School that ruined 'Santa Claus' story for pupils changes curriculum
Last updated at 00:01am on 23rd November 2006

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Schoolchildren were mortified to know Santa Claus was not real
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* NEWS HOMEPAGE

A school where pupils went home in tears after being told Father Christmas does not exist has been forced to change its curriculum so the blunder is not made again.

Teacher Jane Woodley left pupils in tears by telling them Santa Claus is not real.

She was teaching the class of nine year olds how Christmas is celebrated across the world and talking about the Muslim festival of Eid, when she made the gaffe.

Parents said the teacher also told the Year 5 class at Calcot Junior School in Berkshire that Santa Claus's reindeer Rudolph was a cartoon character.

Pupils left the school with their dreams destroyed of Father Christmas delivering their presents next month.

Their angry parents say Mrs Woodley, who has taught for 28 years, has "ruined" Christmas.

The small school, which has 240 pupils, is revising their policy on telling children about Santa Claus so a teacher does not let slip again.

A governor at the school, who did not want to be named, said: "It's not just Father Christmas that's the problem. We also have issues with things like the Tooth Fairy.

"From now on when a child asks a teacher if Father Christmas exists the teacher should say: 'I'm not sure. Go home and ask your parents'."

Mrs Woodley, who leads the school's board game club, is believed to have broken the news to the nine and ten year olds last Thursday.

She had a meeting with parents of her pupils on Tuesday night to discuss what happened.

Mel Barefield, whose son was in the lesson, said: "The first I heard of it was when my son Scott came home and said: 'Right, mum, that's it. I know that Father Christmas doesn't exist.'

"The teacher had said to them that Father Christmas wasn't real, Rudolph was a cartoon character and that Christmas trees come from Germany.

"When I approached Mrs Woodley about it she was standing there grinning from ear to ear. She was so flippant about it."

Tracy Crewe said Christmas would now be "difficult" for her nine-year-old daughter Olivia.

Mother Jan Smith said: "It seems the children were upset and could not believe what they heard. I am sure Jane feels a little bit guilty."

Chairman of the board of Governors at Calcot Junior School Colin Lee, 70, said: "There was a meeting between parents and the teacher involved. We will be discussing it at the next governor's meeting."

A spokesman for West Berkshire Council said: "Our understanding is that the teacher didn't say Father Christmas doesn't exist.

"She pointed out that Christmas is celebrated in many countries, and not all have snow. So poems that talk about Santa on a sleigh may not apply in some places.

"This seems to have been misconstrued by some of the children."

Mrs Woodley was unavailable for comment last night.

News of the blunder comes as a poll for Reader’s Digest shows 89 per cent of British adults were told lies by their parents when they were young.

The first and second most-told fibs were about the existence of Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy.