Children are refusing to go to school after being separated from their classmates without prior warning, according to worried parents at Townfield Primary School in Prenton, Wirral. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 were suddenly informed that their classes would be reorganized into mixed Year 5 and 6 groups starting next year, sparking chaotic scenes and upset children leaving school in tears.
Parents Furious Over Communication Breakdown
The Rainbow Education Trust, which oversees the school, acknowledged that the communication of these major changes did not go to plan. One father, angered by his child's distress, attempted to confront the headteacher, knocking on her office window and calling her name. Police were called, and the school briefly went into lockdown. The father later apologized but was banned from the school premises for six months.
Since the incident, more parents have come forward to express their distress. One father revealed that pupils are refusing to go to school because they are being broken up from classes due to the school's financial issues. He said: "When the decision was made, kids were crying and upset and were just told to stop crying."
Children in Tears Over Last Year of Primary School
Another parent said: "There are so many unhappy parents and kids. Communication from the school was appalling. They literally had all day to send an email out. To be honest they have had weeks to prepare us and the children about this." The parent added that for many, this is about children entering their last year of primary school, the most important year with SATs, being separated with no warning from friends they have known for six years.
One mother said: "We definitely should have been told about these changes before our children were. There were some kids who walked home in tears because their parents were working and went to bed really upset, without their parents even knowing what was going on." She added: "I was at the school gates comforting children who were all crying. Then my own child came out crying. It was awful."
School Defends Decision Amid Declining Birth Rates
Gina Donaldson, chief executive of Rainbow Multi-Academy Trust, said the decision to mix the two year groups may not be traditional but is increasingly common due to declining birth rates. She noted that three of their other schools also have mixed year groups and are consistently in the top 7% nationally. Donaldson said: "However, our process for telling families about this did not quite go to plan, and we appreciate and accept that this contributed to emotions running high." She added that they have spoken with many parents and that attendance this week has been around 98%, significantly above national averages.
