* 68% express concern that midday break is a problem for shy children, with almost half worried about quality of students' diet (49%)
* GE challenges UK students to design the perfect midday break with the launch of a national schools competition
Bad behaviour, bullying, poor food and inactivity are some of the top concerns of UK secondary school teachers according to new research by General Electric (GE). The survey, commissioned by GE to launch a competition for school children to design their ideal lunchtime break, also found that schoolteachers were concerned about the impact on shy or isolated children.
The research, carried out by YouGov amongst 927 secondary school teachers found that over two thirds of secondary school teachers (66%) are concerned that the midday break can lead to behaviour issues such as bullying. Despite 93% believing that the midday break is a "chance for children to let off steam", almost a third (30%) of teachers worried that there are not enough activities during lunchtime breaks to keep children occupied.
One recurrent theme was the link between children's diet and their behaviour. The poor quality of students' lunchtime food was condemned by almost half of the teachers polled, with 49% claiming what students typically ate during the lunchtime break as having a negative impact on them. Comments from teachers worried about unhealthy food in the canteen at school included numerous calls to ban unhealthy, sugary food from school canteens and vending machines, as well as having pupils and staff sit down together to share a 'proper' cooked meal.
Overwhelmingly teachers see midday break times as a chance to help "a child develop their social skills" (89%) and a time which is essential for developing "a child's emotional well being'" (57%). However, 7 out of 10 teachers (68%) expressed concerns that the break times can cause particular problems for children who are isolated or shy.
Many teachers called for a wider choice of activities and clubs to be available to children at lunchtime - from outdoor play equipment, to board, ball and racket games, as well as suitable wet-weather provisions. However, opinion was divided amongst teachers on whether the lunch break should be more structured, with teachers split over the length of the midday break -- some felt a shorter break was needed, others felt a longer, more structured break would work better.
Commenting on the findings, Mark Elborne, President and CEO of GE in the UK said:
"The majority of teachers recognise that lunch breaks are important for young people, and staff, to have some time off from the working day. But our research shows that it's equally valuable for students to have a healthy and active break in order to prevent anti-social behaviours, as well as helping to build valuable team and leadership skills.
"Our Design My Break competition hopes to address the concerns of teachers that children have nothing to do during the lunch break. With tickets to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games up for grabs, we hope that school children will be inspired to get creative and enter some interesting ideas."
Lord Coe, chairman of LOCOG welcomed the initiative:
"The competition fits neatly into the other programmes as part of the Healthy and Active Lifestyles strand of Get Set. This research has unveiled some very interesting findings; lunch breaks can be problematic for schools and this competition is an excellent opportunity for young people to communicate their ideas. I'm looking forward to seeing the entries."
When asked what their idea of a perfect break would be, a quarter (25%) of teachers felt that their school should offer more clubs and activities to children.
Other key findings include:
* Overall, there was little disparity in the views of male and female teachers.
* Regionally, teachers in London (36%) and the Midlands (37%) felt most strongly that there are not enough activities for children to do (compared to the national average of 30%). Teachers in Scotland (22%) were least concerned about lack of activities.
* 73% of Scottish teachers were concerned that lunch breaks are a problem for isolated or shy children. Nationally, 68% of teachers were concerned about this.
* Teachers in London (29%) and the Midlands (27%) were most keen to see more structure introduced into lunch breaks, with teachers in the East (17%) least concerned.
In order to combat these concerns, GE, in conjunction with the London 2012 'Get Set' programme has launched the Design My Break competition for 11-14 year olds. Designed to get kids to use their lunch break more effectively, the competition aims to engage kids through asking for creative ideas around sport, better food or setting up a club. Schools can register and participate during the autumn term until the end of November 2010.
Secondary school students interested in the competition can enter on the Design My Break website (www.designmybreak.co.uk). Top prize will be a special day trip for three children and a teacher to an event at the London 2012 Olympic Games Stadium in Stratford. Each regional winner will also receive £500 to put towards the cost of turning their 'break' idea into reality.
Mark Maguire
GE
mark.maguire1@ge.com
+44 20 7302 6068
+44 7717 517071
Sara Cruz
scruz@eloquipr.co.uk
0207-534-0623