ASCL: Off-site ban poses difficulties

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has raised practical objections to proposals for a ban on pupils being allowed out of school during their lunch hour.

Its general secretary John Dunford describes the School Food Trust's proposals to protect children from junk food outlets as a "worthwhile ambition" but says the means of achieving it – keeping all pupils inside school grounds during lunchtime – may prove difficult.

"There are practical issues that would make it extremely difficult to implement in some schools," he explained.

Larger schools with several entrances might struggle to provide "adequate levels of supervision", Dr Dunford said, while other schools have canteens which are "physically too small to cater for every pupil".