Headteachers are failing to inform the police about would-be jihadi pupils at risk of travelling to Syria, a senior prosecutor has said. Nazir Afzal said schools were worried about pupils travelling to the war-torn country over the Easter break but were protecting teenage students as they do not want them placed under investigation. Mr Afzal, who stood down yesterday as chief crown prosecutor for northwest England, said the leaders of two London state secondary schools had told of him more than a dozen male and female pupils whose parents believed they were ‘groomed and seduced’ by Islamic State. Scroll down for video . Nazir Afzal (pictured) said schools were worried about pupils travelling to the war-torn country over the Easter break . However, police have not been told of the families’ concerns as the schools do not want their pupils to be criminalised. Mr Afzal told The Times: ‘One head said he was being approached almost on a daily basis by parents who fear their kids are about to go to Syria. ‘Both said they were scared of the Easter break and would be relieved if all their pupils came back after the holidays.’ One of the schools is in east London and the other in west London. Around 600 Britons, many of them teenagers or young adults, are believed to have joined IS since 2013. Several children have already travelled to Syria to join the extremist group, including four girls from Bethnal Green academy in east London. Around 600 Britons, many of them teenagers or young adults, are believed to have joined IS since 2013 (file picture) They paid cash for direct flights to Istanbul before crossing the border to Syria. Another four pupils were stopped from travelling. Mr Afzal said that the two head teachers who had spoken to him ‘had no idea what advice to give the parents’ and had complained about a lack of ‘face-to-face support’ for young people who are victims of online radicalisation. He said: ‘They didn’t know what to do. They’re told to direct parents to the police, but the parents don’t want the police to be told and the heads don’t want to criminalise their pupils. ‘They wanted to know why there was no therapeutic, preventative option for these children.’
Nazir Afzal said schools were worried about pupils travelling over holidays . But schools protecting teenagers because they do not want them placed under investigation, he claims . About 600 Britons are believed to have joined Islamic State since 2013 .