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| Teachers call for smaller schools | Teachers call for smaller schools |
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| 'Super-size' secondary schools should be broken up into smaller units, says a report from a charity that fast-tracks graduates into teaching. | 'Super-size' secondary schools should be broken up into smaller units, says a report from a charity that fast-tracks graduates into teaching. |
| The report from Teach First says that big, urban schools, sprawling across large campuses, should be divided up to feel more like smaller schools. | The report from Teach First says that big, urban schools, sprawling across large campuses, should be divided up to feel more like smaller schools. |
| The views are based on a survey of 1,000 teachers in challenging schools. | The views are based on a survey of 1,000 teachers in challenging schools. |
| The number of small secondary schools in England, with fewer than 500 pupils, has fallen by 43% since 1995. | |
| The report, Lessons from the Front: 1,000 New Teachers Speak Up, has been published by Teach First, which recruits high-flying graduates or business employees for teaching in inner-city schools. | The report, Lessons from the Front: 1,000 New Teachers Speak Up, has been published by Teach First, which recruits high-flying graduates or business employees for teaching in inner-city schools. |
| Expanding schools | Expanding schools |
| These "front-line" opinions from young teachers in tough schools include the view that big schools should be re-designed to give them the "characteristics of smallness". | These "front-line" opinions from young teachers in tough schools include the view that big schools should be re-designed to give them the "characteristics of smallness". |
| Large, complex schools should be broken down into separate learning units, says the report - which argues that this will improve behaviour and allow earlier intervention. | Large, complex schools should be broken down into separate learning units, says the report - which argues that this will improve behaviour and allow earlier intervention. |
| But the trend has been for a reduction in the number of small secondary schools - falling by 43% since 1995 to 156. | But the trend has been for a reduction in the number of small secondary schools - falling by 43% since 1995 to 156. |
| In contrast, the number of schools in England with 1,000 to 1,500 pupils has risen by 35% to 1,276. Secondary schools with between 1,500 and 2,000 pupils have risen by 124% to 258. | In contrast, the number of schools in England with 1,000 to 1,500 pupils has risen by 35% to 1,276. Secondary schools with between 1,500 and 2,000 pupils have risen by 124% to 258. |
| The most typical size for a secondary school is between 500 and 1,000 - with 1,406 schools in this bracket. | The most typical size for a secondary school is between 500 and 1,000 - with 1,406 schools in this bracket. |
| The report also calls for more collaboration between urban schools, suggesting that three or four schools could become partners and share teaching expertise. | The report also calls for more collaboration between urban schools, suggesting that three or four schools could become partners and share teaching expertise. |
| Smaller gains? | Smaller gains? |
| The idea that learning is more effective in smaller school settings has been championed in the United States with the "small schools movement". | The idea that learning is more effective in smaller school settings has been championed in the United States with the "small schools movement". |
| This has promoted the idea that pupils are more successful in a smaller, more reassuring environment, where they are known individually. This could mean schools of only about 400 pupils. | This has promoted the idea that pupils are more successful in a smaller, more reassuring environment, where they are known individually. This could mean schools of only about 400 pupils. |
| A Conservative policy review group has also proposed smaller schools and the division of big schools into smaller schools-within-schools. | A Conservative policy review group has also proposed smaller schools and the division of big schools into smaller schools-within-schools. |
| But there have also been warnings from the United States about problems raised from creating smaller schools. | But there have also been warnings from the United States about problems raised from creating smaller schools. |
| Smaller schools operating on the same big campus, might not achieve a new identity, say critics, and smaller schools can have problems providing specialist secondary teaching. | Smaller schools operating on the same big campus, might not achieve a new identity, say critics, and smaller schools can have problems providing specialist secondary teaching. |
| The report from Teach First argues that the key element of scale is the size of the individual, distinctive "learning community" within a school - the school within a school - rather than the size of the entire campus population. | The report from Teach First argues that the key element of scale is the size of the individual, distinctive "learning community" within a school - the school within a school - rather than the size of the entire campus population. |
| "It is not the size of the school, but the size of the learning communities within them," concludes the report. | "It is not the size of the school, but the size of the learning communities within them," concludes the report. |