PUPILS in beacon secondary schools feel that lessons would be more enjoyable if their teachers’ expectations were not so high.

Beacon schools are held up nationally as examples of good practice, receiving an average pound;36,000 a year to spread expertise.

The teenagers also reckon they have identified a “golden age” for secondary teachers. Those with between 11 and 20 years’ experience deliver the most interesting, challenging and clear lessons, they say.

Their comments come in a study of more than 8,000 primary and secondary pupils which flags up the problems facing new teachers in the classroom. The pupils were questioned online by consultants from the Hay Group and researchers from Newcastle University.

“Newly-qualified teachers find particular difficulties with discipline and, possibly consequently, with encouraging active involvement,” says the study.

Secondary pupils are also unimpressed with the cleanliness and comfort of their classrooms and put the ideal secondary class size at between 26 and 30.

In primary schools, children felt the larger the class the more intimidating it became, but lessons were generally considered interesting, challenging and clear.

The status of the school had no impact on primary pupils’ views of what their teachers expected of them. But children from deprived backgrounds felt sometimes people expected too little of them.

Background factors such as the proprotion of pupils taking free school meals or with English as an additional language had a significant but weak impact on how children felt about their lessons and the classroom environment.

They were asked how safe they felt in lessons, whether they were involved in the running of the class, if they were clear about what was expected of them, and if they were encouraged to try new things and learn from mistakes.

The children were also asked about their physical surroundings, which lessons were interesting, and whether they thought they were treated fairly.

The Hay report says previous studies show that the classroom environment is a predictor of pupil achievement. Teachers can make a difference, it insists.

“Teachers are often judged on many factors outside their influence but our research shows that teachers can significantly alter the climate in their classroom through their behaviour and skills. It is almost as though the teacher can create a shield from many of the other influences at home, in other lessons, in the playground.”

The 1,500 teachers who took part in the initiative received confidential feedback useful to highlight development and training needs.

A National Development Agenda - ‘What Does it Feel Like to Learn in Our Schools?’, by the Hay Group. See www.transforming learning.co.uk Poverty and results, 24-25