A boarding school has apologised after its sixth-formers blacked up as African slaves for their leaving photos.
Pupils at the Oratory School in Berkshire were turned away by Joe Smith, the headmaster, after turning up for the photoshoot in cotton worker outfits and blackened faces. They returned later to take pictures while wearing the outfits and shared them on social media, The Sun reported.
Three of the pupils painted their faces black while two dressed in suits and held the “slaves” at gunpoint. A spokesman for the school said: “We are extremely shocked and saddened that this has happened and apologise unreservedly for the offence caused. We are dealing with this internally.”
The Catholic boys’ private school charges boarding fees of almost £35,000 a year.