Young children have been playing a tag game called “the raping game” in the playground.

It is believed the shockingly-named activity was coined after a violent video game played by one of the pupils at Stanford Junior School.

The school confirmed the game had been taking place and the headteacher said she had spoken to children about the vile name.

It has now been called “the survival game” following the head’s intervention.

It is understood more than a dozen boys had been playing the “the raping game” for the past fortnight.

Headteacher Gina Hutchins said: “As soon as we found out that this inappropriate word was being used, we spoke to the children concerned and they now no longer use it.”

The game has been played mainly by boys in Year 5 at the school for the past two to three weeks.

It involves one person being ‘on’ and they have to catch others.

When they’ve caught one person, that person then also has to catch others, until only one is left uncaught and that person is the winner.

About 13 boys, aged nine and ten, played the game in the school playground in Stanford Road.

One concerned parent who contacted the Argus said: “I was horrified that my son had learnt that word.

“He is only nine. Thankfully he did not know what it meant but it was that horrible thought he might use it elsewhere.

“Most people assume children learn these words at home.” The parent added she did not blame the school, saying it is almost impossible to stop children bringing words into the playground.

They commended the headteacher for her swift actions in taking decisive action and stamping out the use of the word.

It is unsure what video game led to the naming of the game, but several on the market contain scenes of rape.

It follows another primary school which warned parents about their children playing age- restricted video games.

Meeching Valley Primary School said children were acting out the violent scenes in games in the playground and the headteacher urged parents to make sure the pupils did not play inappropriate games.