Police in the London Borough of Southwark, who have been running a pilot scheme which has allocated a beat officer for each secondary school, have revealed that it is to be extended to other local authorities in London.

However, a police spokesman has stressed that officers will not be patrolling playgrounds and enforcing discipline in the corridors.

Forum Response: Professional Association of Teachers

Jean Gemmell, general secretary of the Professional Association of Teachers, told ePolitix.com: "Decisions about police patrolling schools must be made by the head teachers and governors of individual schools, in the light of circumstances at their own school.

"They will need to take into account such factors as pupil discipline and pupil and staff morale. In some schools police patrols would be a good idea, but in others they could be counter-productive."