Thanks for your thoughts. I thought it was just me. As it happens, not many parents or children at my daughter's school seemed to have gone along with this idea today when I picked her up this evening. I suspect many people are also feeling uneasy with the way this is being handled.

I should explain, perhaps, that part of the impetus for this move at our school stemmed from a letter that was also circulated from the head of another local school who also happens to be a godparent to one of the McCann's other children and who, as a friend of the family, is also (presumably) active in the family's campaign.

I am guessing, but while the McCann's are still in Portugal I imagine they are on some form of compassionate leave from their jobs in the NHS and probably still in receipt of their salaries. Fair enough, I certainly don't begrudge them that. But given what doctors earn I think they can manage without my daughter's pocket money.

I also read this evening that the family are expressing annoyance at not being given sufficient information about the progress of the investigation by the Portuguese police. In Portugal the convention is, apparently, that victim's families are kept at arm's length by investigating officers to safeguard confidentiality.   Also, possibly, to avoid jeopardising the investigation by allowing information to pass into the hands of potential suspects.