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| ‘We felt we had no option’: school trips halted over terror fears | ‘We felt we had no option’: school trips halted over terror fears |
| (6 months later) | |
| Karen Glaser | |
| Tue 1 Aug 2017 07.15 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 22 Jan 2018 14.59 GMT | |
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| ‘Imagine if something terrible happened, and it transpired that we’d ignored professional information,” says Zafar Ali. The chair of governors is explaining why his school reluctantly cancelled a trip to London in June. “The Metropolitan police assessed the situation at the time as high risk, so we felt we had no option,” he explains. Ali pulled the plug on this particular trip with a heavy heart, though. For this wasn’t a regular school outing: his school, Iqra primary, a Muslim faith school in Slough, had signed up for a joint two-day project with a Jewish school. The trip had been organised by the Beit Project, which brings together pupils from different cultures and schools in London to learn about the urban heritage of their city. It was a rare opportunity for Muslim and Jewish children to meet. | ‘Imagine if something terrible happened, and it transpired that we’d ignored professional information,” says Zafar Ali. The chair of governors is explaining why his school reluctantly cancelled a trip to London in June. “The Metropolitan police assessed the situation at the time as high risk, so we felt we had no option,” he explains. Ali pulled the plug on this particular trip with a heavy heart, though. For this wasn’t a regular school outing: his school, Iqra primary, a Muslim faith school in Slough, had signed up for a joint two-day project with a Jewish school. The trip had been organised by the Beit Project, which brings together pupils from different cultures and schools in London to learn about the urban heritage of their city. It was a rare opportunity for Muslim and Jewish children to meet. |
| Ali says some parents told him they would not have sent their children on the day anyway. They were frightened by the terror attacks in Westminster, London Bridge and Finsbury Park. “They were worried about terrorism and they also were scared of Islamophobic attacks,” he says. | Ali says some parents told him they would not have sent their children on the day anyway. They were frightened by the terror attacks in Westminster, London Bridge and Finsbury Park. “They were worried about terrorism and they also were scared of Islamophobic attacks,” he says. |
| Over in Hackney, east London, the interim head at Simon Marks Jewish primary school, Lisa Campbell, whose school was the partner for the trip, was feeling similarly regretful. “The Beit Project is so valuable because it breaks down misconceptions,” she says. “It teaches pupils that whatever their cultural differences, they’re all children. You cannot really learn that lesson in the classroom - you need to actually meet that other child.” | Over in Hackney, east London, the interim head at Simon Marks Jewish primary school, Lisa Campbell, whose school was the partner for the trip, was feeling similarly regretful. “The Beit Project is so valuable because it breaks down misconceptions,” she says. “It teaches pupils that whatever their cultural differences, they’re all children. You cannot really learn that lesson in the classroom - you need to actually meet that other child.” |
| But ensuring her pupils’ physical safety had, she said, to be her top priority. “After the London Bridge atrocity, we decided to cancel trips for the rest of this term. The risk to the children was simply deemed too great.” | But ensuring her pupils’ physical safety had, she said, to be her top priority. “After the London Bridge atrocity, we decided to cancel trips for the rest of this term. The risk to the children was simply deemed too great.” |
| Pupils’ peace of mind was also a consideration. “They learn about terrorism through the media, and it worries them – it comes out in the playground and during lessons,” she says. “When they go on trips we want our children to be 100% engaged. Education should be about relieving anxiety, not producing it.” | Pupils’ peace of mind was also a consideration. “They learn about terrorism through the media, and it worries them – it comes out in the playground and during lessons,” she says. “When they go on trips we want our children to be 100% engaged. Education should be about relieving anxiety, not producing it.” |
| Charities that arrange such projects are worried about the number of schools cancelling. Education Guardian spoke to six other schools that had cancelled similar trips in the past month, whose heads did not want to talk openly about their decision. But one explained: “When the children are on a trip it’s my staff, not me, who assume parental responsibility. And in the current climate, that’s a big ask of teachers.” | Charities that arrange such projects are worried about the number of schools cancelling. Education Guardian spoke to six other schools that had cancelled similar trips in the past month, whose heads did not want to talk openly about their decision. But one explained: “When the children are on a trip it’s my staff, not me, who assume parental responsibility. And in the current climate, that’s a big ask of teachers.” |
| Tom Franklin, of the Citizenship Foundation, says he is sympathetic to the dilemma heads face, but urges them to persevere with such cultural programmes. “These trips get kids out of their bubbles,” he says. “They help provide a rounded education, and in this country we now need that more than ever.” | Tom Franklin, of the Citizenship Foundation, says he is sympathetic to the dilemma heads face, but urges them to persevere with such cultural programmes. “These trips get kids out of their bubbles,” he says. “They help provide a rounded education, and in this country we now need that more than ever.” |
| Rachel Burns, Beit Project education manager, says: “Our urban heritage workshops are an opportunity for children to learn about London’s past with kids who share their city but who they almost certainly never would otherwise have met: private and state school kids; Jewish and Muslim pupils; and disabled and able-bodied youngsters. I completely understand schools’ agony, but isn’t it sad that just when local programmes like ours are most needed, they become hardest to execute. If schools don’t feel able to carve out time for trips because staff and parents are, however understandably, nervous, then what, actually, is the point of these children living in London? Faith school pupils won’t meet kids from outside their communities, and some children won’t get to see life outside their estates.” | Rachel Burns, Beit Project education manager, says: “Our urban heritage workshops are an opportunity for children to learn about London’s past with kids who share their city but who they almost certainly never would otherwise have met: private and state school kids; Jewish and Muslim pupils; and disabled and able-bodied youngsters. I completely understand schools’ agony, but isn’t it sad that just when local programmes like ours are most needed, they become hardest to execute. If schools don’t feel able to carve out time for trips because staff and parents are, however understandably, nervous, then what, actually, is the point of these children living in London? Faith school pupils won’t meet kids from outside their communities, and some children won’t get to see life outside their estates.” |
