Northern asks head teachers to help tackle students’ fare evasion

One of the schools, Rainhill High School in Merseyside, said it was “disappointed and surprised” to have been mentioned without any direct communication from Northern.

A spokeswoman for the school said it would like a representative from the rail provider to meet staff “to help find a solution together”.

“We are fortunate to work in close partnership with our families, and so we will be discussing this matter with them in due course,” she added.

Ulverston Victoria High School, another on the list, said that over the years it had “worked closely with transport companies and the transport police to ensure that our children enjoy a safe journey to and from school”

“If issues with individuals or groups of children occur the transport police contact us,” a spokesperson said.

“However, until we received the generic letter last week they have not made us aware of the issues during the last year.”

Head of School at Nunthorpe Academy in North Yorkshire, Kate Kell, said the institution had been contacted “on only two occasions in the last two years in relation to behaviours of a minority of students”.

The school had then followed it up and worked with the local community to address the concerns.

Students were identified from images and the school’s behaviour policy was implemented, a representative added.