Should Peter have been found guilty for stealing coal? Read these discussion pieces and decide for yourself

Some children in the Year 6 'Bubble 1' chose to write a discussion piece on whether Peter should have been found guilty for stealing coal. They are reading the Railway Children as their core text.

 

     Should Peter be found guilty for taking coal?

Most people understand that taking something that does not belong to them is considered stealing. In a book called The Railway Children, Peter (who is ten-years-old) is put in a situation where he takes something without asking anyone. However, he just wanted to help out his family. Was it a right choice to make?

Guilty:

The first reason why Peter should be guilty is that the train master bought the coal with his own money and if you take something from the shops without paying for it that is considered stealing, just like what Peter has done. Surely he should know by now, as he is 10 years old.

Surely you should know that Peter has been warned when he was first at the railway station as he was talking to a porter about it. The porter has told Peter that they mark the coal so if someone would take it they would notice, but Peter being Peter did not listen and took the coal.

As you may know Peter has been at school and should have been told that stealing is wrong. Peter comes from a very educated family and was probably warned so he should have known not to steal. Even though he has not been at school for a long time because all of the moving the family went through, he should still remember that stealing is bad.

Not Guilty:

On the other hand, all Peter wanted to do was to provide his family with a warm house as they are poor now and did not have much money. Surely you would not want them to be cold and get ill. All he wanted to do was help. Peter did not know that taking a bit of coal was considered stealing.

In addition, if the train master did not catch Peter taking some coal, he wouldn’t have noticed as there was plenty of coal and it would not make a difference if Peter have taken a bit of it. It would take so long to use the coal so if he took some of it, it would be fine.

You probably don’t know, but Peter loves to role play so how do you know that Peter was going to take it home? He might have been role playing because his sisters were there and he also said that he was coal mining. Peter wouldn’t have done it if he had known it was wrong.

In conclusion I believe that he isn’t guilty because Peter didn’t actually leave the building with the coal so that means he didn’t take any of the coal home. What do you think?  Do you think Peter is guilty?

Thursday 25^th June 2020

By: Roberta (Year 6)

 

The first reason why Peter is guilty is because the station master had already bought   the coal so Peter did not have the right to take any. Furthermore, in their first interaction, the station master had told Peter not to try and take any coal but Peter did not listen and took it regardless. Surely a ten year old boy could understand what the station master meant.

Moving on, Peter had received a good education at school. Surely he was told that stealing is wrong. Also they should have spoken to Peter about the consequences of taking someone else’s belongings. As a ten-year-old boy, he is able to understand that it was not the right choice to make.

In addition Peter’s older sister, Roberta, just watched and giggled behind the bush with his other sister, Phyllis. Roberta should have been a role model and told Peter what is right and what is wrong. No one can deny this is what Roberta should have done.

On the flipside, Peter was really trying to do a good deed for his family. Peter’s family has become a lot poorer and couldn’t afford fires like they used to be able to.  Peter only intended to provide his family with a warm house. Also it was all a game in his eyes since he had a massive imagination and often made up his own fantasy worlds.

Furthermore, Peter didn’t really take the coal as he didn’t leave the building with it Peter’s family should be able to have a warm house. You do understand that Peter was really just trying to do a good thing, right?

Finally, the train station has thousands of coal and a little kid like Peter wouldn’t be able to take a lot of coal. Also it would take years for the train station to run out of coal.

Having viewed both sides, I believe Peter is not guilty and should be let off just this once. A fair punishment would be not be allowed to go back to the train station for a week. His siblings, however, will be allowed because they didn’t really take part in the situation.

25.06.20 Writer: Faris 

 

Guilty:

First of all, days before Peter’s ‘crime’, a Porter warned him that if he tried to steal the coal he would be caught. Peter being 10 years old should have known to take that warning seriously. As witnesses can agree, the Station Master said ‘Stealing is stealing and what’s mine isn’t yours even if you say it isn’t ’.

Moreover, most people would agree that at school they are taught at least once that stealing is a crime and if you do it and get caught, there would be consequences. Peter, coming from a wealthy family, surely has learnt that taking something that doesn’t belong to you is considered breaking the law. Peter is constantly ignoring his warnings and for that reason he should be punished.

Lastly, Peter has 2 sisters- Roberta and Phyllis. Roberta is the oldest- and as the oldest she should have been a better influence and told him not to commit a crime. Instead, Roberta and her younger sister, Phyllis hid in a bush giggling at him. It wasn’t until later when they decided that they should help Peter carry the coal to come forward. This means they were involved in the crime and should also be punished.

