Northamptonshire County Council is to warn parents of more than 100,000 children that they are at risk of terror attacks during school trips to London.
Education officials will be issuing the warning to all 349 of its secondary and primary schools and have told headteachers to inform the council if they are planning any school trips to the capital
Permission slips for kids to take part in school trips will now highlight terror risks and give parents the option to withdraw their child.
The council claims the policy was introduced because ministers raised the London terror threat level 'high'.
A Northamptonshire County Council spokesman said: 'Currently due to the high alert being placed on London by the Foreign Office all schools taking pupils to London must advise the council. We would recommend that parents must be informed and pupils given the choice to opt out of the trip.
The headteacher of Little Harrowden Primary School in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, Tom Rees, told parents 'not to panic' about terrorism.
He said: 'I would say that obviously whenever we take children out on school trips their safety is our primary concern and anything that ensures children are safe is a good idea. I would urge parents not to panic and be over concerned because teachers are very careful to take all steps to ensure children's safety.'
One parent branded the scheme 'excessive'. Rachel Peace, 38, whose 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter go to Bishop Stopford School in Kettering said: 'As a parent you know there is a risk sending a child on a trip. If you thought there was a risk of terrorist activity, you wouldn't send them. It seems a bit excessive.'
The Home Office said the alert status had not changed since January when it was raised to 'severe', meaning although an attack is highly likely, it is not expected imminently.
What do you think? Would you withdraw your child from a school trip to London because of terrorism fears?