Overview

• Brenda the buzzard has been dive-bombing children and residents around Dame Tipping Primary School, with recent footage showing a woman swooped on in Havering-atte-Bower
• The school has banned outdoor play in its playground and now takes pupils to a nearby outdoor learning facility for PE and recess
• Experts including the RSPCA believe Brenda’s aggression stems from her instinct to protect a nest or chicks
• Legal protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prevents removal of Brenda, so Havering Council is weighing non-invasive measures such as hiring a falconry expert and erecting warning signs
• Headteacher Stella McCarthy has turned the situation into an educational opportunity by having pupils write stories, create artwork and research birds of prey