Not guilty:

On the flipside, Peter never said that he was going to steal the coal. His sisters and mother would agree that Peter had a great passion for roleplaying as a bandit. So maybe Peter ‘taking the coal’ was just that, a role-play. You cannot punish him unless you have solid proof that he left the building with the coal. Which leads me to my next point.

Furthermore, Peter never left the building with the coal. So no one can agree or deny that he was there just to play. This means you cannot punish him just yet. If Peter left the building with the coal, that would be a different story. I can understand that he’s supposed to know better. However, what if he did not know? I strongly believe that if he knew it was wrong he would not have done this.

Lastly, Peter’s family did admit that they are now poor. Peter, being the only boy in the house, wanted to step up and try to do a good deed. He said ‘I was only trying to help my family’. Surely you wouldn’t want his family to be cold, would you?

In conclusion, after considering both sides, I think Peter is innocent because he only meant good intentions. However, he should be punished by working at the station so that he understands that what he did was wrong. I also think he should keep the coal to help his family so that they can keep warm on rainy days.

 

25.06.20   Writer: Delia (Year 6)

The Railway Children: Peter writes to his father

Writing from  Year 6 'Bubble 1' Based around the core text, The Railway Children,  some pupils have published a letter from Peter to his father.

Dear Father,

How are you? It is Peter here- your one and only son! We can’t even acknowledge how much we all miss you since you have gone. Why did you have to leave? Also, as you know, Phil is always in a mess and she always breaks things! She broke my favourite toy and I need you to fix it! Mother has been feeling melancholic as we all were when you left; but we are keeping mother up on her feet.

Once you left, mother made a sudden decision to move out. It was a long week of packing ugly items that was in our house. It was like a furniture warehouse; it was so much fun. When we were done packing, mother and Aunt Emma slept in the two spare rooms whilst we slept on the drawing room sofa. The next morning, boxes were all filled and we got an afternoon cab to the station. When our train came, we hopped on it and we were staring at the window but then we got sleepy and we fell asleep. Once we woke up at the stop we were feeling disorientated and cold. We were shivering on the draughty platform. We were wishing for the walk not to be long. Also whilst we were walking my nose was so cold.  I never thought it could be this cold. I thought if it was this cold it would fall off!

Once we found the house, it was really dark inside so we lighted a candle so we could see and there were rats in the walls and on the floor. We tried to prepare supper but it was too dark to find any cupboard.  Luckily, we had our cases of food that Emma packed for us but it was really hard to open it. You would open it easily but you weren’t there. The next morning, we ate the dinner yesterday for breakfast, went to a water pump and took a shower with that.

In the country it is very hilly.  While we were walking about, we found a railway.  I have never been closer to a train ever in my life. It was like a dragon tearing by and it was the most ripping sport. Also at the train station, there was a person called a porter that kept the coal safe. They put a line at the brim of the coal so if anyone takes it they will know.

We are starting to settle in without you but that doesn’t mean we miss you any less. Mother is always in her room writing stories so we got accustomed to not seeing her also. We hope you will come soon!

Your loving son,

Peter

Thursday 25^th June 2020

Writer: Sebastian (Year 6)

 

Dear Father,

How are you? It is Peter, your favourite son! Where have you been since you left for London? I miss your clever fingers and how you fix things because Phil keeps on breaking things and now we need you father. Why did you go away? Mother has locked herself up in the room.  We are trying our best to help mother out.

Father, did you know mother told us that we had to move to the countryside?  Our new home is called the Three Chimneys. The packing took over a week to do. If you were there, it would have been easier for our family. Aunt Emma helped us to pack and we were having fun and enjoying the whole experience. When we got off the station near our new home, we were all shivering from the cold and felling very melancholic. Unfortunately, there was no taxi for us which made things even more worst. When we got to the Three Chimneys, we had to ask someone for the key. Why did you leave? Everything would be much better if you were here with us. This journey could have been more relaxed but it turned out to be the other way round.

Everyone got scared of the rats in the house!  It was dark and we had to use a candle. For dinner, we had sardines, preserved ginger, cooked raisins, candied peel and marmalade that Aunt Emma had packed for us.

The next day, we found a stable behind the house which we did not know about. We went to find the garden but we took so many circles around the house until we finally found it.  Father, we would find the stable that which was behind the house much quicker.  However, the most exciting thing we found near our new home is a train station and a train railway tunnel.  When we took a closer look at the railway lines, a train came out of the tunnel like a great dragon tearing.  We were so close this time. The train rushed through the tunnel with a shirk and a snort.

