We have not held any recent discussions on vertical tutoring.
We want schools to provide a tailored education for every child and believe that the effective use of pupil grouping plays an important part in supporting that aim. We have been encouraging schools to use setting and other forms of pupil grouping since 1997. But it will continue to be for schools to decide how and when to group and set pupils; both in tutor groups and/or lessons. That is the only practical approach.
We published a cluster of guidance documents alongside independent research into pupil grouping last September. The guidance includes a set of principles for grouping policy, definitions of different types of grouping and a self-evaluation toolkit.