School says 'school' too negative a name

SHEFFIELD, England, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A new primary school in Britain has decided against calling itself a "school" because the word is too negative.

"One reason was many of the parents of the children here had very negative connotations of school," said head teacher Linda Kingdon, calling Watercliffe Meadow "a place for learning."

Watercliffe Meadow, which opens Monday, also will ban whistles, bells and locked doors, said Kingdon, noting children will be encouraged to wear soft shoes indoors to feel more comfortable, The Telegraph reported Sunday.

"We wanted to de-institutionalize the place and bring the school closer to real life," she said.

Not everyone is in favor of Watercliffe Meadow's decisions.

"We all know that they are going to be going to a school whatever you call it," said Marie Clair, spokeswoman for the Campaign for Plain English, a group that opposes the use of "gobbledygook" in public life in Britain.