Outcry at parents ban

New security measures which ban parents from dropping off children in the playground at the Rugeley school where pupils were fired at with ball-bearing guns have sparked an angry backlash.

Parents have flooded the Express & Star website with reaction to Etching Hill Primary School's new rule which means youngsters must be left at the gate.

The school hit the headlines in March when 17 children were shot at on the playground by four 12-year-olds.

Headteacher Jenny Dodd argues the new move increases security and ensures pupils are learning as soon as it hits 8.50am.

Parent Donna Taylor, whose daughters are at the school, first spoke out about the issue but a dozen more have now criticised the rule.

But Mrs Dodd said: "A small minority of concerned parents wrote to me at the end of last term and I rang them and we agreed they would give it a go. I believe most schools in the country follow this system."

She said: "Obviously a school's core purpose is for children to learn and before we introduced this a lot of parents were taking up teacher's time and affecting the school day.

"The safety of the children is of paramount importance. Before, for those children who didn't have adults with them it was very intimidating for them to be on the playground."

But one angry parent who does not wish to be named said: "I find it difficult to understand that we as parents are 'barred' from entering the school, having to get the security guard on the gate to write down any notes to the teacher.

They added: "Whilst I agree that security and safety of our children is paramount – who is responsible for those children left on the playground at 8.45am. Is it not better that parents are around – each watching theirs and their friends children – is this not the highest level of security."