manchester

christmas

School Santa warnings withdrawn

NO LONGER DEEMED SCARY: Santa Claus

Advice for teachers on a Government website also said pantomimes can be too scary so fearful pupils should be seated near an exit.

Parents' groups condemned the advice which they said threatened to destroy the magic of Christmas.

The Government responded by pulling the advice off the website, denying it represented official policy.

The advice also said staff organising school Christmas parties should take care not arrange competitive games with winners and losers to avoid upsetting the children.

The website - www.teachernet.gov.uk - suggested schools try activities which do not leave children feeling they have "underperformed".

"Younger children in particular have a wide range of fears, many of which seem completely irrational to adults," the advice said.

"Many children dislike the dark or crowded rooms, so be sensitive to this if you are planning some atmospheric lighting.

'Terrifying'

"For very young children, Father Christmas can be terrifying, and if you are planning a visit from Santa, you'll need to make sure that fearful children are near an exit.

"Trips to the pantomime can cause alarm, so the same planning applies," it said.

The site had a link to a list of games which could be included in school parties, devised by the "progressive" youth movement, the Woodcraft Folk.

The advice continued: "Sometimes parties and organised games just reinforce differences and inequalities.

"The last thing you want is for children to get anxious or upset because they feel they have underperformed, or not been successful.

"If you do have games with winners, make sure that all children are given an opportunity to succeed where possible.

"If you have prizes, make sure there is also something small for everyone at some stage."

It continued: "There are dozens of non-competitive games which are sheer fun and can be simple (like having to say `sausages', whatever question you are asked) or more complex.

"`Catch-it-Drop-it', for example, involves one pupil tossing a ball to another while calling a command: the catcher must do the opposite of the command, i.e. drop if told to `catch'."

A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "We fully support the traditional British Christmas.

"This is not Government policy and was not produced by the department as the disclaimer on the site makes clear.

"We have now withdrawn it as it does not reflect our views."

But the department faced further embarrassment over other advice on the website saying children should give "experiences" instead of Christmas presents and stop sending cards to cut waste over the festive season.

Teachers should encourage children to send electronic Christmas cards and decorate re-usable plastic trees to help the environment, the advice said.

It suggests school assemblies end with a prayer asking God to help pupils "buy wisely" in the run-up to Christmas.

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