Primary school embroiled in Palestine row may be forced to close

A second school accused of Islamophobia may be forced to close its doors over its headteacher’s decision to ban children from wearing pro-Palestinian badges, The Telegraph can reveal.

Barclay Primary School in Leyton, east London, sent a letter to parents warning that it may have to “revert to online learning” if the safety of children and staff cannot be guaranteed after it had received bomb threats over the policy.

It comes after Katharine Birbalsingh, the head of Michaela Community School in Brent, north-west London, was forced to close for Christmas two days early after hoax claims that bombs had been placed on the premises following a decision to impose a “prayer ban”.

Glass bottles were tossed over the railings and a brick was thrown through one teacher’s window, leaving staff “fearing for their lives”. The school is facing a High Court challenge from a Muslim pupil.

Protests at Barclay Primary were triggered on Dec 21 after a TikTok video alleging that an eight-year-old pupil was being bullied by teachers for being Palestinian went viral.

The protests forced the school to shut two days early at the end of last term because of “escalating threats against staff” caused by “malicious fabrications”. The video was viewed more than 250,000 times.

The backlash has continued into the new year, with police officers stationed at the school amid “allegations of anti-Muslim prejudice and Islamophobia towards staff members”.

In a letter seen by The Telegraph, Lion Academy Trust, which runs Barclay Primary School, wrote to all parents on Jan 10, warning that measures were being taken “to secure the school for the benefit of children and staff” amid “despicable threats”.

It said that over the Christmas period, “a serious threat was received in writing” and shared with police, and that on Jan 9, an anonymous caller “made a series of racial slurs and a further threat to commit criminal damage (arson) against the school and to individual staff”.

Among the measures being taken are hiring private security, securing additional support from the Metropolitan Police, closing the main reception and installing CCTV.

The letter added that “further measures” are being considered if “this situation does not revert to a normal mode of operation” or if “the safety of children or staff cannot be assured”. This means that officials will “close the school and revert to online learning for as long as we believe it is necessary”.

It concluded: “This is the option of last resort – but please be aware that, should staff continue to be threatened, then we will have no option but to close the school.

“Additionally, if any parent or individual is proven to be involved in instigating this campaign against the school, via their actions online or in-person, we will act to ban those individuals from attending the site(s).”

On Jan 8, Justin James, the executive head teacher of Barclay Primary School, had written to parents saying that no evidence to support any allegations of bullying or misconduct had been found through either an external or internal investigation.

“Staff have been subject to a severe degree of misconduct and harassment, which now forms the basis of a series of criminal investigations that are currently taking place,” he wrote.

‘Staff are being intimidated’

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a concerned staff member at the school said: “Barclay Primary School is currently being targeted by a group of parents who are pushing a political agenda and accusations of Islamophobia by not adhering to the school’s uniform policy.

“Staff are being intimidated, bullied, abused, threatened and confronted as a result of misinformation and manipulation of the trust for this agenda.

“The bomb threat that was made during the Christmas holidayled to the police being at the school in January for the first week of school, with more anxiety for staff. This has been further escalated by a recent arson threat and severe threats of violence and abuse of staff over the past weeks.

“I personally am scared for my safety and all staff within the school. I am shocked that this is happening to a primary school. I chose to work at this school because it is one of the best in the country and I value its dedication and hard work. What has been happening is unacceptable for the staff and children – no school should be subjected to this.”

The source said the trust was forced to send the letter to parents “due to alarming threats of bomb attacks, arson and the continued severe intimidation and racial allegations of anti-Muslim prejudice and Islamophobia towards staff members”.

Before Christmas, masked men had climbed the school’s fence at night to hang Palestinian flags around its perimeter and protesters gathered outside the school chanting: “Barclay, shame on you” and “education is under attack”.

The school had asked parents to stop sending their children to the school wearing any items alluding to political allegiance.

The member of staff said: “These threats were the result of the pro-Palestinian protest held outside the school on Dec 21, which then gathered worldwide media attention and viral TikTok videos shared to shame staff and the school.

“The behaviour of the community in sharing false and malicious information online has directly led to threats of violence, severe harassment, harsh and unjustified allegations and staff not feeling safe at work.”

Barclay Primary School and Lion Academy Trust declined to comment.