Schools recommend ban on chip shop visits

Schools should consider banning pupils from leaving the premises at lunchtime to stop them going down to the local chip shop, according to governors' leaders.

The National Governors' Council, which represents governors in the country's 24,000 state schools, said the move could form a vital part of any school's healthy food policy. The ban, it argued, could also improve behaviour and attendance in afternoon lessons.

The suggestion came in a new blueprint for governors on school dinners published yesterday.

It also called on schools to consult parents over what they should provide in pupils' lunch-boxes - to avoid youngsters snacking on crisps and fatty foods. It gave examples of healthy packed lunches parents could give their children.

The blueprint also warned that many children went without breakfast before school and as a result found it hard to concentrate. "Children who don't have breakfast may have low blood sugar and dehydration, which can affect their ability to concentrate," it said.

Snacks - sent by parents to help their children get through the morning - should also be limited to fruit and vegetables, it adds.

It also warned that some pupils are bullied as a result of being overweight.