Primary school pupils were left in tears after their headteacher cancelled their Christmas party – as punishment for rude graffiti daubed in the girls’ toilets.
Headteacher Hilary Walton made the decision after no one admitted responsibility for scrawling ”gutter language” in 12-inch high letters in a toilet cubicle on Wednesday.
She cancelled the Christmas party for all pupils from the Key Stage Two year groups – aged between seven and 11 at Redland Primary School in Chippenham, Wilts.
One parent, who did not wish to be named, slammed the decision as ”cruel”.
She said: ”I’ve never seen so many children crying at 3pm.
”To cancel Christmas just the day before is brutal. Why not cancel the school disco planned in February?”
But headteacher Mrs Walton stood by her actions – despite admitting innocent pupils would be punished for something they were not responsible for.
In a letter to parents, she wrote: ”This morning, in one of the KS2 toilet cubicles, a foul, disgusting and gutter language word was found scrawled in 12 inch high letters.
”I have been extremely pleased and impressed that many parents and our school governors have endorsed and supported this action.
”It is a shame that the innocent and exceptionally well behaved pupils will be affected, but we cannot condone this type of behaviour and therefore we felt we had to adopt a strong line.”
She was supported by dad John Dundas, who added: ”We can’t just let this behaviour stand.
”The children responsible were given an opportunity to come forward and didn’t.
”It’s firm but fair and hopefully the children will have learned that that kind of behaviour isn’t acceptable.”
Chair of governors Nigel Burtt, whose children go to the school, also backed the decision.
He said: ”I’ve never come across anything like this at the school and the head and teachers decided to set a precedent that this behaviour was unacceptable.”