Children were in tears after they were told their school would have to be evacuated and they wouldn’t have time to see their parents.

Pupils at Newington CofE Primary School in Newington, near Sittingbourne, received the unsettling news in an assembly last Friday.

However, there was no emergency, it was a fake scenario created to raise awareness of the plight of refugees at the end of a week learning about the charity Christian Aid.

The youngsters were only told the announcement was false afterwards but by then many of them were said to be crying.

Parents were fuming at the lack of foresight demonstrated by teachers at the school, which has since apologised to the children.

Michael Theodorou, whose stepson goes to the school, said: “The kids were all told that something big had happened in London and that transporters were coming to pick them up.

“They then said that they didn’t know if their parents would know where they were being taken and might not be able to see them and they would be separated from their friends and family.

“At the end they noticed most of the children in the school were disturbed and distressed.

“Most of the parents have complained to the school.”

Julie Hardy’s son, who is in Year 4, didn’t believe the news but witnessed his friend's panic.

The Pear Tree Walk resident said: “A Year 1 teacher got up and told them they were being evacuated and had no time to see parents before but hopefully they’d find them.

“Everyone was crying and all the girls were upset that they weren’t going to see their mums" - Julie Hardy

“Everyone was crying and all the girls were upset that they weren’t going to see their mums.”

In a letter of apology to parents sent this week from “all the staff”, it said the scenario had not been discussed beforehand with senior staff.

It said the activity had been “provided with the best of intentions” but admitted it should have been delivered in a more “appropriate manner”.

Discussions and staff training will take place to “ensure it will not happen again”.

It ended: “We apologise for any upset your child may have experienced and wish to reiterate our aim to provide a safe and happy environment for your children to learn and flourish.”