Yesterday saw the fallout of Thursday’s school pupil strike with detentions and complaints from parents.

More than 100 Brighton and Hove youngsters walked out of the classroom and congregated outside Churchill Square to protest against possible changes to their school day and holidays.

Many more are understood to have “jumped on the bandwagon” and spent the day roaming Brighton and Hove with their friends.

Among the schools involved were Hove Park, Varndean, Dorothy Stringer and Cardinal Newman.


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Parents from Blatchington Mill contacted The Argus yesterday to say their children had been threatened with suspension and even criminal records if they attempted to join the so-called strike.

However head teacher Janet Felkin denied the claims adding that just three pupils joined the protest.

She said: “I’m afraid that is not the case at all.

“We spoke to two year groups as we were aware of the plans. We told them that if they wanted to make this point then walking out of school was not the best way to do it.

“We told them it would be very serious if they did and that we would deal with it in the same way we usually deal with truancy.

“We have identified three pupils who didn’t come into school yesterday and they will make up the five hours they lost after school next week.”

Parents also contacted The Argus yesterday to tell of the disruption.

A mother of a year nine pupil at Hove Park School, who asked not to be named, told how she had to leave work after being told by the school her son was missing.

She said: “When I called him he said he was in a Mosque somewhere in town with his friends.

“I told him to get back to school straight away – I was worried sick.

“I managed to get access to his Facebook, it had all been planned.

“He said that 40-odd pupils ran across the school field and jumped the fence.

“While I’m sure the Churchill Square protest was quite good and there were obviously some who had something to say, I think a lot of them were just jumping on the bandwagon.”

She added: “He was in detention on Thursday evening and again tonight (Friday).”

The Argus tried to contact Hove Park for a comment but they failed to respond.