Telford headteacher apologises for letter to parents saying after-school clubs prevent extremism, radicalisation and grooming

Sian Deane said she apologised "unreservedly" for the wording of the letter, which was sent home with pupils of Holmer Lake Primary School in Brookside, Telford.

She said she would write to parents to apologise.

The letter provided details of newly-launched after-school clubs, including art club, outdoor fun and games and cooking club.

It asked that all children were signed up to at least one after-school club as "children who do not have a sense of belonging are more likely to to be groomed into becoming involved in child sexual exploitation, radicalisation, extremism and other types of crime".

Parents reacted angrily and a copy of the letter was posted on social media, where it attracted further criticism.

Mrs Deane said: "I apologise unreservedly for the wording in the letter.

"I accept that it was inappropriate and badly judged and I will be writing to those parents that received the letter to apologise."

One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "If you read the letter and see it as a whole, which it is, and don't use your intelligence, it is basically saying your children are vulnerable to extremists if you don't send them to clubs.

"It was not in an envelope and it uses wording like sexual exploitation and grooming – all words my child was able to read.

"Then you've got a child asking questions about these words that you have to explain."

The parent said he had since been in for a meeting with the headmistress, where she had apologised for the wording of the letter and that it was not put in an envelope.