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.

Isn't the idea that a tutor can see how a child is developing over 5 or 7 years, this may help to flag up issues if there are unexpected changes if behaviour.

@padthehallways

I think it’s pointless because it’s highly unlikely someone would confide in tutor time about domestic violence. They might confide in their form tutor if they feel they have a good relationship but this isn’t a given and as I’ve said, I’ve had children in my form confide in different members of staff and I’ve had children not in my form talk to me. It just depends.

In 15 years in education the vast majority of time that a child confided something it was to their tutor. That daily interaction builds trust easier than the vast majority of class teachers.

Yes some pupils will disclose to other teachers, obviously that happens, but the idea that having one person as a constant daily/multi weekly contact throughout your time in the school is pointless is very random.

It isn’t a given a teacher will stay for five years, though.

@tttigress

Isn't the idea that a tutor can see how a child is developing over 5 or 7 years, this may help to flag up issues if there are unexpected changes if behaviour.

That’s a major part of it.

@padthehallways

It isn’t a given a teacher will stay for five years, though.

It’s not, children may also move, but many do so that’s not a reason to disregard it as a pointless exercise.

It's a very British thing. Schools in Europe have no such thing. I think some students find being in tutor groups stressful - lots ask to move groups because of friendship issues.

The suggestion that you need a support plan because you have asked if it's a good use of time is quite ridiculous. Surely we all have things in our jobs that seem like a waste of time.

I agree that students will just talk to who they find easiest they're not going to start disclosing things in tutor time.

I don't know how other countries manage pastoral side of things - however I do think parents in UK expect schools to mop up lots of things that parents would deal with in other countries (online issues, bullying, exam stress).

With an extra 30 mins a day the students could have an afternoon a week off if you added it all together. I think they would benefit more from that. They could either go home or spend time with mates. Or a shorter school day.

I’m not sure, I think it is. If the raison d’etre for tutor groups and form time is to stay with one member of staff for five years, but without any guarantees that the member of staff will stay for five years (or even for one, or two) then the whole thing is redundant quite quickly.

I used to work at a school that finished an hour early on a Friday - it was lovely!

It would be interesting to see how British schools compared to ones elsewhere in Europe.

@padthehallways

I’m not sure, I think it is. If the raison d’etre for tutor groups and form time is to stay with one member of staff for five years, but without any guarantees that the member of staff will stay for five years (or even for one, or two) then the whole thing is redundant quite quickly.

Well it’s not really. The point is to have a consistent member of staff that knows the pupil well. Hopefully that’s the whole way through school, but even if it’s two teachers or three that’s still a consistency out of lesson time that can’t be offered by other staff members.

I’m surprised given your clear dislike of it that you have a form group rather than something else.

It doesn’t suit every teacher, just as it doesn’t suit every single child.

It’s not really about disliking it. It’s a nuisance and it’s pointless, but I don’t actually hate it. In any event, I’ve never been given a choice!

Sure it’s been mentioned, but I think it’s important for safeguarding purposes. Someone who sees the children and knows what is normal for that child. So DS looks like he never brushes his hair (he does!) but clearly is wearing clean clothes, has been in the shower, has everything he needs snd would be able to talk about life at home. Looking at him and chatting daily, his tutor knows everything is ok but a twice a week teacher might look in horror at the mad hair and think there’s an issue.

Europe does have similar but different tutor times. Czech Republic has vertical forms in some schools and a simple bit of research would reveal the concept is quite common across the planet
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeroom

If you're not teaching PSHE during tutor time, then I wonder what you are expected to do.

Dragging my tutor group through a powerpoint about Equality before 9am isn't my idea of a great time but if I didn't have that powerpoint, there wouldn't really be much else to do apart from nag them about their shirts and blazers.

@padthehallways

It’s not really about disliking it. It’s a nuisance and it’s pointless, but I don’t actually hate it. In any event, I’ve never been given a choice!

It’s interesting that you keep dismissing it as pointless when other people, both school staff and parents, have pointed out the value of it.

justlyra
I’m surprised given your clear dislike of it that you have a form group rather than something else.

It's not an optional part of the job.

padthehallways

I think you're getting a hard time on here. If parents could see how much time is wasted faffing about in tutor time & students had the choice - tutor time vs afternoon off a week - then I think tutor time would go.

I imagine they would find other jobs for teachers - but the students might be less anxious and stressed with more time home. And that is always a bonus.

justlyra
Ask your children if they enjoy it?

They have maths work on Thursdays, so you’d probably be OK with that, but I can’t really help them and they don’t engage very well with it either.

Friday is supposed to be a quiz but they just aren’t interested - and before anyone starts, it isn’t for want of trying on my part - have tried Amazon vouchers as prizes but I can’t afford it any more and if they aren’t interested, it seems pointless.

Tuesday is supposed to be totting up their merits and demerits, but there are inevitably more of the latter.

@converseandjeans

justlyra Ask your children if they enjoy it?

What makes you think I haven’t?

It was the tutor that my DD confided in when there was a nasty incident on a school trip.

My belief that the consistency of a tutor is both professional and personal.

I'm a teacher, and I love tutor time! It's a chance to just chat to the kids, find out their opinions about stuff, and it reminds me why I enjoy working with teenagers. (disclaimer- I work in a lovely school, with friendly, polite kids, and we only have 25 max in a tutor group)

It's not an optional part of the job.

Not every teacher has a form group in every school though.

I worked in several where teachers who had a serious disinterest in it, or who were particularly unpopular, weren’t given one.

It’s not a given that it always has to be done gh every teacher.

I’m baffled as to why people are getting annoyed about this.

I have an opinion. It differs to yours.

That is IT!

People disagreeing with you aren’t necessarily getting annoyed.

They just have a different opinion….

Form time is very uncomfortable for my daughter. It’s half an hour of stress due to her social anxiety. Straight to lessons would be much easier for her.

That’s fine, but then why the barbed comments?

Not embracing the pastoral side of teaching with full force doesn’t make me a bad teacher, disinterested in my students. Nobody likes every aspect of their jobs, and nor should they have to. All we need to expect is professionalism. Personally, I prefer the pedagogical side of teaching.

But I do feel form time is not a particularly useful aspect of the day.