Guns Village Primary School: Parents' anger as name changed because of 'gun' links

The school on Hanbury Road, in West Bromwich, is to be renamed after concern over the word 'guns' by the school's authorities.

It originates from the area's history of gun manufacturing businesses, but the school argue that it has negative associations and that the name was causing practical problems such as being blocked by their internal IT systems.

However many parents fought against the change, including with a petition signed by more than 500 people, and they are furious that it will become Hanbury Primary from September 2017.

Lucy Tedstone, whose daughter is at the school, said: "I think it is disgusting.

"It is part of the Black Country's history, and they should leave alone what history it has."

She added: "And now they say they are going to spend money on a new school sweatshirt for everyone. Where is that money going to come from, the school budget? That money should be spent on education."

Jan Aldridge has seen three children go through the school, and still has a son in year one. She said: "My main concern is the way that the school has been handling this. They have not been responding to parents or councillors.

"And then we were told that 82 per cent of parents are in favour of the name change. We'd like to know exactly where this figure came from, as when they wrote to us back in June, I got the impression that it was saying they were thinking of changing the name not that they were going to change the name."."

Former pupil Joyce Clarke, said: "The gun businesses in the area are what helped it to thrive. We should be proud of this history, not trying to eradicate it."

Ward councillor Jackie Taylor is critical too. She said: "It is political correctness gone out of kilter."

Some are in favour of the change.

One parent who wished to remain anonymous said: "I think it is a good idea, because when you tell people your child goes to Guns Village school they do say 'what?' because of the word guns. And particularly given the times that we're living in, with rising gun crime, it makes sense."

In a statement Dawn Cooper, headteacher of the school, said: "Many visitors from outside the area have expressed surprise at the school's name and frequently it is misspelt as Gunns due to the disbelief that a school carries the name Guns within its title.

"We acknowledge the historical links to the former school site but the school, for some time now, has not been on that site."