THE disturbing spate of school bomb hoaxes in Sandwell and Halesowen will not result in any more unnecessary closures, a headteacher has pledged.

Lessons for thousands of pupils have been thrown into disarray in the last two weeks but West Midlands Police are working on a new strategy.

Oldbury and Bristnall Hall academies are holding meetings with parents and the police this week after both suffered four hoaxes.

In a message to parents on the school’s website, Oldbury Academy acting headteacher Phillip Shackleton said: “After a meeting with the police, where they shared the latest guidance relating to the recent bomb threats, we would like to invite you to attend a meeting.

“Police will update you on the new guidance including their advice to not evacuate in the event of further threats.”

He added: “We intend to adopt and implement this guidance with effect from Thursday, February 4, following the meeting with parents.”

Police in Sandwell and Dudley took the unusual step of writing to pupils, parents and carers about the bomb hoaxes.

Chief superintendent Matthew Ward said: “We understand your concerns. There is a real threat from global terrorism and it is important that we are alert but not alarmed.

“Over the past two weeks there have been a series of hoax bomb calls to schools across the country, including schools in Sandwell.

“Some of the calls are clearly linked to each other, others are copycat calls.

He added: “Many of the calls have caused significant disruption to school life, upset to school staff and understandable concern to pupils, their parents and carers.”

But angry parents took to Facebook to vent worries about pupils not being evacuated.

Matthew Shepherd said: “As if I am going to accept my children going to school and a bomb being threatened and they are not going to evacuate the kids or staff.”

Samantha Ratcliff added: “I’m sick of the schools deciding what they think is best.

“My children are at a primary very close to a high school being threatened. They don’t want us taking our children out as there’s “no threat to them” but I’ve seen a number of bomb videos on YouTube, the school would be wiped out if a bomb went off nearby.”

Sandwell National Union of Teachers assistant secretary Pauline Riley, who was a teacher at Bristnall Hall School for 34 years, pointed out bomb hoaxes were nothing new.

She said: “After the 1974 IRA pub bombings in Birmingham there were several bomb hoaxes at local schools. We had some at Bristnall Hall and we all went to the playing fields but it is different now because there was probably only one phone in the school whereas now every child seems to have a phone.

Ms Riley added: “All our members have ensured that evacuations have gone smoothly and calmly and in line with the schools’ evacuation policy.”