We have just reached the end of the first term, this means many things.

End of term exams, reports, frayed tempers and tears (and that’s just the staffroom!).

It also means sweeties!!

After a few years dithering about “forgotten” homework, books chewed by granny, essays left at the dog’s house, etc. I have come up with a simple solution.

Every term I generously offer my pupils two jokers in case of homework breakdown or book disappearance.

After these two “get out of punishment” cards have been used up ( they are virtual – there’s no black market trade in my jokers, I just note the date they use them up in my markbook,) then it’s detention, no discussion, no negotiating.

It’s interesting to see what happens next, a few will always use them up in the first week. A couple of perfectly behaved girls will get their first ever detention from meany me, but in general the system works – probably because it’s fair, and the same for all.

At the end of term however, I “buy” back these jokers in exchange for a sweet, – no hogging a potential 6 jokers and doing no homework at all for the last month!!

I also give a sweet for each 20/20 mark the pupils got during term.

We have a lovely school, with a very positive learning environment. the kind of school where when a pupil gets 20/20, or makes  a lot of progress, he gets clapped by his classmates – and not kicked in.

Even so, I may modestly claim the jokers & sweets policy maight just contribute to this.

In any case, it’s worth it to see the look on Jan’s face as he is allowed to eat 10 sweets in the middle of English class while being applauded by his friends.

Just in case you’re wondering about Mr No-sweets, once the deserving have got their “prizes”, every pupil in the class gets a bonus sweet for being fantastic!