How can schools improve pupils’ behaviour?

THE narrow-mindedness of some parents never fails to amaze me. Instead of looking at the Attitude to Learning scheme in Brighton’s Dorothy Stringer School (Mail) as a punishment for poorly behaved students, it was no doubt conceived as a reward for the better behaved ones. And why not? As much as the aim is for schoolchildren to be treated equally, which is reasonable and right, life after school is not like that. You get on, usually, by how well you get on with others. The sooner some children and their parents realise that, the better their chances of later success. marTin WainsCOTT,

Bagshot, surrey. READING about the Attitude to Learning Scheme brought back memories of my own 1960s grammar school days. The music teacher would get us all to stand on chairs, then fire questions at us individually. When one was answered correctly, we could sit down. The feelings of anxiety and shame at being the last one standing has stayed with me all these years. I urge schools to think carefully about whether to implement schemes such as this.

Linda feWinGs, Bideford, devon.

AT MY grandson’s secondary school, after-school detention consists of making pupils sit in the hall, facing the wall, for an hour. I fail to see what that teaches them, as they all leave school laughing.

ruTH O’Leary, inkberrow, Worcs. I HAVE worked in schools for more than 20 years and would like to add my own acronym to those increasingly used: NDAH, or No Discipline At Home. Some children have recognised problems but others need a firmer line at home. Lessons are regularly disrupted by those who dislike being told what to do.