A primary school in the north of England lacking the “Blitz spirit” has angered parents by cancelling its plans for an educational pre-Christmas school trip to London out of concerns that pupils were at risk of terrorism.
This week nine and 10-year-old children from St James’ Church of England Academy in Hull were meant to be visiting London on a sight-seeing school trip. However, following a risk assessment and the decision of eight parents to withdraw their children from the planned visit, it was decided the pupils would be safer at home, reports The Express.
The decision to cancel the Year Five expedition, taken jointly between headteacher Jane Daniels and executive principal Andrew Chubb, has come under fire from local residents.
Referring to the fact that the school’s home city was, with some 95 per cent of houses affected, the most severely damaged British city or town outside London during the Second World War, Jerry Smith, 43, said:
“Where is our once-famous Blitz spirit? How ridiculous that this school has reacted in exactly the way the terrorists want them to. To be honest I think schoolchildren from London would be more in danger visiting Hull than the other way round.”
Mr Chubb confirmed the school planned to postpone the trip to a date later next year at “a more stable time,” adding:
“It’s very disappointing that we have decided to postpone the trip because it would have been a good learning opportunity for the young people. But our primary concern is for the safety of the young people in our care, and that’s our first priority.”
Fellow Hull resident Patrick Newman added:
“How pathetic – there is a higher chance they could catch Ebola than be victims of terrorism. How does this Executive Principal – whatever that is – imagine the eight million people living in London get by?”