A REFORM UK government would make schools a “hostile place” for many children, the National Education Union (NEU) warned today.

Teachers are increasingly seeing the party’s divisive social media messaging appearing in classrooms, NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said.

He warned: “I do not think [Reform’s education spokeswoman] Suella Braverman would be a particularly positive force for education.

“I think not only will they bring about hyper-austerity in public services, including education, they will make education a real hostile place for children who are LGBT, black, migrant, refugee.”

Mr Kebede said that Reform and its leader Nigel Farage are very good at pushing “divisive messages” across social media platforms.

“Children and young people are picking up on that very much and that is certainly playing into the classroom,” he said.

“We’ve seen rising incidents of racism and other forms of discrimination in schools, and that’s primarily due to a toxic environment created by those in power.

“And they run contrary as a political organisation to the views of our union and our profession more broadly.”

Green Party leader Zack Polanski will address the NEU’s annual conference in Brighton later this month. Recent polling found the Greens the most popular party among NEU members.

Delegates at last year’s conference called for the union’s political fund to be used to help campaign against Reform UK election candidates with “racist” campaigns.

Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) general secretary Pepe Di’Iasio warned at the union’s annual conference that students and their families are living in fear of racial harassment or violence as he raised concerns about how some politicians talk about immigration.

Ms Braverman said: “Reform UK doesn’t care about your skin colour, your gender, or your religion.”