Primary school accused of leaving kids 'traumatised' with fake murder scene

Primary school pupils were left “traumatised” by a class project involving a fake murder scene complete with ketchup ‘blood’.

Fuming parents complained their children had been unable to sleep as a result of the crime scene investigation activity.

Children as young as five arrived to find their classroom sealed off with police tape surrounding the chalk outline of a body.

Teachers, dressed in white forensic coats, told pupils the classroom was a “crime scene” and showed the youngsters blood splatters created by tomato sauce.

An actual police officer also attended and instructed pupils how to take fingerprints of the criminal which had been left on their desks using flour.

Teachers at Brooke Hill Academy, in Oakham, Leicestershire, held the mock-up ‘murder’ as part of a project on 1999 classic kids book Funny Bones.

The chalk outline of a body – which was created using white tape – showed the victim with only one foot.

Pupils at the school – rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted – were told one of the characters had had his foot stolen and were instructed to use the clues around the classroom to solve the crime.

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But despite some parents backing the lesson, which took place on Tuesday, others said it left some children “traumatised.”

Mum Jenny Scarth, 40, said: “I’m all for teachers doing something different and I think a crime scene was actually a good idea but I think the school went a bit too far.

“Having a chalk outline of a murder victim confronting the kids as soon as they enter the classroom along with blood was just too grisly.

“A friend of mine said her daughter, who already has trouble sleeping, woke up in tears the night after the lesson because she was scared.”

Another dad, who did not want to be named, added: “Kids are resilient but also quite susceptible to these kinds of images. The school should have turned it down a notch.

“I wouldn’t let my five-year-old watch a crime drama on TV which showed blood, the same should go for school. It was too much, these kinds of graphic scenes can traumatise some kids.”

Some parents have been supportive of the project however, saying it stopped lessons being “boring.”

Jamie Robertson, 34, said: “My daughter loved the visit from the police officer and she felt important and included in a fun activity. She won’t stop talking about it.”

Mum-of-three Joanne Glover, 41, added: “School can be a bit daunting and boring for some children, so I think this is a really positive way of getting kids involved. It gets them excited to go into school and find out the next part of the case.”

Headteacher Sharon Milner yesterday defended the lesson, and said: “We wanted to inspire children’s learning and give them a different way of learning. We are a very innovative and creative school, and immersing the pupils in this way gets them so excited to learn.

“The fake crime scene allows children to put themselves in the picture. It really excited them and gives them problem solving skills. The parents love it too, they are very enthusiastic and supportive.”