PARENTS at the primary school at the centre of a dinner lady sacking row have been offered counselling.

Carol Hill lost her job at Great Tey Primary School for telling seven-year-old Chloe David’s parents about a bullying incident, breaching pupil confidentiality.

Headteacher Debbie Crabb has written to parents, offering them a session with an educational psychologist.

The letter reads: “I have made contact with a team who deal with supporting schools who have been through a trauma or critical incident.

“The attention our school has been under in the last week has caused concern to all our Great Tey team.

“County has therefore offered us the opportunity to have some support from an educational psychologist. I would like to invite any of you to come along and have the opportunity to talk to him.

“He suggests in a group situation in the first instance, about how you as parents feel you need support and how as parents you can facilitate moving forward.”

The initial hour-long counselling session is scheduled to take place next Wednesday, with Mrs Crabb volunteering to look after children to enable parents to attend.

A mum of one child, who did not want to be named, said she felt it was an attempt to “unite everyone and make them forget”, while the children were being abandoned. Mrs Crabb has continually refused to publicly discuss the issue.

Nicola Spicer, a spokesman for Essex County Council, said: “It offers a support package to any school that should require or request it. This includes visits by an educational psychologist. This could be for any number of reasons. Great Tey Primary School contacted us and we are assisting them.”