School almost 'eliminates bullying' with break-time ban on games

Head teacher Charlotte Whelan says the school has been transformed

A school claims to have almost eliminated bullying by banning games like football at break times.

Instead, students at Hackney New School participate in supervised quizzes, poetry recitals and other activities, including chess and choir clubs.

The school says there have been only five reports of bullying, including cyber bullying, in the last year.

Head teacher Charlotte Whelan said: "A school without bullying sounds like a utopia but it is achievable."

The students, aged 11 to 16, are still taking exercise during breaks and PE lessons, but sports are "more structured" and supervised.

"The school has been completely transformed and the students are really thriving," Ms Whelan said.

Poetry and quizzes have replaced games like football at break times

Rather than kicking a football around or jumping skipping ropes in the playground unsupervised, pupils practise sonnets by classic poets like Shelley and Tennyson or quiz each other on capital cities, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

They have memorised poems Ozymandias and The Charge of the Light Brigade and recite them as they line up for lessons or when they are eating lunch, Ms Whelan said.

She added: "It's long been my belief that we could be doing more for pupils while they on their breaks, so often you see them aimlessly wandering the playground. We want every second at school to count.

"We began by introducing the poetry recitals during break and lunch and the students really responded well. It evolved from there."

Charities Kidscape and Bullies Out told the BBC that supervised activities can help isolated children.

Linda James, the founder and chief executive of Bullies Out, said "I always admire schools for trying new things to eliminate bullying, but we'll never eliminate it fully.

"However, (trying) to reduce it as much as possible is exactly what schools should do, so structured games, structured activities and different activities for different interests helps. That all works rather than having children wandering around aimlessly."

Unstructured games can sometimes lead to nasty comments, aggressive behaviour or children feeling left out, she added.

Kidscape CEO, Lauren Seager-Smith, said it was important that schools create safe spaces for children during lunch and break times and that supervised activities can help them "feel supported and included".

Hackney New is part of the Community Schools Trust, which also runs The Cumberland School in Newham, where students won £1m of scholarships to top fee paying schools this year.