| It’s not only an issue in urban centres, or for schools attending community outreach projects. Paul Cox is headteacher at Dallington Church of England primary in rural East Sussex, and this summer term was to be the school’s third visit to London. But after a meeting about the proposed trip, attended by all 116 pupils’ parents bar two, one of whom emailed Cox her views, the school decided not to go ahead. “The vote was unanimous. Many of our youngsters are from farming families and their parents are already nervous of London. After the Ariana Grande concert atrocity, which specifically targeted children, they were palpably so.” | It’s not only an issue in urban centres, or for schools attending community outreach projects. Paul Cox is headteacher at Dallington Church of England primary in rural East Sussex, and this summer term was to be the school’s third visit to London. But after a meeting about the proposed trip, attended by all 116 pupils’ parents bar two, one of whom emailed Cox her views, the school decided not to go ahead. “The vote was unanimous. Many of our youngsters are from farming families and their parents are already nervous of London. After the Ariana Grande concert atrocity, which specifically targeted children, they were palpably so.” |
| Although he feels sure the school took the right decision – “we would have had panicky kids, even more nervous staff and parents glued to news channels all day” – Cox does not underestimate the trade-off. “We are a white, middle-class and culturally stunted school. It scares me that some of our kids haven’t even been to Brighton, which is down the road. A trip to London shows them street scenes and faces they just don’t otherwise see.” | Although he feels sure the school took the right decision – “we would have had panicky kids, even more nervous staff and parents glued to news channels all day” – Cox does not underestimate the trade-off. “We are a white, middle-class and culturally stunted school. It scares me that some of our kids haven’t even been to Brighton, which is down the road. A trip to London shows them street scenes and faces they just don’t otherwise see.” |
| For Patricia Opalko, head of St Edmund Campion Catholic primary school, in Maidenhead, cultural trips are hugely important. “After the attacks, we cancelled a school council visit to parliament because Westminster could be a terrorist target. But we went ahead with theatre trips to see Matilda and The Lion King in London – you simply don’t get that quality of musical in Maidenhead, and I didn’t want the kids to miss out.” | For Patricia Opalko, head of St Edmund Campion Catholic primary school, in Maidenhead, cultural trips are hugely important. “After the attacks, we cancelled a school council visit to parliament because Westminster could be a terrorist target. But we went ahead with theatre trips to see Matilda and The Lion King in London – you simply don’t get that quality of musical in Maidenhead, and I didn’t want the kids to miss out.” |
| Venetia Wolfenden is education manager at Open City, an architecture organisation whose education programmes encourage youngsters to explore the capital through its buildings. “Many young Londoners do not go outside their local neighbourhoods, and some have never even seen the river Thames,” she says. “On our outdoor workshops they get to see parts of the city they’ve never visited and to meet architects and artists they’d never otherwise have met. Schools tell us again and again that the experience has encouraged kids to study art at GCSE and beyond.” | Venetia Wolfenden is education manager at Open City, an architecture organisation whose education programmes encourage youngsters to explore the capital through its buildings. “Many young Londoners do not go outside their local neighbourhoods, and some have never even seen the river Thames,” she says. “On our outdoor workshops they get to see parts of the city they’ve never visited and to meet architects and artists they’d never otherwise have met. Schools tell us again and again that the experience has encouraged kids to study art at GCSE and beyond.” |
| However, in the week after the London Bridge attack, half the schools on Open City’s list cancelled their trips. “In most cases, parents were just too worried and that puts schools in an unenviable position. If they press ahead with the trip, they still have to look after those kids whose parents opted out. And national education cuts mean providing that cover is very difficult.” | However, in the week after the London Bridge attack, half the schools on Open City’s list cancelled their trips. “In most cases, parents were just too worried and that puts schools in an unenviable position. If they press ahead with the trip, they still have to look after those kids whose parents opted out. And national education cuts mean providing that cover is very difficult.” |
| Julian Morant, head of Christ Church primary school, in Brick Lane, east London, found himself in that unenviable position last month. “Our proximity to the City means we are constantly mindful of the possibility of an attack – we always have contingency plans in place on our school trips. But after London Bridge, staff and parents decided that the risk was too great, and so I cancelled our Open City workshop.” | Julian Morant, head of Christ Church primary school, in Brick Lane, east London, found himself in that unenviable position last month. “Our proximity to the City means we are constantly mindful of the possibility of an attack – we always have contingency plans in place on our school trips. But after London Bridge, staff and parents decided that the risk was too great, and so I cancelled our Open City workshop.” |
| Franklin urges schools to listen to advice but to keep the risks in perspective. “I say to schools: do carry out your risk assessments but then manage that risk.” He lists some precautions that can be taken: avoiding main roads where a vehicle could career into people; ensuring teachers are familiar with the latest guidance in the event of an incident; ensuring buildings have clear exit points should people need to get out quickly. Risk is part of life, he says, and all that we can do is try to reduce it: eliminating it entirely means staying in bed. | Franklin urges schools to listen to advice but to keep the risks in perspective. “I say to schools: do carry out your risk assessments but then manage that risk.” He lists some precautions that can be taken: avoiding main roads where a vehicle could career into people; ensuring teachers are familiar with the latest guidance in the event of an incident; ensuring buildings have clear exit points should people need to get out quickly. Risk is part of life, he says, and all that we can do is try to reduce it: eliminating it entirely means staying in bed. |
| Hollie McNish | |
| School trips | |
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