Winston Churchill: Steve Baker says ‘we can’t be cancelling him’

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Holy Trinity Church of England Primary once boasted four houses named after those two, Sir David Attenborough and suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst. But the school revealed their pupils asked for a change because they did not feel “names reflected the diverse community of our school”. And it axed the Churchill and Rowling houses following a vote by the children.

They have now been replaced by footballer and food poverty campaigner Marcus Rashford and black Crimean War nurse Mary Seacole.

The move has divided parents in Richmond, Surrey.

Some are furious at replacing Churchill, who has been accused of racism, and Rowling, who has faced transphobia accusations.

One parent fumed: “A lot of us are quite shocked that the school ­authorities have decided that the ­contributions of Churchill and Rowling deserve to be erased from the records without so much as a consultation with parents. Presumably this has happened partly due to the supposed thought crimes committed by these two national figures.

“I am not alone in feeling appalled this cowardly action has been taken.”

Headteacher Alison Bateman is standing by the decision, announced to parents by newsletter.

She said: “The changing of our school’s house names was an activity our children began discussing last year.

“They did not feel the names reflected the diverse community of our school.

“It is important that children’s voices are heard and this is why we supported their choice to have our house names reflect diversity, equality and the environment. We have the full support of governors and diocese.”

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