Are these idiots really believing the answers given by teenagers on a survey?

Can we have some sanity please?

Alcohol is a problem. If access to alcohol is stopped the problem is solved.

Take away the licenses of sellers of alcohol to children permanently. For the individual for life and for the location for 10 years. Problem solved.

J D S, Cardiff, Wales UK

What a ridiculous article - the thing driving children to drink and even drugs is having TOO MUCH money and NOT ENOUGH discipline.

JANE, London,

I agree with Sall Evensen. Not all chldren are capable of being academics, so why do we persist. We do not have the skilled and qualified tradsmen we need in this country; most of them now come from other parts of the EU (not the fault of the EU).
Surely it would be wonderful if we concentrated on showing these children how to be good citizens.
Having spent many years in Germany, it is so disappointing that there trades people have a high level of status in the community whereas we tend to look down on the in the UK.
It appears that if a child is born into a socially irresponsible family, it will have no chance of surviving as a decent citizen. On this day of 'Children in Need' maybe we should be considering the sort of kids that are in a situation from which they cannot extract themselves without outside help.

Barry Dbson, Market Deeping, UK

"The survey, filled out online at participating schools, found that most children were hard-working, conscientious, community-minded and caring."

LOL.
I'm a teenager and I say JUST NO.

Katie Nelson, Alsager, Cheshire

Ofsteads ,like all the other OFs,are money making machines for the Boys/Girls,raking in proceeds by way of fines and Govt handouts .all a waste of resources.

derek bevan, Huntingdon, England

Eric asks what part OFSTED has played in all this misery with its relentless and futile drive for 'standards'. They seem to have been barking up the wrong tree.

Call them standards or targets, in many ways this style of assessment in the NHS and policing seems to have done more harm than good. Ways have been found to falsify success, making the results meaningless.

For instance, in the last five years the police have apparently not reported all of the serious injuries in road crashes, so the smaller numbers give a false sense of success in casualty reduction, and allow traffic policing to diminish while other targets are chased. Another consequence is that traffic fatalities are heading towards a 19% drop by 2010 (TRL forecast) instead of the target of 40% over 10 years (which sadly combines fatal and serious injuries). This is an excessively high price in human terms, chasing targets instead of bad driving and youthful drinking.

Graham Stephens, Warwick, UK

What proportion of children in the 10 to 15 year age group will actually tell the truth, as opposed to having a bit of fun, when completing a survey online?

I am finding it difficult to swallow that 96% of respondents exercised and ate fruit and vegetables "in the last week", for a start.

Sue, San Antonio, USA/Texas

In a world that people are cinsidered not old enough to make repsonsible decisions until they are 18, 21 or higher. How can these researchers give any crediblilty to what 10 -15 year olds are tellling them? The nanny-statist will use any means to push their socialists agenda. These spin doctors will use "the kids" for thier purpose. My view is they would be the first ones to sell out the kids in a real crisis.

nemo31, erie, pa

There has to be more to this than school-related stress. I was studying for 10 O levels in 1978 (many of which were very difficult for me) and later 3 A levels. It was a very stressful period and yet alcohol as a solution or an escape would never have entered my head.
We need to figure out WHY the kids are drinking so early; where are they getting the idea that alcohol will relieve their anxieities? This is learned behaviour; 12 year olds don't relate drugs and alcohol to stress relief unless they see others doing the same thing. Perhaps we, as parents, should be careful not to dive into a glass of wine at the end of a long day with the words "God I need a drink"!

Toni Hargis, expat, chicago, usa

Saying that children are turning to drugs and alcohol because of pressures is one of the most ridiculous statements I've heard. Past generations, especially in the younger age brackets, have gone through difficult times and a lot of pressures without turning to drugs and/or alcohol. The world at large needs to stop coddling children and taking rights away from parents. Enabling bad behaviour will do nothing but encourage more bad (and worse) behaviour.

Julie, Jacksonville Florida, USA

Bad parenting is the main cause whilst a lack of community policing is contributing. Both need to work together to stamp out this problem. One without the other will simply not work as behavioural standards and expectations need to be reinforced in the home and outside.

MDJ, Bucks, UK

Looks like 50% are going to have to be persuaded that, whether they like it or not, they will HAVE to go to university. That's what the present government says they must do, and unless the kids get real, nulabour will enact legislation to force them.
Did it occur to OFSTEAD to ask how the children perceived their influence in schools? The increased levels of anxiety amongst the staff and its filtering down to the pupils when a visit was impending? Or their perception of the National Curriculum? Now there would be questions worth the asking.

Bill Q, Derby,

A study of literacy and numeracy in all European countries revealed that Finland had the highest rates. Children there start school at age six and have no formal exams until age sixteen. Here children start school at age four and have assessments and exams crammed into them. Also we do not value vocational education and try to force all children down an academic route. For many this is entirely unsuitable. No wonder they turn to alcohol and drugs!
I believe we cannot change the alcohol and drug culture without also a complete change of culture in education.
I used to love teaching but retired early. I no longer wanted to participate in the factory like culture of schools.

sally evensen, brighstone, IW

Call me old fashioned but what happens to children who grow up without any stress or worries? Seems like coping with stress - even that of exams or first day at school - is an important life lesson for when they face bigger consequences. Can we stop the nanny state already? Its damaged enough people!

Anamika, London, UK

Does Christine Gilbert ever pause to wonder what part OFSTED has played in all this misery with its relentless and futile drive for 'standards', a term which its blinkered ideaologues have never been able to see as anything other than 'exam results'?

eric campbell, harrogate, uk