A school which was previously the recipient of a diversity award held an ‘EDL vs Immigrants’ football game between white and non-white children with an assistance head officiating, a parent has claimed. Queens’ School in Bushey, Hertfordsbire, within the Hertsmere constituency of deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, was accused of holding the Year 11 match with white children on the EDL (English Defence League) team and black, Asian and Eastern European ones on the Immigrants one.

The parent claimed the sides had played unofficially before, but this time it was held as a school event with a member of staff as the referee.

The secondary school recently won a Gold Equality Award for promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.

After the match, the Year 11 leavers’ assembly was scrapped, with headteacher Jonathan Morrell saying activities enjoyed the day before the cancellation included “a sports event with all the year either participating or observing”.

A Year 11 pupil’s father said: “The sporting event was a football match and all the children who were black, Asian or of eastern European heritage were put in one team called ‘The Immigrants’, and all of the boys who were judged to be white and British were put in a side called ‘The EDL’.

“The match was officiated by one of the assistant headteachers, and some of the boys in the so-called EDL team let off flares.”

He added: “The match is something the kids had previously been doing themselves, but on Tuesday (May 9) the school actually decided to hold it as an official event and they officiated the match”.

The EDL is a far-right organisation renowned for Islamophobia and football hooliganism, which was led by controversial activist Tommy Robinson between 2008 and 2013.

Video footage, seen by the local paper, appears to show pupils with various flags on their school shirts huddled for a team talk, before one shouts: “Oi listen last game today yeah, it’s our last day of school, we are not gonna lose to them English p*****.”

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The social media post – captioned ‘EDL Vs immigrants final’ alongside Champions League music – then shows pupils frenetically leaping about.

The dad added: “The match was promoting racial hatred and is a complete farce given that about two months ago the school trumpeted to the parents that they had won a major award for promoting equality, diversity and inclusion”.

After being given a Gold Equality Award last month, Queens’ wrote on its website: “At our school we place great value on equality and diversity, and celebrate the differences within our school community.”

It adds: “Having a Gold Award demonstrates that our commitment to equality is well embedded throughout our setting, and we know that maintaining a positive and inclusive school environment is not a tick-box exercise but requires ongoing thought and attention.”

The school declined to comment when approached.

Express.co.uk has also approached Mr Dowden for comment.

The story conjures up memories of an infamous match organised in 1979 by West Bromwich Albion to benefit Len Cantello, their longest serving player, which pitted black membersof their squad, including Cyrille Regis, Brendon Batson and Laurie Cunningham, against white ones. 

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