I loved Mike Kent’s column on circle time (“Is it me, or is circle time just loopy?”, February 26). My favourite circle time memory was from a tough north London primary school. A trainer was passed around and you could only speak when you held it. One moody boy kept passing the trainer on quickly, and when the teacher told him to take it, he flung the shoe behind him, loudly shouting: “I don’t f*cking want it. It stinks!” This put a bit of a damper on the rest of the cosy circle time session.

Primary headteacher, London, name and address supplied.