With its introduction this year, the students of Sefton High School from 7-11 are now required to adhere to the new school policy: a seating plan. We feel that it would be illogical to justify its implementation on most of the student body based on itsgeneral ineffectivenessand its rendering ofschool values devoid of meaning.

Sefton High School prides itself on having a ‘school community’ and ‘school spirit’ which is often repeated time and time again in all speeches. Nonetheless, emptily repeating those words does nothing but reinforce the facade you wish to uphold- that Seftondoeshave a free and vibrant group of young people. A school community can only be developed bytrust, willingness and mutual cooperation- not one dictated by rules. On the contrary, such rules merely heighten feelings of powerlessness and resentment towards school authority and the school in general, ridding itself of your good intentions.When individuals feel the need to repress their views, knowing its futility due to the powers and reputation held by you and other authority figures, one can only imagine how true Sefton’s vision statements are.

Advertised as a way to bolster workplace skills, the seating plan appears as a representation of the desperate situation faced by those members concerned with its revitalised academic reputation. Upon closer inspection, it is dictated by a simple ignorance of thefactorsthat play a part in the performance- resources, the teachers and their training, lesson planning, the individuals, the collaborations between students and their shared interest to succeed. When you target and exaggerate the immediate environment as the sole cause of success, your views become distorted. You have subjected your students to a concept whichreduces them to a statistic, a factor that you can alter with the environment.

Learning is supposed to be engaging, enjoyable and a lively experience for both teachers and students. People find their comfort zones and we’re not suggesting that they keep to them; however, other more effective methods arealreadyin use and are under thecontrol of the teachers and their existing teaching methods.Making group work/discussions/ assignments and allocating people to them is sufficient. It tests them on their employability skills; their abilities to effectively communicate, have initiative, use problem solving skills, develop their self-management and leadership skills and work as a team to achieve their goals.


Doesn’t this easily satisfy the vision statement‘[to develop students who] value themselves, others and the environment by displaying sincerity, respect and ethical behaviour by interacting harmoniously’?How can seating random students next to each other necessitate the same level of cooperation and mutual respect? Is this supposed to be aimed at students who have a deep-rooted fear of the opposite sex?

We understand that you wish to maintain a safe, disciplined and challenging school environment. Even so, how can you expect each student to achieve their full potential, have a positive outlook and to understand your well-meaning actions if they cannot even choose where to sit for a year?


As said in the vision statement, you wish that the students of Sefton High School be able to make apositive contribution as active citizens to a diverse, democratic and dynamic society. This has manifested in a petition; a demand for action against something we do not agree is as effective as it is claimed to be.

Yours Truly,

Students of Sefton High School