Primary school children have been banned from bringing in
cake to celebrate their birthdays as teachers are too busy to check for
allergies.
Sugary treats brought in by pupils will be sent home uneaten
by Norbreck Primary Academy in Blackpool, Lancashire, because teachers don't
have the time to check whether they are suitable for all youngsters to eat.
The school's head teacher Karen McCarter said she 'hates to
be a killjoy' but due to 'modern society' couldn't take the risk of giving
children something they might be allergic to.
Mrs McCarter said: 'As we are not able to account for the
ingredients, we could unknowingly give a product to a child which they are
allergic to.
'Even if we had a list of ingredients, in a busy school day
it is too much to expect teachers to read it and decide who can and cannot eat
the product.
'Sharing cake for a birthday is a lovely thing to do.
However, all children are made to feel special when it's their birthday and the
teachers ensure all birthdays are remembered and celebrated.
'Cake is something to share outside of school with family or
with friends at a party.
Mrs McCarter also said that ten of the school's approximate
610 pupils who suffered from allergies were feeling 'left out' and said it was
impossible to tell if kitchens at home were hygienic, adding it also went
against the school's healthy eating initiatives.
She said the decision to ban the treats from classrooms came
after seeing teachers struggle to slice cakes big enough for a class of 30, as
well as clean up the mess left behind.
The school said pupils bringing cakes to share with
classmates had become a recent phenomenon, but was disrupting an already busy
school schedule due to it becoming an increasingly popular ritual.
However parents slammed the school, saying the measures were
'over the top' despite Mrs McCarter being backed by Councillors.
Nicola Mealor, who is mum to seven-year-old Tyler Wallace,
said: 'It's a bit over the top. Usually I send Tyler in with a cake on his
birthday but they always said it shouldn't have nuts in. I didn't know about
this but it's a bit sad.
Another parent, who didn't wish to be named, said: 'Some
things you just think, "Really?
If children are at school on their birthday they should be
able to take a cake in to share it, but then again some people see this as a
good thing.
The school had previously banned glass bottles, aluminium
cans and cash, but Mrs McCarter denied being over protective of the children.
She said: 'We are not a school which makes decisions that
over-protect children, we are a school which makes sensible decisions to keep
children safe.
'I am certain parents would not want their children to
attend a school where glass bottles and cans are on site. Children don't bring
money because they don't need it.
Mayor of Blackpool Peter Callow said: 'I'm sure there will
be people in the town who will think it's over-cautious, but the teachers are
the people on the front line and the decision is theirs.
Councillor Tony Williams said: 'To be left out because you
are allergic is a little bit cruel.
'I understand why the school is doing this because it's very
difficult to take cake to school to share and not leave children feeling left
out.
'I have never known it to be a problem anywhere else but if
the school has children who are allergic then it's common sense.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said while there was no
legal requirement for cake being brought by pupils into class to display
allergen ingredients, it was 'good practice to do so'.
A spokesman for the FSA said: 'As part of their duty of care
to children, schools will of course want to ensure pupils with food allergies
or intolerances are kept safe.
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