Victoria Neumark is so right to say that year 11 students need closure and endings (‘They took our last day away from us’, Opinion, June 8 2001).
As head of year 11 in a large comprehensive school, I did an assembly with a child’s doll. I egged and floured the doll to show students who might have been contemplating doing something the same to their peers just how revolting it was. Poor dolly got it but so did the year 11s.
We did not suffer eggs and flour, our students had a staggered exit on Thursday afternoon in their autographed school shirts to return on Friday as smartly dressed young adults for a fantastic National Record of Achievement Awards Ceremony.
They said their goodbyes and moved on physically and mentally.
Marian Stevens
mars@barclays.net