ABSTRACT
Britain in Victorian times was very different from its twenty-first century incarnation. Agriculture was then a great employer. One in eight people worked on the land in 1901, and many people earned their living through agricultural labour. Hence, many children were expected to help with the annual harvest each year so that none of it was wasted. Times have changed; today, fewer than one in 50 people works on the land. The annual harvest remains an important part of the farming community's timetable, but it has little immediate impact on the lives of 98 per cent of the population who earn their living by other means. The combine harvester has long replaced the scythe, too. Yet today's school timetable largely reflects decisions which were made to accommodate the Victorian pattern of agricultural working. Furthermore, the terms after Christmas are determined by the date for Easter, which can fall between 21 March and 25 April, depending on the timing of the full moon. Schools can therefore end up facing a very long term after Christmas followed by a short burst towards the summer tests and exams. All this is disruptive to the efficient working of a school timetable. Yet, despite growing evidence that change could improve standards and behaviour, and make life less stressful for teachers, those who have sought to reform the school year have found themselves facing formidable and immoveable obstacles.
