In reply to SUMC:
Basically if you're doing the following then any one who objects is being a bit of an arse (hopefully I've not missed anything important although I'm sure others could easily add to the list).
- You're splitting up into small groups of say 3-4 people (maybe 5 at a stretch).
- Each small group is only on one route at a time.
- Each small group is not hogging a route for an unreasonable amount of time - what's unreasonable? - time it takes for one person to lead (or set up a top-rope) and for the others to climb the route - acknowledging that as beginners they may take quite a bit longer.
- You're not leaving unattended top-ropes hanging down routes with no visible indication that anyone is likely to use the rope in the next couple of minutes.
- You're not trying routes that are way beyond the beginners' capabilities.
- You're not abseiling down hard routes that may rely on small pebbles/ripples/whatever that will be damaged by "heavy" abseiling.
- You're not leaving litter.
All of these points (except the last 2) apply more strongly to popular areas (such as Stanage Popular) and even more strongly to "classic" popular routes; people are less likely to be concerned about a group taking longer on a route that no-one else is fussed to climb (obviously).
The last 2 points should apply everywhere, always, to everyone (not just students).
It would also be nice if you could teach newbies that cleaning your feet before stepping onto the rock will not only give them more chance of success, it will also reduce wear on the rock.
Would it be ok if you had several such small groups on adjacent routes? - probably, but what wouldn't be ok is if you had groups 1, 2 & 3 on routes A, B & C and then you just swapped so that 1, 2 & 3 were on B, C & A. That would be seen as hogging the routes.
Finally, top-roping rather than leading - that's fine (regardless of any opinions given by "superior" types who believe that leading should somehow have precedence *) as long as you don't end up hogging the route for too long.
* - the only precedence that leading has over top-roping is in the potential to have a deeper, more fulfilling experience, and that in the realisation, you usually do have a deeper, more fulfilling experience (IMO).