I, LIKE the headteacher who assigned a minder to watch over a girl in class (TES, February 18), believe that suspending the pupils would not have stopped the bullies. But neither will a minder.
The girl concerned is unfortunate that she doesn’t attend one of the eight schools in Leicestershire that have a peer-mediation service. Trained young people in these schools offer mediation to other pupils in dispute. The process allows both parties to air their rievances, to talk them through and agree a positive way of resolving the conflict.
As one of our link teachers, quoted in an article for the Leicester Mercury, said: “The atmosphere at the school has definitely improved because a lot of people now use the mediation service. There are fewer fights and less serious bullying.”
Meg Griffiths
Conflict resolution in schools
programme co-ordinator
Leicestershire mediation service
