Humour can play dual roles in a school - getting a point across without anger, and establishing good connections between pupils, between teachers and pupils, and between teachers.

However, humour in schools today is usually regarded with suspicion, as a weapon to undermine authority.  When I asked a secondary school pupil recently what the 'atmosphere' was like at his school, he replied: "The Laughter Police are everywhere!"

Humour in school is far too huge a topic to cover properly in a blog, although I will write about it occasionally. 

I heard a story years ago from an old soldier from the East End of London, a story that perfectly shows how a sharp piece of wit can also make a good point - and in this case, got the boy in question acquitted:

After World War II, many sites in London, especially the heavily bombed East End, were dangerous and it was forbidden to play on them.  Of course, many kids roamed these sites and played football on the clear patches.  The police warned them and in particular a boy (let's call him Leo) who consistently ignored the police warnings.

One day, a police officer saw Leo lining up a ball to kick into goal between two rocks.  The officer saw red and arrested Leo for flouting the law.

In the magistrates' court the next day, the chief magistrate began by saying: "Yesterday, you were caught playing football on a prohibited site."

Leo interjected: "No, I wasn't playing football."

The magistrate continued: "According to the police officer's notes, you were going to play football - and going to play is as bad as playing, and you will be fined."

"Well," said Leo, "if going to play is as bad as playing, then I suppose that going to pay the fine is as good as paying."