THIS WEEK IN 1976: Schools are too big and '˜breed violence'
Headteachers of Portsmouth's comprehensive and secondary schools were to meet to discuss a highly critical report produced by Portsmouth Young Liberals.
The report claimed schools had become too large and impersonal, and feared an increase in violence was likely to result.
School governors had become remote figures; headteachers had too many far-reaching powers; pupils had little say in the running of the school, and buildings were grossly under-used by the public.
These were just a few of the criticisms compiled in the report written after the Young Liberals held a forum on secondary education.
It was attended by pupils from a number of Portsmouth schools.
The pupils felt discipline was being wrongly applied, with too much emphasis being placed on petty matters when it could have been directed at more serious offences such as vandalism and bullying.
They also attacked the ‘hierarchical’ internal school structure.
Considering the pupils’ views, the Young Liberals were ‘disappointed’ with the present education system.