I have not seen you for many days, but I keep of thinking of you father and miss you. Mother now stays in her room writing stories and then at lunch comes down and tell them to us and she is always busy after you have gone. Why father? Why did you have to go away?

Sincerely,

From your only son, Peter

Thursday 25^th June 2020

Writer: Patrick (Year 6)

 

 

Dear Father,

How are you? It is Peter here, your favourite son! Mother is busy in her room writing and reading to us. We all miss you very much and feeling very melancholic. Why did you leave and go to London? When would you be returning? As you know Phil is incredibly clumsy and keeps on breaking things in the house so we need your incredible fingers to fix the mess Phil has made.

Father, did you know that we had to move to a house called the Three Chimneys? We were very busy because we were packing for over a week. We packed clothes, crockery, pans, chairs and tables. We all loved the train journey but all of us shivered on the platform when we arrived.

After we left the train, we walked to our new home because there were no cabs. When we arrived, we could not find the key to the house but soon it when a kind gentleman helped us. At first, the new house was dreadful because of all the rats roaming around. We cleaned the place up hastily but could not find the dinner.  Thankfully, Aunt Emma packed us marmalade and sardines.

The next morning. breakfast felt like dinner because we had pie for breakfast after we finally found the room our dinner was in the night before. Mother told me where the garden was. We woke up early to help her unpack.

Phil, Bobbie, and I were super excited because we went to see the train. It came out of the tunnel with a shriek and a snort like a dragon’s lair.  I never thought we should ever get as near to a train as this. It’s the most ripping sport! We wondered if the train was going to London so we went to the train station to find out.

Phil, Bobbie, and I are enjoying the new house in the countryside. We have got used to not seeing you Father but we are still missing you dearly.

Lots of love,

Peter

Thursday 25^th June 2020

Writer: Param (Year 6)

 

Dear Father,

How are you? It is your favourite son here, Peter! Words cannot describe how much the family miss you. Why did you leave us? Mother has suddenly changed since you left. She has become so depressed and melancholic. She stays in her room all day and we all try our best to cheer her up. As you know, Phyllis keeps breaking things around the house and there is no-one we know with your clever fingers to fix them.

We all suddenly had to move away. It was such a busy week of packing but me, Roberta and Phyllis enjoyed it. We had to pack clothes, crockery, tables and chairs. It was so busy and chaotic but we had Aunt Emma to help us. To get there we had to go on a train journey. It was so amazing and cool how the engine worked. I wish you were there to see it.

However, it was cold and windy when we got off the train. There were no cabs so we had to walk all the way there. When we arrived at the house the garden looked like a dripping-pan full of black cabbages. There was no light in any of the windows. We also struggled to find the key until someone came to help us. When we stepped inside the house it was cold and you could hear and see the rats in the house. We were so scared!

The next morning, we decided to do something nice for mother. We put the fire up and unpacked the rest of our things, made the table and breakfast it was so fun to do something nice for mother. After we went outside to look for the garden but all we found were the stables in the back and an outbuilding. In an instant we saw the train passing by. There were tunnels and bridges with arches.

Then we went to the railway so we could see the trains up close. We saw a train come out of a tunnel with a shriek and a snort. It was like a great dragon tearing by and it fanned us with its hot wings and the tunnel from outside was like the dragon’s lair. It was so fascinating. I have never seen a train this close before. Then we went to a train station and we met a porter and he told us all about how they mark the coal so they know if anyone tries to take it.

Father, do you know when you put your hand in a delicious cake and it leaves a dent or if your hand is dirty it leaves a black mark? That is how much we miss you father. I hope you will be returning soon.

Your loving son,

Peter        

Thursday 25^th June 2020 

Denisa (Year 6)

You choose - are you off to the Lake District or Japan?

Which of these leaflets would persuade you to pick up the phone and book a trip?

 

A poem for Windrush Day by Sorayia

Children on the Empire Windrush June 1948

By Sorayia Lower Key Stage 2 to celebrate National Windrush Day

As a small child

With the big bright eyes

I dreamt about leaving

Caribbean sky.

I don't know where to go,

All I know somewhere warm, 

Even if it's England

I don't mind the wind there.

Stepping in the big ship

With my heart full of joy

I just did a big skip

And I shouted ahoy!​

Some rhymes for Father's Day

Hodaka's Father's Day card with a few special touches!