Yahoo News Primary school pupils as young as eight ‘re-enacting Love Island in the playground'
A shocked head teacher has written to parents after pupils as young as eight were reportedly found acting out scenes from Love Island in the school playground.
Aled Rees sent out the letter after discovering Year 4 children at Teilo Sant school in Llandeilo, Wales, were secretly watching the hit ITV show - and were seen pairing together at break times.
Mr Rees said he was alarmed how the pupils were also seen "rating each other based on their looks to see who would be the best match".
He has has now sent a letter to parents in the 220-pupil school to say the contestants were "no role models for our children."
The letter said: "I am of the opinion that primary school pupils aren't mature enough to watch a programme of this nature where a person's appearance is more important than their personality."
Mr Rees said the school had a "number of concerns" about children watching Love Island - and that the youngsters were getting upset by name calling during the game.
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He said: "Firstly the show doesn't air until 9pm and some of them were watching it at that time.
"Others were watching it on catch up and it was the content that was the issue in as much as it was impacting then on their behaviour in school.
"There was inappropriate language, name calling based on the looks of other individuals and they were playing a game where they were pairing individuals together based on their looks."
Mr Rees said pupils admitted watching the programme - and said they were replicating what they had seen.
He added: "As a school we need to inform parents that sometimes what the children do outside the school impacts on their behaviour in school.
"We are the ones then that have to pick up the pieces.
"When we have seen pupils that are upset by the name calling and the games that have spawned from the programme then I think we can stand by our decision.”
Simone, a parent to two daughters aged eight and 10 at the school, said she supported the letter.
She said: "It is something we have said to the children - it is not appropriate for them to watch. It has an adult theme."
Another mum said: "Although it's not as explicit as come people think it is, it can be very suggestive."
Love Island airs at 9pm on ITV2 and shows a string of young singles looking for love in Majorca.
The winning couple voted for by the public then scoop a £50,000 prize.
