One of the many wonders of modern technology is that through our website and email system I can be in immediate contact with the school even though I am sitting in an office very similar to my own 4,000 miles away. My experience so far reminds me of the central concept contained within Philip Pullman’s trilogy of novels concerning parallel universes, ‘His Dark Forces’. In Pullman’s novels Oxford is both the city that we all recognise and understand but is also in another universe still recognisably Oxford but it is not quite the city we know and understand. That in essence is my initial impression of Lakeview High School, Michigan. Things are in so many ways similar to Churston but then again in very many subtle ways they are not.

Headmaster Mr Kings -

I have been very fortunate to experience a different type of schooling in a totally different environment. I am sure some good ideas are transferable and I look forward to returning home with them to Churston. However, in case anyone is worried I do not anticipate introducing a 7.45 a.m. start or a six hour teaching day.

See The Lakeview High School Website Here

The Principal, vice Principals and teachers run the school. Students look similar and have the same interests and concerns. Quality provision for teaching and learning, assessment, homework, public examinations, career choices and new technology dominate the school’s academic agenda. University entrance, transport issues and healthy eating and lifestyle are all regularly discussed as the school seeks improvement. However, there are marked differences in the detail of what happens.

Lessons start at 7.45 a.m. sharp and on a Friday the day begins with the Marching Band of over 120 students touring the very wide corridors playing the school song at a very loud volume. Lessons are one and a half hours long and there are four in a day. Every student (including sixth formers) is in class for six hours every day. All teachers teach the same classes every day so all students are only studying four subjects each term or semester.

All year groups are mixed together in classes. To compensate for the longer teaching day less homework is set. Sport is highly organised and it is not uncommon for 5,000 people paying £5 each to attend a Friday evening American Football inter-school game. Some matches are live on local television. Funding is clearly better here with an average student attracting approximately £4,000 as opposed to well under £3,000 in the U.K. The Michigan State Lottery contributes all its profits of about £300 million annually direct to the public education system.