Children as young as 8 given anger management lessons at primary school

Nine primary schools in innercity Birmingham have adopted the lessons to help pupils deal with arguments more constructively.

Under the scheme, children are asked to express their views on conflict and talk about the way they felt when arguing.

Control: Children aged nine have been given anger management lessons in a first in Britain

They then receive training on how best to react in similar situations in the future.

But the 'conflict and resolution' training has been criticised by parents and officials, who say discipline and behaviour should be taught by parents.

Joanne Potter, 37, who has two daughters aged six and nine, said: 'I think it's a sad state of affairs if kids are so badly behaved they need to be given anger management sessions at school.

'I've told my children the difference between right and wrong, so why haven't other parents?'

The classes, which are taught by charity Leap Confronting Conflict and use funding secured by West Midlands Police, are designed to appeal to pupils in Years Five and Six - aged nine to 11.

But at least one of the schools has used the training on pupils in Year Four, who are aged between eight and nine.

Mark Lanyon, headmaster of St James Church of England Primary School, which was one of the schools in the deprived Perry Barr and Handsworth suburbs to take part, said: 'Allowing children of this age to understand what conflict is, how to stop and look at their behaviour, and the impact it may have on others, is as important for children in Year Four as it is for those in Year Six.'

But Nick Seaton, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: 'If youngsters are given a good grounding from parents and teachers this shouldn't be necessary.

'If they are running riot at the age of nine then I think there is something seriously wrong.'

Paula Rowe, national executive member of the NASUWT teaching union for the West Midlands said anger management and conflict resolution lessons were a good idea if used to help pupils work together. But she agreed parents should be ultimately responsible for children's behaviour.

Miss Rowe said: 'When you add up the amount of time children spend at home, compared with in school, it is surely for the parents to take the lead on teaching right from wrong, good behaviour and how to form relationships with others.'