Wednesday 26 th January 2011

1. Wednesday 26th January 2011 Welcome to the Vertical Tutoring Information Evening

2. VerticalTutoring at PHS What is Vertical Tutoring? • Students will belong to a tutor group of ages mixed across all year groups • There will be students from Year 8 right up to Year 13 in the same tutor group • There will be around 5 students from each of the year groups all working together • Students will not be taught lessons in mixed aged groups

3. Vertical Tutoring at PHS Why are we changing? • To create a real sense of family and community atmosphere within the school • To further improve the support, care and guidance students receive about their learning • To create opportunities for students to take on leadership roles acting as mentors, coaches and ‘buddies’ • To help to bond students across the year groups, thereby removing the rare occasions when tensions might exist

4. Vertical Tutoring at PHS The benefits • The opportunity to work with people of different ages • Improve the support available at key times during the school year • Natural peer mentoring and support • Improved academic support from tutors and peers • Knowledge of what others are going through • Improved opportunities for inter-house competitions • Enhanced leadership opportunities for all year groups • Less peer pressure and reduced bullying

5. Vertical Tutoring at PHS The Houses • All students and all staff will be assigned to one of 3 Houses • Students will take part in a competition to name the Houses • Each House will have a distinct identity • Students will achieve better due to improved mentoring • Your child will be (as far as possible) with the same Tutor throughout their time at the school • Family members will all be in the same House but not the same Tutor Group • House staff will be a single point of contact for each family

6. The House System • Structure: • 3 Houses • 17 Tutor Groups • House Team: • Head of Student Achievement: • Zoe Budding • Heads of House: • Emma Bliss Janet Higginbotham Paul Watson • Deputy Heads of House: • Julie Taylor Guy Sampson Gayle McPherson

7. House Identity • House Names • Tutor Names • Colours (Green; Gold; Purple) • Uniform (Tie - bought by school for all current Y8-Y10 students; Blouse with collar suitable for tie required for girls; Sixth Form Lanyards) • Student allocations (Families by House) • Staff allocations

8. Tutor Groups • Composition (Up to 5 students from each year group plus Sixth Form - c25 students) • Co-Tutors (Sixth Form – Lead activities; Mentor students; attend Assembly; attend 2 Tutor Times per week) • Support Tutors (members of the school support staff)

9. A key role for Sixth Formers • The Sixth Form will be a member of a House and allocated to a new tutor group • The Sixth Form Team will remain in place for specialist Post-16 support • A healthy balance between separation from and inclusion in the main school • Sixth Form students will take on the role of co-tutor within their tutor group • Greatly improved leadership opportunities

10. Tutor Time • Tutor Time Activities (Citizenship; Learn2; House Activities; Fun Activities) • Tutors will have more time for students only 4 or 5 from any year group at any time • Support for students from those with the most recent experience • Weekly House Assembly • Learning Conversations (Academic Review & Mentoring)

11. Implementation • Whole School • Wednesday 15th June • Tutor Time periods 1&2 to include a House Assembly • New Year 8 Students • Friday 8th July • Whole school Tutor Time period 1

12. Time for change • Students will quickly settle into the new system • A great opportunity for all students • Coping with change is an essential skill for life • Development of leadership and mentoring skills • Further improve life chances through better exam results

13. What other schools have to say about the vertical tutoring system • Our research shows that schools that have adopted the structure report: • The development of stronger communities within the school • Much improved support for student learning • A real sense of students looking out for each other • A reduction in incidents of bullying • “Vertical tutoring is not just the business of organising students into mixed-age groups. It is a means of releasing creativity and realising the potential of individuals and organisations.” • “Vertical tutoring has widened the circle of social possibilities for our students, making it acceptable for them to have friends from outside their immediate year group.”

14. The views of students who have experienced the vertical tutoring system “Vertical tutoring has shown me that the older students are not scary.” A Year 8 student “I have really benefited from the advice that older students have given me.” A Year 9 student taking options “It is a really good feeling knowing the younger students respect the advice you give them, and look up to you.” A Year 11 student

15. The views of students who have experienced the vertical tutoring system “I was worried that I would be treated like a Lower School student for another 2 years, this couldn't have been farther from the truth though. I was given responsibilities that were quite scary, but after a while really helped me build my confidence and gave me loads to write about on my UCAS form” A Sixth Form student

16. Questions for consideration Review FAQs Reflect on details to date Email reflections, comments and questions to: verticaltutoringcomments@pershore.worcs.sch.uk