OUTSPOKEN education secretary Michael Gove is a divisive figure.

Teachers see him as a pantomime villain, floating one crazy idea after another, but some parents like his approach.

They approve of the way he complains vehemently about “trendy”

teaching methods and will nod in agreement at his demands for teachers to get tough with trouble-makers.

We agree that discipline needs to be enforced in classrooms. Just one unruly pupil can spoil a lesson for everybody.

But is forcing unruly pupils to pick up litter, clean the dining hall or write out lines really the way forward? Are these meaningful punishments that will prevent bad behaviour reoccurring?

We think not.

Making children scrub floors or fill plastic bags with rubbish is a political gimmick.

The abolition of corporal punishment has led to a deterioration in pupils’ behaviour because the sanctions teachers now have are inadequate.

When the cane was banned in 1987 nothing with the same powerful deterrent effect took its place. By sparing the rod, we ruined the children.

This paper does not wish to see a return to corporal punishment. Caning children is abhorrent.

As well as the physical harm and the mixed messages it sends out, there is a large body of evidence to say it does not work.

We need to find new ways of applying sanctions – not merelycome up with a method of recycling old ones.

But one thing is for certain: pupils should respect teachers, not fear them.