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England Regions Nottingham

Nottingham school
criticised a1er pupils
slam PM in lesson
By Samantha Noble & PA news agency
BBC News

1 day ago

GOOGLE

Pupils at Welbeck Primary School wrote a letter to their

local MP as part of a lesson

The education secretary says schools must not

tackle political issues in a "partisan" way a6er
pupils were asked to write a letter criticising the
prime minister during a lesson.

Pupils from Welbeck Primary School, in

Nottingham, said Boris Johnson was a hypocrite
and called for him to resign.

Its head teacher said children were "encouraged to

express their thoughts".

But Nadhim Zahawi said schools should not

encourage pupils "to pin their colours to a political
mast".

Head teacher Rebecca Gittins said Year 6 pupils

watched a BBC Newsround episode about Downing
Street and were asked to write to their MP to share
their views, in a lesson linked to the English
curriculum.

Referring to the report, which stated that Mr

Johnson was under investigation for 12 parties, the
letter says: "This will now influence people to not
listen to any new regulations and instead copy the
footsteps of Boris Johnson.

"He is a hypocrite and can no longer be trusted as

our leader and should resign as the country is not
in the right hands."

In images of the letter shared on social media, one

pupil wrote: "This week in Year 6 we have been
looking at our aspirations and role models for the
future."

"We have looked at famous leaders such as Nelson

Mandela and Barack Obama and we have also
looked at teachers and head teachers who are
doing their part in keeping us happy, healthy and
safe," it adds.

"We also looked at people who we respect and

disappointingly, our own Prime Minister has not
made it on to this list," the letter says.

PA MEDIA

Nadhim Zahawi said schools must not address political

issues in a "partisan" way

Head teacher Rebecca Gittins said: "There is no

'teaching' of politics. We explain processes and
structure, with the children encouraged to express
their thoughts."

She added displaying the work on Twitter received

five abusive responses, "which was really
disappointing" and a decision was taken to remove
the tweet.

Mr Zahawi said: "While there is a clear need for

schools to address political issues in the classroom
from time to time, this must not be done in a
partisan way.

"No school should be encouraging young people to

pin their colours to a political mast."

The news comes aUer the education secretary's

intervention over the teaching of "concerning"
theories around racism by Brighton and Hove
Council.

Slides from race training given to teachers in

Brighton and Hove schools, leaked to the Sunday
Telegraph, said that "between the ages of three and
five, children learn to attach value to skin colour:
white at the top of the hierarchy and black at the
bottom".

Mr Zahawi said his officials were in contact with the

council to investigate the materials.

Brendan Clarke-Smith, Conservative MP for Bassetlaw,

said lines had been crossed

David Mellen, Labour leader of Nottingham City

Council, said they were "supportive" of Welbeck
Primary School's work and "would never discourage
young people from engaging with local
representatives and politicians".

But Brendan Clarke-Smith, Conservative MP for

Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire, said the original
tweet contained "overtly political messages".

He added: "I think it is really important with

children we encourage them, we stretch them, we
debate and that's really healthy.

"I did that as a teacher and I'm a former head

myself, I get that, but I think a few lines have really
been crossed and I think it's gone into projecting
someone's personal political message."

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eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.

More on this story

Zahawi replaces Williamson as education

secretary

15 September 2021

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