This is taken from a question and answer sesion from an aquaintace that has become a friend who happens to have been a teacher and latterly a Headmistress. I have swapped some detailes and have also changed names. Its an audio interview originally so I have had to transpose it. If its well recieved I will add some more. It is a small part of a fairly long interview

Question 1: Can you tell us about how you began your teaching career and where it took you?

I started teaching in 1966, fresh from teacher training in Cambridge. My first post was at a small girls’ grammar school , just south of London—a lovely place with red-brick buildings and a strict but warm atmosphere. I taught English and history to girls aged eleven to sixteen. After three years, I moved to a larger school near Bromley, still in the southeast, where I took on more responsibility as a form mistress. By 1973, I was in London proper, at a girls’ secondary in south London, and later, in the early 1980's, I became headmistress at a boarding school near Tunbridge Wells in Kent. Those years took me across the bustling streets of London and the quieter corners of the southeast, each school shaping my belief that education was about nurturing character as much as minds.

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Question 2: When were you first told you could administer corporal punishment yourself?

I was twenty-four, in my second year at school. The headmistress, called me to her office one afternoon. She was a formidable woman, but kind beneath it all. She explained that, as a form mistress, I’d have the authority to discipline the girls myself, including using the slipper for minor infractions. For serious matters, the cane was an option, but only with her approval. I remember feeling a bit daunted—it was a big responsibility. She stressed it was about correction, not cruelty, and never to strike the hands, as it could harm their writing or piano practice. She showed me the cane, a thin, flexible stick kept in a cupboard, and a worn gym shoe for slippering. I didn’t have to use either for months, but knowing I could was a reminder of the trust placed in me to guide the girls properly.

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Question 3: What was your philosophy on discipline, particularly corporal punishment?

Discipline, to me, was about helping girls grow into principled young women. Rules gave them structure—vital in a world that could be so demanding. I preferred encouragement, praise, or a quiet chat to set things right, but some girls needed clearer boundaries. Corporal punishment, when used, was a last resort for repeated misbehaviour or serious wrongs, like lying or bullying. I only ever gave the slipper or cane on the bottom—hands were for learning, and striking them felt unsafe and unkind. It was done calmly, privately in my study, with an explanation beforehand. My aim was to teach accountability, not to shame. I wanted them to leave my office knowing they could start afresh, stronger for it. It was never about power; it was about their future.

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Question 4: Can you describe the first time you administered corporal punishment?

That would’ve been in my school placement near Bromley. A pupil, Jenny, kept disrupting lessons with chatter, despite warnings and detentions. Miss Hargreaves suggested the slipper might help. I called Jenny to my classroom after school, feeling quite nervous myself. I explained why her behaviour wasn’t fair to others, and that she’d get two strokes with the slipper. I had her bend over a desk, gave two quick taps with the gym shoe over her skirt—hardly severe, but enough to make her think. She looked contrite, apologised, and was back to her cheerful self by the next day. It taught me that a brief, fair consequence could reset things without lingering upset. I was careful to be kind afterward, so she knew I still believed in her.

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Question 5: You mentioned giving ‘six of the best’ to older girls. Can you elaborate?

Oh, ‘six of the best’ was a phrase used for the cane, reserved for the gravest matters with senior girls—say, sixteen or seventeen.. Two fifth-formers had been caught sneaking into town during school hours, a serious breach of trust. The headmistress approved caning, and I handled it myself. In my office, I spoke to each girl separately, explaining why their actions endangered themselves and the school’s reputation. They bent over a chair, and I gave six strokes with the cane, firmly but not harshly, over their skirts. It was over quickly, and I offered a glass of water afterward to steady them. Both were subdued but respectful, and later became model students. It wasn’t pleasant, but it showed them the weight of their choices, and I believe it helped them grow.

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Question 6: How did you adapt when school uniforms began allowing trousers?

By the late 1970s, school, uniform rules relaxed, and girls could wear tailored trousers instead of skirts. It didn’t change my approach much—discipline was about consistency. If a girl earned the slipper or cane, trousers made no difference; the punishment was still on the bottom, just as effective through fabric. I recall one girl, about fifteen, who’d been rude to a teacher and faced the slipper while wearing trousers. I gave her five or six strokes, and she took it in stride. The girls knew the rules applied regardless of what they wore. I did ensure privacy was maintained, and I never let modern styles complicate fairness. Trousers or skirts, the lesson was the same: respect and responsibility.

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Question 7: How did you decide between the slipper and the cane?

It came down to the girl’s age and the offence. The slipper—a soft gym shoe—was generally for younger girls, , and lesser missteps, like persistent lateness or not doing homework. It stung briefly but didn’t linger, perfect for a quick reminder. I kept one in my desk drawer, always clean and reserved for discipline. The cane was for older girls and weightier matters—say, cheating or defiance that hurt others. It was kept in a locked cupboard, used rarely but deliberately. For example, a fourteen-year-old might get four with the slipper for giggling in assembly, while a sixteen-year-old might face six with the cane for bullying. I’d weigh the situation carefully, ensuring the punishment fit the deed and the girl’s understanding, always with a talk beforehand to clarify why.

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Question 8: Did you ever worry about the impact of corporal punishment on the girls?

Oh, I worried often. No teacher worth their salt wants to upset a child. I’d lie awake some nights, wondering if I’d been too firm or if a different approach might’ve worked. But I believed I was preparing them for life’s challenges. I took care to be fair—never punishing in anger, always explaining why, and offering kindness after. I remember caning a girl for stealing from a classmate. She got six strokes, and I felt awful seeing her tears, but I sat with her, gave her a cup of tea and biscuit, and talked about honesty. Months later, she thanked me for helping her change. Those moments reassured me. I wanted them to leave my schools resilient, not resentful, and most seemed to understand I acted out of care.

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Question 9: How did the girls react to being slippered or caned, and did it affect your relationship with them?

Reactions varied, as girls do. Younger ones might sniffle after a slippering, while older girls facing the cane often stood stoic, though some trembled. I’d give them a moment to gather themselves, perhaps a handkerchief or a kind word about their potential. Most accepted it as part of school life. I recall a girl s, caned for truancy in trousers, who was quiet but polite after her six strokes. By the next term, she was chatting with me about her exams, no grudge held. Punishment didn’t sour things if you showed you cared. The girls knew I was fair, and many wrote years later, saying those lessons shaped them for the better. That trust meant everything.

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Question 10: Looking back, do you think corporal punishment was the right approach?

Looking back, I believe it was right for the time and place. The world was different then—girls faced strict expectations, and we had to equip them with discipline and strength. The slipper and cane, used sparingly and fairly, helped many find their way when softer methods failed. I never enjoyed it; it was a duty, done with their futures in mind. I remember a girl I caned for bullying—she got six of the best, and years later, she became a nurse, thanking me for teaching her compassion. That said, I’m glad schools have moved on—new methods suit new times. But I’ll always believe in clear boundaries, however they’re set, to help young women shine.

TBC (Please comment here or on X)