The Westlands School is the second largest in Kent and like many large schools the problem is managing the welfare of such a large student body. For Headteacher Jon Whitcombe there are some advantages to the school being big, such as being able to convert some of its campus into a working farm which is used for science lessons. They can also offer a wide curriculum choice including vocational courses which appeal to less academic students. But for pupils the large scale was impersonal and there was no sense of belonging. To guarantee that every pupil had individual support from their teachers Jon divided the students into three learning communities for all their classes and assemblies. This allowed them to develop the relationships of a small school on a larger campus. Another innovation was the introduction of vertical tutor groups. The challenge will always be striking a balance between creating the feeling of a small school whilst preserving the best aspects of being big.

Video Series: Human Scale Schools
Release Date 2007