Old Monovians Discussion

OLD MONOVIANS' ASSOCIATION 1965
The face of Monoux is changing, or rather-the faces. They constantly come and go-the latest to depart being of course Mr. Rayner. But on a wider scale, there are more than just faint rumblings that Monoux as we know it will be no more-judged by local plans for comprehensive education. It is with a sad sense of possible loss that we speculate on the fate of the school and of course of our own association. Past memories automatically gain a higher, more exclusive value when they are unrepeatable for more reasons than that time has passed. There may no longer be quite the ghme old Monoux carrying on whether we are there or not. The new system may combine with time in endeavouring to sever our links with the school.
Enough of nostalgia. Let's change the subject, since at this stage what we have to be nostalgic about is not too clearly defined. Meanwhile the same old "donkey work" has to go on to make the
O.M. Association possible at all. Since my particular responsibility is this section of the school magazine, may I put in a plea for news and other contributions from Old Monovians. This section is a vehicle for you to make known news about each other, and it cannot function fully unless each member plays his part.
M.J.I.

MONOUX AND THE FUTURE
Your Committee met at the School on 8th November, 1965, to consider the proposals put forward by Waltham Forest Education Committee for the reorganisation of Secondary Education within the Borough.
In the course of explanations and discussions the following specific points emerged.

1. It is not known exactly what our intake at 14+ would be (somewhere between 240-300) but in view of the fact that we are likely to remain a boys' school, it would as a minimum be drawn from two Junior Secondary Boys' Schools and could come from as many as four or five Junior Secondary Mixed Schools. This increases the difficulty of integrating syllabus so that the 14+ boys coming from different schools could go straight into their studies for public exams such as C.S.E. or G.C.E. with minimum delay in settling down.
2. In our experience a second foreign language needs to be started in the Second (Form (12+). It seems extremely unlikely that all Junior Secondary schools will be able to offer the range of second languages at present available at Monoux, namely Latin, German, Spanish and Russian. Admittedly a few of our boys (between 5 and 10 per cent) start a third foreign language in the 4th Form (14 +) but even these exceptional few generally need three years to reach 'O' Level G.C.E.
3. The same sort of problem arises in Science where we find it desirable to begin more specialist study in Physics, Chemistry and Biology in the 3rd Form (13 +) to ensure that our average boys achieve 'O' Level in the separate sciences by 5th Form (15 +).
4. Assuming that the School is not to be expanded to hold more than at present, the likely size of our lst Year 6th Form after the school leaving age has been raised to 16 is unlikely to be greater than 50 so that unless the staffing ratio is increased we could not provide so many 'A' Level courses and would not be able to offer such a wide range of 'A' Level subjects (In the present lst Year 6th we are preparing boys for 20 different 'A' Level subjects).
5. There seems to be a considerable danger that we would become what is known as a neighbourhood school, i.e. drawing pupils only from the near vicinity of the School, thus reducing the variety of social background of our pupils which we believe an important feature of our School (Our present 1st Form is drawn from 26 Primary Schools). This also removes the possibility of parental choice which is embodied in the 1944 Education Act.
6. The objections to the present method of selection at 11 + were accepted as justification for change. We are fortunate in having on the O.M. Committee a member who is a Headmaster of a Primary School in the I.L.E.A. who was able to explain how their system works and how successful it was proving.
7. The age of transfer from Junior to Senior Secondary School raises many problems. The M.of Ed. Circular 10/65 recommends age 13+, Waltham Forest propose 14+ largely, it seems, because it involves the minimum alteration of existing buildings. This may be sound economics but is a poor criterion for important educational changes. In any case the Plowden Committee, set up by the Government to consider age of transfer from Primary to Secondary School is quite likely to support the recommendation of many educationalists that the transfer should be at 12 or 13. It seems pointless to make the proposed changes now, when in a few months time further changes are initiated.
8. Since the Government motion of 21st January 1965 approving reorganisation on comprehensive lines an investigation has been called for by the Government into the working of the Comprehensive system. Admittedly such a vast piece of research is likely to take several years but it seems not merely stupid but even criminal to adopt at this stage a system as proposed by Waltham Forest which even in the M.of Ed. Circular 10/65 is regarded as an interim measure until it can develop into an all-through system of orthodox comprehensive schools in the course of time as new buildings become available.

After considerable discussion on these points your Committee felt unable to recommend to the Association that it should support the Waltham Forest proposal.
The following motion was proposed nem, con.:
"The Old Monovian Association, having carefully considered the proposed scheme of reorganisation find that it is likely to involve undue restriction of the curriculum, to cause unnecessary and undesirable dislocation of pupils' secondary education, to impair the good work achieved by all secondary schools in the borough and the development of all children; it recognises that there is a need to overcome the difficulties of selection and suggests consideration of the I.L.E.A. Scheme whereby parents have the choice at 11+, after advice from the head of the primary school concerned, to transfer to a specific secondary school; it suggests that Waltham Forest could do the same, with transfer to the present selective schools for children intending to stay at school to 18, and to the present non-selective schools for those wishing to stay to 15 or 16, with transfer either way at any age after consultation and agreement between heads and parents, and that this scheme might well be a compromise until reports of the Committee on Comprehensive Schools and the Plowden Committee are received and considered".
In view of the fact that our members are literally scattered throughout the world, it was considered unsatisfactory to summon an Extraordinary General Meeting to consider this proposal. It was agreed to send a copy of the motion to all members of the Association asking them to express their opinion by post.
It was agreed that the Governors of the School, the School Staff and the Parents' Association should be informed of the action being taken. It was agreed that if this motion was approved by a majority of our members as expressed by their postal vote, the resolution would be presented to Waltham Forest Education Committee.
B. Perry and D. J. Ashen, Hon. Secretaries.