HMI Report, 1928

On Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th November 1928, five of His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) visited St Gregory’s for the purpose of inspecting and reporting on the work of the school. Leading the team of inspectors was Mr H. Allsopp, who had been a frequent visitor since the school opened and was already familiar with many aspects of the school. Ten weeks after the two-day inspection, a short report was issued outlining the major findings and recommendations of the inspectors. A copy of this report was kept by Mr Holmes in his own handwriting and a full, unedited version of this copy is reproduced below. It gives an interesting and independent insight into the school just five years after its institution. 

Report made by Mr H. Allsopp on the Inspection of the school

Central Boys’ Department

The school is now well established; the premises provide good and ample accommodation for practical work in Science, Art, Handicraft and Physical Training as well as the other subjects of the curriculum. The tone and discipline of the school are very good, the boys are courteous and obviously anxious to do well and their written work gives evidence of care.

The Headmaster has devoted himself unsparingly to the task of preparing thoughtful and progressive schemes of work; his supervision is very thorough and he has already achieved a high measure of success. Every member of his staff works hard and conscientiously and the fact that there is already a well-attended association of old boys testifies to the vitality that is in the school. There cannot indeed be any doubt that it provides amenities and facilities for a course of training which, as regards scope, variety, and purposefulness, no other Catholic Elementary School in the city can offer. Such weaknesses as exist arise from three of four main causes, not all under the Headmaster’s control but all remedial.

(1) The Staff contains far too small a proportion of men with special qualifications in particular subjects. It is important that each of the main subjects should, under the Headmaster’s guidance, be placed in charge of one specially chosen man who would give to that subject general inspiration and uniformity of aim and methods of teaching. This applies particularly to English, French, Science, History and Geography. Under the present arrangements there is some lack of co-ordination as well as of uniformity of methods.

(2) During the past two or three years a high proportion of the boys, though of sterling character and earnestness, have been of barely average quality. For these boys special schemes and methods of teaching are necessary: but with the staff at his disposal the Headmaster has been able to do little more than work these “C” forms through merely abbreviated and simplified versions of the schemes worked by “A” forms and taught on similar lines to all. It is however, very probable, that this problem would disappear if every Catholic School in Manchester encouraged all its best boys to seek admission to this school, with all the advantages it offers.

(3) There has been a high rate of leakage of boys fourteen plus and this fact tends to have an unsettling effect on the teachers and the boys who remain.

(4) The desire to give some of the ablest boys a chance to pass the School Certificate Examination of the Northern Universities Joint Board has tended to make the schemes of work too academic in character for a school of this kind and also to make much of the instruction informative rather than broadly educational. This weakness should disappear as a result of the institution by the [Manchester] Authority of a Special Leaving Examination for Central Schools.

But these criticisms do not affect the main fact that the school as a whole is a vital social and intellectual force, which has a deep influence for good on all the boys who pass through it.

English

This subject is taken by seven teachers all of whom work conscientiously to carry out the Headmaster’s scheme. But there is inevitably some lack of co-ordination and continuity of methods; and it is important that a well-qualified teacher should be placed in charge under the direction of the Headmaster and that the number of men dealing with this subject should if possible be reduced. The work as a whole reached a fairly satisfactory level but more attention is needed to Speech Training and to broadening the basis of written composition.

Geography

The Headmaster takes one group of boys; all the rest are shared by two teachers. Both show much interest in their work and are obviously very conscientious teachers. The instruction needs however to be more animated and decisive if real enthusiasm for the subject is to be engendered. 

The scholars carry out their written answers very creditably; the information is well arranged and suitably illustrated. The exercise books contain much that is promising. Individual note making should be developed still further and should also commence at an earlier stage.

Suggestions for the collection of illustrative material, a library of reference books, the development of practical work and the allocation of a room for this subject, as well as modifications of the scheme and methods of work were discussed.

History

The schemes of work are rather ambitious and too comprehensive for many of the classes. But sound, careful work is being done. More stress should be laid on individual work from the beginning – more reference books are needed and some of the books in use should be replaced by easier ones as opportunity offers.

Science

The teacher in charge of this subject is enthusiastic and inspiring. He has evolved a scheme which takes full advantage of the natural interests of the boys and he has his reward in the keenness of their work, which is exceptionally good. He has secured the co-operation of the other teachers who share this subject and its development will be watched with interest.

Mathematics

This subject is loosely co-ordinated and rather vague in purpose. There is, apart from the Headmaster, no single guiding hand and a good deal is lost by the use of unsuitable text-books. The whole scheme needs re-shaping and pulling together  so that Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry shall not be taught in water-tight compartments. Within its limits, however, the boys’ work is careful. The teachers as a rule have a good knowledge of their work, prepare their lessons well, and correct their exercise books systematically.

French

All the boys in the school undertake the study of French during their school life; the teaching is shared amongst three teachers.

The standard reached in Form IV A is satisfactory and a reasonable level of achievement is attained in oral reading, dictation, grammar and ordinary conversation. As the pupils get less than three hours’ instruction a week, the result is quite gratifying. In some other forms the reading aloud was conducted in a sensible way, the pronunciation of the pupils was respectable, the teachers’ explanation of the text was clear and the boys’ answers on the subject matter were fairly good.

The detail of the work was discussed with the Headmaster at the visit and the following points were brought up for special consideration:

(1) The selection of the pupils capable of undertaking a four-year course in this subject should be much more searching than is the case at present.

(2) If possible the time allowance for French should be increased.

(3) The distribution of the staff for teaching French should be re-considered.

