch up with friends who may not be in the same lessons, wake up before the day starts - pick up on home work you might have missed, reminders about meetings, early finishes, after school clubs…

There’s a lot of information shared beyond what the teacher says during tutor (unless your year 10’s are staring at their phones which seems unlikely)

I do think it can often be used better though - I like a PPs school where the year tens swap each term/half term to have form time with a weaker GCSE subject tutor.

I also like the system at my nieces school where the forms are multi- year - it allows for more mixing and building of allies amongst year groups rather than having 30 year 7s wondering the school as a pack!

@jmp2

I was really surprised to see this suggestion from a teacher.

I’ve always seen my tutor time (have had tutor groups of a variety of ages Y7-Y13) as really important. Relaying messages is obviously one aspect, but in terms of pastoral care I have usually been the ‘go to’ teacher for issues my tutees have been facing. I suppose my thought is without tutors who would be specifically looking out for a child? A head of year wouldn’t be able to have the same depth of relationship with every student that a tutor does, and I just think it would allow so many students to slip through the cracks. Similarly, tutor at the beginning of the day is often a good time to address any issues with equipment/uniform etc which can be rectified before lessons start.

A lot of safeguarding disclosures have come from my tutees over the years; for some students they would not feel comfortable asking their subject teacher during (or after) a lesson so it is an important extra support network for them.

In terms of parents bringing up issues, if tutors were not there then Heads of Year would be inundated with things that could be nipped in the bud by the tutor.

There are so many other reasons I could give but those are the first that come to mind! I think the role of a tutor is so important and I struggle with the idea of it being removed!

Me too, also I love it- We keep the same form group for 5 years so it's a really strong little team

I’m not a HOY / HOH though @crochetmonkey74, which is what I meant. I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I do know that tutor period is a real pain, and it would be nice not to have it!

I’m all for things like school trips, dances, plays and events, but they have a purpose, even if that purpose is sheer enjoyment, and the tutor period is a drag. It’s nice to hear others enjoy it, though.

I’d never see my form if we did this. It’s vital for pastoral care. You’re very wrong about this.

That’s the idea - you wouldn’t have a form.

@padthehallways

I’m not a HOY / HOH though *@crochetmonkey74*, which is what I meant. I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I do know that tutor period is a real pain, and it would be nice not to have it!

I’m all for things like school trips, dances, plays and events, but they have a purpose, even if that purpose is sheer enjoyment, and the tutor period is a drag. It’s nice to hear others enjoy it, though.

ALL teachers have pastoral and safeguarding responsibilty- this is in the Ofsted framework and DfE guidance Your school should have made that clear - it is also part of the teaching standards which you passed to qualify.

The purpose of Tutor period is clearly explained by your school and by many posters on here- it is not an opinion- it is in our job descriptions.

I've worked in a vertical system as well and wanted to hate it but in the end found it very good- as long as the tutor was at least ok. The staff that weren't very good at being tutors in a single year group were even more at sea with a vertical group because there was more relationship management, different things going on for different year groups at a time, and so on.

But it can be done really well and I wouldn't be put off by a school that does this, I never in a million years thought I'd advocate for mixed age group forms but here we are!

Yes, but safeguarding doesn’t start and end in form time (I know you weren’t suggesting it does but that’s the point, it’s all day every day.)

I am allowed an opinion about my job. I think.

I had a mixed age form in my last school. It worked fairly well but using tutor time productively was still a bit of a pain.

@padthehallways

That’s the idea - you wouldn’t have a form.

Who would be the go to person for the kids?

Tutor time is invaluable as it’s one person who knows the kids well over their time in the school.
They tend to be the one that notices that Mary’s clothes aren’t as fresh as they used to be, or that Billy has got really quiet, because they are the ones that have the time to focus on the kids rather than a subject.

It is clear from your comments that your school don't run their tutor groups the same way my son's school did, where as well as group sessions they would have one to ones with their tutor and where my son felt comfortable enough to speak about a MH issue he had and which led to successful CBT.

Just because your school (or perhaps you personally ) aren't using this time effectively then it doesn't mean others aren't.

I say you aren't using the time effectively because if you were you would not believe it could be dispensed with.

Have a discussion with your HOY, HOD or HT. Tell them what you have told us, I'm sure they will sort out an improvement plan for you.

DD's school did away with them for the 6th form (because covid) and never brought them back. She now goes in for lessons and that's it - no opportunity to get to know people outside her classes (which is very narrow, she's doing maths, further maths and chemistry, so mostly boys), no teacher who is interested in how she's feeling and no opportunity to discuss issues she might be having in or out of school. She feels like a robot and can't wait to finish.
So no, tutor time is invaluable and should be sacred.

My daughter moved schools in yr 8, and the new school has one tutor lesson a week rather than every day. She much prefers this to the system in her last school.

My DC really like form time. Chance to chat about stuff going on. Teacher discusses stuff with them as a group.
I'd be gutted it it went

Like I say, the go to person tends to be whoever the child feels comfortable with which may or may not be the tutor.

I mean, if a child tells me they are being bullied, I wouldn’t say ‘sorry, I am your English teacher.’

I don’t think it’s my school. I’ve worked in a few different ones and form time has always been a mix of news / events, revision, behaviour, and so on.

We used to have a 10/15 minute registration period every morning where we did stuff like uniform checks, absence notes, general information etc. It was supposed to be pastoral and when it worked it was great. I had some excellent wee teams. We never had any pastoral training though and I felt the lack of that at times - teen pregnancy, gender issues, bullying etc.

They scrapped it to save money and now it's straight into lessons. Assembly is maybe once a term. I think it's pretty rubbish myself.

@Postdatedpandemic

Have a discussion with your HOY, HOD or HT. Tell them what you have told us, I'm sure they will sort out an improvement plan for you.

I've been thinking this exact thing!

Improvement plan because I need to be put on capability, is that the inference?

Is questioning anything about teacher workload something that should lead to dismissal, in your view? Sorry if I have misunderstood something.

whoever the child feels comfortable with

But some kids never feel comfortable enough to talk and it's their tutor gently encouraging that helps them. Some of my most vulnerable students would be terrified of being late to their next lesson if they stayed behind etc. Also- who would notice when they always arrive in the morning tired , or dishevelled? A subject teacher just doesn't have that day in day out pattern noticing