A primary school has reported a 10-year-old Muslim boy to police on suspicion of terrorism, after he complained about not having a prayer room on a field trip.

The boy, a pupil at Parkfield Community School in Birmingham, was on the trip when his 'changed' behaviour drew the teachers' attention.

He also told female Muslim pupils they needed to cover their faces with a head scarf, and expressed an 'alternative' view about the Charlie Hebdo attack.

His teachers said they became concerned because he was acting differently on the field trip than he normally would in the classroom.

Concern: Teachers at Parkfield Community School in Birmingham (pictured) reported a 10-year-old pupil to the police, under the Prevent anti-terrorism initiative, after they say he behaved unusually on a field trip - demanding a prayer room and telling girls to wear headscarved

The school referred the boy to police under the government's Prevent Duty initiative which provides guidance to teachers on spotting signs of extremism.

Over the last 12 months the school, which caters for more than 740 pupils between the ages of five and 11, has reported three pupils to the Counter Terrorism Unit.

All three children were referred after staff were concerned they were displaying signs of developing extremism.

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme yesterday, headteacher Hazel Pulley defended reporting the boy to police, saying his views 'raised concerns'.

She said: 'It [a sign of extremism] might come out in a Geography or History lesson.

We respect our community wholeheartedly but the fact is this was a change from the practices we have in school. Headteacher Hazel Pulley

'Something that is inappropriate, or a change in a child or their attitude, or a comment they may make.

'Once we've heard it and seen it we will then work with the child and the family and move forward with it.

'The children were, for example, on a residential trip. One child particularly was emphatic about having to have a prayer room, yet we don't have one in school.

'We respect our community wholeheartedly but the fact is this was a change from the practices we have in school.

'It came with other behaviours at that time. It was as if in a different environment I can do different things, which was concerning.

'The child was also encouraging girls who may have removed their headscarf just for an activity, or may not have worn one for the residential trip, to wear scarves.

Government scheme: Over the last 12 months the school, which caters for more than 740 pupils between the ages of five and 11, has reported three pupils to the Counter Terrorism Unit (stock photo of children not at the school)

Young age: The primary school pupil also voiced what teachers described as an 'alternative' view about the Charlie Hebdo attack. The school has reported three pupils to police under the 'Prevent' scheme, which aims to flag up potentially extreme behaviour before it can develop (stock photo of children not at the school)

'We don't have that at school so why would we when they are removed from school?

'The pupil was referred for a number of incidents which, put together, formed concerning behaviour.

'As well as demanding a prayer room and his comments about scarves, he also expressed a view to a teacher about the Charlie Hebdo attack.

'He was offering an alternative view but this was raised as a concern. We referred it to the council's Prevent Support Team who passed it on to the authorities.'

THE PREVENT DUTY DEBATE The Prevent Duty initiative is a counter-terrorist strategy that aims to put a stop to the radicalisation of an individual before it becomes a criminal matter. The hope is that by noticing possible signs of radicalisation, the scheme can prevent more schoolchildren and young adults becoming lured in by the Islamic State’s ideologies. The scheme, which came into force in June, offers practical help to prevent people being drawn into terrorism, and ensures that they are given appropriate support and advice. Teachers play a vital role within the scheme, as increasing numbers of schoolchildren are being targeted by ISIS recruiters via social media. But the initiative has sparked furious debate as to how far a teacher’s responsibility for a child should go. Many teachers believe that being asked to watch over a child’s developing religious beliefs should be the responsibility of their parent, and that the additional pressure is effecting the teaching environment. Many see the scheme as poorly thought-out, and in fact encouraging distrust between schools and their Muslim communities. Since 2012, there have been more than 4,000 referrals under Prevent, one involving a three-year-old child. Advertisement

Teachers at the school discussed the matter with the pupil's parents, who were not overly concerned but were supportive of the school.

Ms Pulley did not confirm whether the boy was still a pupil at the school.

The school, rated 'good' by Ofsted, has been praised in the past by Birmingham City Council for it's 'No Outsiders' campaign, which is aimed at teaching pupils British values.

But it has enraged parents that their children could be reported by their school to anti-terror police.

One mother said: 'They are just little children. Sometimes children do things for fun because they do not understand what they are doing or that it is wrong.'

A father added: 'This level of scrutiny is only being targeted at Muslim children which is not fair.

'Children also mimic what other people might say or deliberately want to shock teachers.

'If children fear expressing their views, even if they are extreme, then they will be driven underground and will be more susceptible to extremists.

'Reporting a child to the police for asking about a prayer room is too far and not helpful to removing extremism from Islam.'

Director of Connect Justice Zubeda Limbada, which works to promote trust between communities in order to reduce the risk of extremism, also criticised the role of teachers in reporting children.

She said: 'There really is no clarity from government in terms of when to take proportionate steps to protect children from extremism.

'Teachers should be able to concentrate on nurturing the mind of pupils and not controlling their minds.

'Last week a Muslim parent came to us worried about their child who had watched Horrible Histories on TV about Henry VIII and beheadings.