(4) A consistent policy in the treatment of pronunciation throughout the course is essential.

(5) There should be uniformity in teaching the salient points of general elementary accidence.

(6) Additions to the books of reference in the Teachers’ Library are desirable. Well-chosen stories available for individual reading in the Middle and Senior groups are needed. Greater use might be made of French advertisements.

Physical Training

The school is provided with a gymnasium, which, with additional apparatus, would serve its purpose admirably. The instruction is in the hands of a visiting specialist teacher [Mr Kemp] who is experienced and capable. All the work seen shows that an excellent spirit exists and no criticism is called for except to suggest that a larger number of shorter periods is very much better than two periods of 45 minutes each. The older boys get only one period a week.

Music

This subject needs more enthusiasm. Songs are sung with a fairly satisfactory spirit and tone but the teaching lacks definiteness of aim and co-ordination of the various branches of the subject.

Handicraft

There are ten classes each of 40 boys. Three forms in the first year and the second year and two forms in the third and fourth year are instructed for one session per week. One form in each of the third and fourth years consisting of boys of a non-academic type are instructed for two sessions per week. The boys in Form V are instructed in handicraft if it is considered desirable in view of future employment.

There is much elasticity of treatment and considerable variety of construction shown in the work done at this school. The boys are learning to be competent craftsmen and some of them make sensible use of books of reference. The drawing for the handicraft exercises is satisfactorily done. In both rooms the instruction is concerned with good types of traditional construction and there is useful connection with the science and art teaching. To begin with, the pace of the boys is slow but the handicraft develops commendably later. The selection of boys for extra training in handicraft from those who are not naturally apt at book knowledge is undoubtedly of great value. By this means there is awakened in these boys both interest and appreciation of the pleasure gained in doing and making things efficiently.

*    *    *    *    *    *

To summarise, the HMI Report highlighted the achievements and problems of the previous four and a half years. The inspectors outlined developments within the school, its accommodation and equipment. The discipline and conduct of the boys were praised, together with their attention to studies. Weaknesses and areas for improvement were pointed out, and suggestions were made regarding group compositions and timetable issues.

The problems were really concerned with the need for Catholic schools in Manchester to come to terms with the advantages that St Gregory’s could offer by way of secondary education. There was a dichotomy of purpose in the curriculum whereby there was preparation for the Northern Universities Joint Board School Certificate that tended to make for academic achievement. It was hoped the establishment of the Special Leaving Examination for Central Schools would direct the curriculum into the right channel.

The report commented on the number of forms in the school – at least ten, and their size, about 40 pupils in each. It also mentions a “Form V”, meaning that there were over 400 boys on roll with some being over 15 years of age.

At the time of the report the staff consisted of Mr Holmes and seventeen assistant teachers.

Mr L.J. Vickers, R.I.P.

Mr Louis Joseph Vickers, appointed in 1925 to teach “lower Mathematics”, contracted tubercular laryngitis and died in January 1929, aged 37, after a short illness. The school was closed at noon on the day of his funeral in order to give teachers the opportunity of attending the service, which was probably held in Hyde where he had lived.

Later that year, the following comment was reported in the school’s annual Sports Day programme: “Although the school is only in its sixth year, already ten ‘Old Gregorians’ have passed away. Our loss this year has been particularly heavy through the deaths of Fr J. Connor, a manager of the school, Mr L.J. Vickers, a member of the staff, and four former students R.I.P. Whilst we are not unmindful of our duty to them, their memory urges us forward in our endeavours to help those who are still with us.”

It is interesting to note that the school uses the expression “former students” rather than “former pupils”, “past pupils” or “old boys”. The four former pupils who died in 1929 must have been quite young, perhaps still in their teens.

The Central School Certificate, 1929

This leaving certificate was instituted by the Manchester Education Committee in 1929 for pupils attending central schools. Examinations were taken towards the end of a pupil’s four-year course of study. Mr Holmes wasted no time following the recommendations made in the HMI report of 1928, and June 1929 saw the first cohort of St Gregory’s boys sitting the inaugural examinations. 

The syllabuses and examination papers were set by the school and reflected the wide range of subjects studied and differences in ability. Different examination papers were set for the A and B classes, according to the HMI report of 1936. Examinations would probably have been taken in the hall, after which the marking, moderation and grading would have been done internally. Most pupils would have taken examinations in up to ten or eleven subjects spread over a 12-day period. The certificate would list the subjects passed and, where a pupil had performed very well or exceptionally, the words Credit or Distinction would be typed in brackets after the subject. In addition, the certificate was signed by the Chairman of the M.E.C., the Director of Education, and the Principal (Headteacher).

The process of marking, grading and preparing the certificates had to be completed before the end of the summer term so that they could be presented to the boys on the final day of term. It was customary for the Chairman of Governors – or another clerical governor – to make the presentation on the stage in the hall. Words of advice were no doubt also dispensed as the boys listened to final speeches from the Chairman and Mr Holmes. Sometimes a modest leavers’ party was held in that same hall, after which the boys said their farewells to masters and classmates.

Since the majority of the fourth-year boys left school at this time, the Central School Certificate armed them with useful qualifications that indicated a level of academic competence and understanding in a range of subjects. This certificate, together with a leavers’ reference letter hand-written by Mr Holmes, helped boys in their quest for employment, apprenticeships or further training. For those few who returned for a fifth year, the exams were a useful practice and experience for future academic challenges.

St Gregory’s boys continued to be awarded this certificate until 1957, when the exams were taken for the final time. Examples of the certificate are occasionally included in this history as a reminder of its continuity and relevance.

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