'Nut free' school asks parents not to feed kids peanut butter at breakfast

11 October 2018, 15:12 | Updated: 11 October 2018, 16:33

A primary school has asked parents to avoid feeding their children anything nut-based for breakfast.

Parents have reacted with fury after being asked NOT to feed their children 'nut-based breakfasts'.

As awareness of allergies increase, schools across the UK are becoming nut-free in an attempt to ensure that pupils stay safe while in their care.

However, one school has gone as far as to ask parents to avoid feeding their children anything nut-based at HOME, before they leave.

Sacred Heart Primary School in Tipton, West Midlands, has urged families to be vigilant due to there being a pupil with a life-threatening allergy.

A child eating a peanut bagel. Picture: PA Images

The assistant headteacher wrote a letter to all parents asking them to avoid giving their youngsters the likes of Nutella, cereal bars, chocolate bars containing nuts, sesame seed rolls and peanut butter before coming into school.

They wrote: "If your child usually eats peanuts before coming to school, we would be grateful if this was also stopped, as cross-contamination can easily occur.

"There is a student in our school which has a severe food allergy to peanuts, traces of peanuts and all other nut types.

"It is important there is strict avoidance of this food in order to prevent a life-threatening allergic reaction."

"Whilst we know some children like to bring in chocolates for their classmates to celebrate their birthday we ask that they do not bring in chocolates, cakes, sweets or tins of chocolates that contain nuts e.g Celebrations, if they do they unfortunately these will not be handed out and the chocolates will be sent home unopened, which could lead to disappointment."

Parents are being urged not to give their children Nutella for breakfast. Picture: PA Images

However, the letter was met with some criticism, with one parent telling Metro that they thought things were going "too far".

The anonymous mum said: "‘It’s not a fair decision to all the children and parents who are already attending the school because we are used to our daily routines regarding snacks and lunches.

"‘The school has already banned crisps and chocolate during break time because of healthy eating, which is fine, so I give my children other snacks like muesli bars, fruit and nut packs and seeded bread for lunch.

"And they are now also saying that children should not eat nuts for breakfast?"

Stock image of a woman making her children peanut butter sandwiches. Picture: Getty

Many schools are increasingly becoming nut-free zones, with an allergy expert revealing that almost every school in the country now has at least one pupil with a nut allergy.

This is a shock comparison to the previous generation, when it would be much rarer to come across someone with such an allergy.