Parents’ anger over April Fool crime scene

Staff at St Helen’s CE Primary School in Hemsworth staged a mock major incident – including setting up a forensic tent in the school playground – on Tuesday as part of a creative writing project.

But parents claim they weren’t told about the event and feared a crime had actually taken place when they arrived with their children.

Mum Nicola Norbury, whose six-year-old twin sons Bradley and Kaylum recently witnessed a fatal motorcycle crash outside the family home, said Bradley was in tears when he arrived at school and saw the tent.

Mrs Norbury, of Ashfield Road, Hemsworth, said: “I am quite disgusted by what the school has done.

“The school knows what effect it had on them. Bradley was just starting to get over it but anything out of the norm affects him and when he saw the police tape it brought it all back.

Theresa Barber’s son Luke, six, is in year two and other son Harry, three, attends the school’s nursery.

She said: “I know it was an April Fools’ Day event, but I still think it’s a bit sick to be honest. The school should at least have let us know in advance.”

The school said the event was organised to give youngsters the chance to try out journalism and creative writing.

Sue Henderson, headteacher, said the event was a success and apologised for any distress caused.

She said: “From comments we have received we understand that some parents may have been a bit upset by our ‘special event’ and we apologise for that.

“It was not our intention to cause distress. The plan was to surprise the children and encourage them to think on their feet through posing questions to adults in role and then to write a newspaper report.

“We believe that we have delivered our expectations for the children but unfortunately this has caused distress to some parents, and once again we apologise for that.”

See this week’s Express for the full story.