See Why This Primary School Banned its Pupils From Bringing Birthday Cakes to School

Primary school children at the Norbreck Primary Academy in Blackpool, Lancashire, UK have reportedly been banned from bringing birthday cakes to school to celebrate with their peers as their teachers are too busy to check for allergies. Sugary treats brought in by pupils will also be sent home uneaten because teachers don’t have the time to check whether they are suitable for all the pupils to eat or not.

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According to DailyMail, 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. She 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.’

She also said that 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, adding that the increasingly popular ritual was disrupting an already busy school schedule, besides, it was impossible to tell if kitchens at home were hygienic, and it’s also against the school’s healthy eating initiatives.

Parents have however slammed the school, saying the measures were outrageous.

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A mum, Nicola Mealor, whose seven-year-old son attends the school, 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. Each to their own.’