A village school headteacher sparked fury after requesting all reference to Christmas be removed from a traditional festive pantomime being staged for young pupils.
Parents have slammed the decision not to include anything about the Christian celebration so the event can be ‘inclusive’ for children of all faiths.
A letter was sent to parents of 126 children at the Wherwell Primary School in Andover, Hampshire, from the head teacher informing them that there would be no reference to Christmas in a production of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’.
After a backlash from angry parents a new letter was sent out by the headteacher Mandy Ovenden this week explaining the school’s decision.
Mrs Ovenden said as the pantomime was not a Christmas event all children at the school should be able to attend – even those who parents usually stop them from attending anything that celebrates the festive season on religious grounds.
It said: ‘Discussion with the panto company revealed that Christmas songs were included in the performance.
‘We have a number of families who either do not celebrate Christmas or do so in a different way. The children of these families are removed from events such as this, at the request of their parents.
‘As this is not a Christmas event, but a pantomime, it can be enjoyed by everyone wit the changes we have requested.
‘We are keen that ALL of our children should enjoy the pantomime and for it to be a fully inclusive event, have removed Christmas songs from the production.
‘Children will continue to enjoy our usual Christmas events as we progress through the remainder of this term.’
But the decision to axe Christmas has angered parents.
One told MailOnline: ‘This shouldn’t be allowed. Christmas is celebrated all over the UK and the world, and you just can’t eradicate it so a few people will not be offended.
‘A pantomime is only ever held at Christmas, but it’s crazy that there can be no mention of the word.
Another said: ‘The head is wrong pandering to the whim of a small minority of parents.
‘She or the panto company should have said ‘no’. You cannot eradicate our history and culture.’
The traditional tale of Jack and the Beanstalk is being staged by Esđť‘ eđť‘Ą based Chaplins Pantos.
The company performs to over half a million school children every year with five actors taking part in the show.
A spokesman for Chaplins said they usually include references to Christmas in their shows – but were asked by Wherwell Primary School to remove them.
A spokesman said: ‘We don’t always mention Santa Claus, but there would usually include a Christmas song and there would be reference to Christmas. On this occasion the school asked us not to include any reference.
Wherwell Primary School makes a point of emphasising they follow British values on its website.
Those values are listed as the rule of law, democracy, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance for those if different faith and beliefs.
It says by following these children aged from five to 11 attending the primary school will develop ‘an understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law’.
It also maintains this will lead to ‘an acceptance that people having different faiths and beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated and should not be the cause of discriminatory behaviour.’
Whewell school was opened in 1929 to serve local villages, including Wherwell Chilbolton, Fullerton and Newton Stacey.
Many of its students now come from outside the catchment area and include Andover.
In her introduction letter on the school website the headteacher says children are always put first.
All staff here are committed to creating an environment that is positive and encourages every child to thrive emotionally, physically and academically. We are very proud of the fact that the experiences and opportunities that are on offer to all children at Wherwell School are incredible and without doubt, what makes this school a unique and very special place to learn.
A Wherwell Primary School spokesperson said: ‘We are very excited to be able to treat our pupils to a fully inclusive pantomime this year. As we do every year, we are also running a range of Christmas celebrations across the remainder of the term, ensuring that overall our planned schedule of events is well-balanced and reflects our whole school community.’