Beverley school bans energy drinks

A Beverley secondary school has banned pupils from consuming high-energy drinks because it is making them hyperactive and unable to concentrate in class.

Beverley High School, which is one of the East Riding's top performing schools, is now asking local stores not to sell the caffeine and sugar-rich drinks to children.

Some pupils are understood to have been consuming several bottles of the high energy drinks after spending their dinner money on buy one, get one free offers.

Parents are being advised the drinks will not now be allowed in school so they should not be supplied for packed lunches, school trips or sporting activities.

Any such drinks found in the possession of pupils will be confiscated. Parents will be asked to collect the drinks or they will be disposed of.

Headteacher Sharon Japp told parents in a letter: "As a school we take our pupils' health and wellbeing very seriously and we are concerned about the impact these products could be having on our pupils' health and ability to perform in school during the day.

"Our main concerns are that these drinks contain high levels of caffeine and sugar that when ingested can potentially be dangerous in the short and long term. Caffeine is the main worry as it acts as a stimulant and affects the heart and central nervous system, it can also increase blood pressure."

Clare Breen, assistant head at the girls' school in Norwood, said some pupils have been consuming up to three bottles of the drinks during the school day.

She told the Mail: "It appeared to be making them quite restless and hyperactive, so it was difficult for them to concentrate.

"We realised it had become quite a big problem, particularly because of buy-one-get-one-free offers."

A spokeswoman for Tesco, which has a store near the school, said: "There is currently no legislation which would allow us, or any other retailer, to ban the sale of any energy drink to children – though labels on the products do say that they are not suitable for this age group.

"However, we take our responsibilities to the communities we serve very seriously. We will always try to work, within reason, with schools, police and all local bodies to provide any support we can."