School launches race probe after four-year-old spits at a black boy during game of chase

Rocky Smith's headmistress launched the probe after the other boy, aged ten, complained about his behaviour.

Eventually it was concluded that Rocky had been "naughty" rather than anything more sinister after staff at Bedenham Primary School in Gosport, Hampshire, spoke to both children.

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But Rocky's parents Sarah and Iain Smith are angry that the matter was taken so far because they say son their son is too young to know what "racist" means.

Racism campaigners have also expressed surprise at the school's actions although they concede that even very young children can be racist. Yesterday mother of six Mrs Smith, 35, said: "Rocky was wrong for lashing out and I've spoken to him about that, but how can a fouryearold be racist?

"His best friend at nursery was a boy of Indian background - colour doesn't mean anything to him. I think he deserves an apology."

A nursery nurse was assigned to speak to Rocky about the breaktime incident on the day it happened, while headmistress Anne Phipps heard the other boy's version of events.

Mrs Smith said the first she knew about it was when the school rang her to tell her the outcome later that day.

Mr Smith, 37, a taxi driver, added: "Rocky hasn't got a clue what racism means."

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Tunde Bright-Davies, chairman of the Racial Harassment Forum in the neighbouring city of Portsmouth, said: "A very young child can hate another person because of the colour of their skin.

"But in this incident, there was no name calling, no racial connotation, no "get away from me", and you can't found racism on just spitting.

"I don't know why it was investigated as a racist incident."

Meanwhile, Rocky's long-term future at the school still remains in the balance.

His parents fear he might yet be excluded for his behaviour and are due to meet Mrs Phipps next week.

Yesterday Mrs Phipps defended her decision to launch a racism investigation despite Rocky's age.

She said: "When a child makes an allegation of any kind, whether it's bullying, racism, or general unhappiness, we investigate by talking to them. We couldn't dismiss this.

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"A nursery nurse spoke to Rocky and I spoke to the older boy. We talked to them about what happened and why it might have happened.

"In this case a little boy did think something had happened and felt he had been singled out.

"But after investigating I decided this was not the case, it was just naughty behaviour."

Bedenham Primary School has more than 200 pupils ranging in age from four to ten.

In its last Ofsted report, the school was judged to be excellent in the category of pupils' care, welfare, health and safety.

The school has a student council, trained staff who are available at break times for the children to talk to about any problems and teaches the RRR curriculum - Rights, Responsibility and Respect - which all classes discuss at the start of the year.