12.02.07
Student Council Minutes - 12/2/07
All present, apart from Bannister (rehearsing for 'The Promise')
The Chairman reminded the Council of Max Gershfield's imminent arrival on a soapbox, which was postponed until after the Remedy.
L8th Private Study
The Chairman informed the Council that Dr. Mayfield wished to discontinue the current tradition of changing L8 Private Study periods to Free Periods, or at least to keep such periods as Private Study until the end of the Spring Term. The Council raised concerns about:
- The efficiency of work in Private Study periods, when a) without a computer and b) surrounded by distractions.
- The need to change a system that worked very well for the current U8, who achieved excellent AS results
- The need to trust L8s to manage their own time in preparation for the U8
- Surely it would be better to teach the L8 to use Free Periods at a less crucual time than the Summer of the L8 or the Autumn of U8
The Council determined to support the continuation of the current system, with the caveat that should the situation prove untenable, Dr. Mayfield might re-introduce the Private Study system. It was also suggested that non-academic activities such as sport be banned in L8 Free Periods.
U8 Leaving School in the lunch break?
The Chairman noted that the current U8 feels very strongly that it should be allowed to leave school in lunch, and that the Highmaster had shown that there might be some chance of reform on this hitherto unbreakable law. The Council came up with these reasons for allowing U8s out of school at Lunch:
- Prepares U8s for universities, with further independance
- Allows U8s to run errands in the day, such as going to the bank, which are impossible to perform during the weekend/after school
- Allows U8s to go home/eat lunch out/meet friends, which leads to greater overall happiness and efficiency of work
- As a counter to the HM's claims that this would stop people from going to societies, the council claimed that over the course of 4 years one's lunchtime habits became fairly regular, and those who went to societies still would, whilst others would have greater freedom to spend their time in less wasteful ways than sitting in the common room.
The Council suggested that a sign-in book be placed at the Porter's Lodge, with all boys to sign back into school for afternoon lessons at 2.00, and no later. Penalties for breaking this should be harsh, and any misdemeanours committed whilst out of school would be dealt with severely. The privilege of leaving school grounds during the lunch break could be revoked for consistent offenders/those who had consistently left during Lunch in the L8.
The Council agreed that this privilege should only be extended to the U8, as a responsible and separate body.