Borrowing games at lunchtime

These original practice texts describe two fictional school projects.

Text One: An account of an equipment-loan scheme at Elmtree School

At Elmtree School, pupil helpers run an equipment shed beside the playground. They write down each borrower's name and item, then place returned equipment in a tray so that it can be checked before being lent again.

At first, a few groups kept the footballs for the whole lunch break while other pupils waited. The helpers introduced ten-minute sand timers and waiting cards, which allowed more groups to have a turn.

The loan sheet suggested that footballs were the most popular equipment. However, some classrooms already had their own skipping ropes, so pupils did not need to borrow these from the shed. Staff therefore considered suggestion slips as well as the loan figures when deciding what to buy. Damaged equipment was removed until it could be replaced.

Text Two: A report on an equipment-loan scheme at Cwm Vale School

Cwm Vale School uses a mobile trolley that visits two playgrounds. Borrowers hand over a class token, and pupil helpers record when each item is returned.

Originally, the trolley always visited the older pupils' playground first. By the time it reached the younger pupils, some popular items had gone. The school now changes which playground is visited first and limits each pair of pupils to one item on busy days.

The records show that indoor games are borrowed more often on wet days, while bats and beanbags are chosen more often in dry weather. The organiser says that these figures reflect the conditions and do not prove what pupils always prefer. Pupils can also report damaged equipment and request new items, although the school cannot afford every suggestion.

Synthesise what you learn from both texts about running lunchtime equipment-loan schemes.