Anti-bullying measures like the staggered breaks and lunch periods introduced in the flagship city academies, where a limited number of pupils are released at any one time, might help to reduce the number of reported incidents of bullying (TES, November 19). But is such a controlling strategy most suitable for educational institutions?
It is very likely that other schools will be encouraged to adopt this practice to contain rather than modify anti-social behaviour. If the schools embark upon such a strategy for quick answers, they might come to having different breaktimes and lunchtimes for different groups of pupils.
Is it not better to promote pupils’ social and moral development by providing more and more opportunities for them to work and play together, for example?
Husain Akhtar 26 Wellesley Road Harrow
