A primary school has been accused of creating ‘rich and poor zones’ in the playground after stopping children playing with sports equipment if they hadn’t paid for it.
Wednesbury Oak Academy, in Tipton, West Midlands, launched a ‘no pay, no play’ policy last week after asking parents to fork out for a voluntary £6 donation per child to purchase equipment to use at lunchtime.
But when the scheme was put in place, children of parents who had not coughed up were separated from those who had, sparking a furious reaction from mothers and fathers, who have now launched a petition to stop the scheme.
Wednesbury Oak Academy has been accused of creating ‘rich and poor zones’ in the playground after stopping children playing with sports equipment if they hadn’t paid for it
Headteacher Maria Bull defended the move and even claimed she nearly called the police after receiving multiple threats from angry parents, reports the Mirror.
She said: ‘Parents have behaved in a highly threatening manner on Facebook, telling me ‘I need a good slapping’. This is not the way to behave.
‘We have systems in place where parents can come and address their concerns. I am on the verge of calling the police.’
Ms Bull claims the school, which according to Ofsted has a higher proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals than average, did not have any parents who could not afford the £6 and even claimed they had eight months to pay.
Adding that buying the equipment was the school’s parent council’s idea, she said: ‘I would prefer children made up their own games in the playground.’
It is understood three of the five parents on the council have resigned in protest at the segregation.
Headteacher Maria Bull defended the move and even revealed she had nearly called the police in after receiving threats from parents
The academy was rated as ‘Outstanding’ at its latest Ofsted inspection and of the 450 pupils, 50 parents are said to have paid the £6.
The headteacher revealed the cash had been spent on a football, a rugby ball, a slinky, two skipping ropes and tennis balls.
At lunchtimes, when it comes time to play, the children of parents who have paid are taken onto the grass where a member of staff organises a game using the exclusive equipment.
A staff member armed with a clipboard stands guard to check off names of those that have paid.
Ms Bull said a ‘couple of times’ a week the children are allowed to invite a friend along whose parents had not paid.
Angela Moore launched a petition saying parents were ‘disgusted’ by the scheme.
Parents have reacted with fury after a school ‘segregated’ children based on whose parents had paid extra money for playground sports equipment (file photo)
She wrote: ‘The playground was separated into groups of ‘paid’ and ‘unpaid’ students.
‘This has caused outright disgust from children, parents, grandparents, staff and such like.
‘The parents that have paid and parents that haven’t are totally against the separation of the children as this can cause upset, bullying and social exclusion amongst other things.
‘We therefore request the ‘scheme’ to be discontinued as its just not something that any of us wish to be associated with.’
As of January 10, 1,168 had signed the petition.
Labour MP for West Bromwich Adrian Bailey blamed the incident on funding cuts.