IT IS perfectly understandable for schools to want to concentrate on preparation for even a routine inspection by Estyn.

It is natural teachers and the school management team want to make sure everything is up to scratch.

The consequences of things not being as they should can be devastating for a school and staff morale.

But for a primary school to tell its pupils the annual pre-Christmas celebrations are to be delayed until the New Year as a result of having to undergo an inspection in December is a step too far.

This is exactly what Rogerstone Primary School in Newport has done.

And we can understand why parents, and by extension the pupils, are so angry.

Children look forward to the preparations for the panto and school concerts and other celebrations.

It is part of the winter term and it is a time when parents get to participate in school life.

Surely inspectors expect that at this time of year, schools, especially those in the primary sector, are teeming with dress rehearsals, singing and dancing.

And as they have said, they would not recommend any school cancel Christmas activities or day-to-day events.

At the end of the day an inspection is meant to be about seeing a school in action.

Celebrating Christmas is a key part of it.