Scrooge teachers scrap school’s Christmas nativity play… because they are ‘too busy’

Bah Humbug teachers have scrapped a primary school’s Christmas play – because they are “too busy” to stage one.

Pupils at Heronswood Primary School, in Kidderminster, Worcs., have even been asked to write their own scripts if they want to stage a performance at the end of term.

Staff wrote to parents last week to inform them of the decision to axe this year’s play.

Parents yesterday slammed the school, which caters for 2007 pupils aged 4-11, for scrapping the annual performance – branding them “Christmas scrooges”.

Dad Glen Morris, 35, stormed: “The new headteacher has cancelled the year one two Christmas play.

“The letter says it is because they are too busy. My six-year-old son is gutted and I am fuming.”

Another parent added: “As a father-of-four, I was delighted to see three of my children perform in their own Christmas plays.

“My six-year-old was very upset and asked me if she had done something wrong.

“In the mind of most parents, the school are being Christmas scrooges. How can they be too busy to put on a play. I’ve never known of something so cruel.

“My daughter was in tears when she found out she wouldn’t be going on stage this year.”

Headteacher Matthew Ashcroft, who took over the school in September, has defended the decision, saying pupils were being allowed to “control” the festive celebrations.

He said: “It’s not being cancelled. Instead of a generic Christmas play due to take place on December 5, we are going to produce a celebration of Christmas through the eyes of our year ones and twos.

“This decision is about the children.

“We would like them to write their own play, stories, poetry and role plays.

“In order for the children to have control, we need to give them sufficient time to write their own scripts so we’re delaying it until later in December.”