School for 14-16 year-olds allows children cigarette breaks to curb skiving

A school head stops the students from bunking off by allowing them to light up twice a day under the supervision of teachers.

16:45 07 March 2014

The school head of Honeyhill pupil referral unit in Peterborough is allowing 14-16 year-old children to smoke to curb skiving – a practice that has sparked outrage among some parents. 

According to reports, children at school were allowed to light up twice a day under the supervision of teachers. However, they can only do this with their parent’s permission.

Head Clair George says that the practice is done to stop children from absconding from school.

George explained: “Pupils who attend Honeyhill do so because they have failed, many more than once, in mainstream education.

“They are amongst the most challenged and challenging young people within the city and most have complex issues.

“Therefore our approach has got to be different to give them the best possible chance of getting an education which allows them to progress into employment or further education or training.

“For those pupils who do smoke, we have a clear procedure in place. Pupils and their parents/carers are asked about health related habits when they start at the school.

“Our approach is that pupils who already smoke on admission can, with parental consent, have up to two 10 minute, off-site, fully supervised smoking breaks a day.

“We appreciate some people will not agree with this approach, but we have found it far more effective than simply banning smoking, which our experience shows us leads to pupils not attending school or absconding during the day to smoke.”

Meanwhile, Tory MP Steward Jackson has called for the local authority to review the practice.