Parents and school officials in Midlothian, Scotland, are reeling after a disturbing incident involving primary school children being targeted through a WhatsApp group chat. On August 16, 2025, reports surfaced that more than 80 pupils—some as young as nine or ten—were added to the group and allegedly encouraged to send nude or explicit photographs. The group’s creator reportedly instructed members not to inform their parents, raising alarm bells among families and authorities alike.
The incident centers on Paradykes Primary School in Loanhead, Midlothian. According to BBC News, the head teacher at Paradykes Primary sent an urgent email to parents after a parent raised concerns about the online safety of children who had been added to the WhatsApp group. In the email, the head teacher described the messages circulating in the group as “highly inappropriate, referring explicitly to body parts” and “requesting nude photos.” The warning was clear: parents needed to check their children’s devices immediately and, if necessary, remove them from the group.
Midlothian Council confirmed that the group, which reportedly included 84 members, was not accessed using council-issued devices that had been distributed to children at the start of the school term. A spokesperson for the council told STV News, “The head teacher at Paradykes Primary emailed parents today after a parent reported concerns about the online safety of children on a WhatsApp group. A council investigation confirmed the group was not on council devices. The head teacher has passed the matter to the police, and the council will issue guidance to all parents in Midlothian on how to keep their child safe online.”
The WhatsApp group’s membership extended beyond just pupils at Paradykes Primary, raising questions about how widely the group had spread and how many children might have been affected. According to BBC News, some children were added to the group on their personal devices, not those provided by the school or local authority. The group’s creator reportedly encouraged members to add as many of their peers as possible, further compounding the scale of the issue.
Police Scotland has been notified and has launched an investigation, though officials stress that their enquiries are still at an early stage. In a statement to the press, a Police Scotland spokesperson said, “We are aware of reports of children from a primary school in Midlothian being added to an inappropriate group on a messaging app. Enquiries are at an early stage.” The police have not yet made any arrests or identified a suspect, but are working closely with the school and local authorities to determine the origin of the group and the extent of the harm caused.
The age of the children involved is particularly troubling. WhatsApp’s own guidelines, as reported by BBC News, state that users should be at least 13 years old—a threshold lowered from 16 last year. In this case, many of the children involved were just nine or ten, well below the minimum age for using the platform. The incident has reignited concerns about how easily young children can access messaging apps and the risks they face in unsupervised digital environments.
For families in Midlothian, the revelations have been deeply unsettling. Parents were not only urged to check their children’s phones, but also to remain vigilant for signs of distress or inappropriate contact. The head teacher’s email underscored the seriousness of the situation, warning that the messages being circulated were not just inappropriate but potentially criminal. The school and local council have emphasized that support is available for any Paradykes Primary pupil who has been upset by the incident. “Support is available to any Paradykes Primary School pupil upset by this incident, if required,” a council spokesperson reiterated to STV News.
Midlothian Council has responded by promising to issue comprehensive guidance to all parents in the region on how to keep children safe online. The council’s spokesperson explained, “The council will issue guidance to all parents in Midlothian on how to keep their child safe online.” This guidance is expected to include practical advice on monitoring children’s device usage, setting parental controls, and fostering open conversations about online safety and digital boundaries.
The incident has exposed broader challenges facing schools and families in the digital age. With children gaining access to smartphones and messaging apps at increasingly young ages, the potential for exploitation and abuse has grown. While schools can provide education on online safety and equip students with council-issued devices that have certain protections, these measures can only go so far. As this case demonstrates, children often use personal devices outside of school hours, beyond the reach of institutional safeguards.
Experts on child safety and digital wellbeing have long warned about the risks posed by unsupervised messaging apps. The anonymity and reach of platforms like WhatsApp can make it difficult for parents and teachers to monitor conversations or intervene when something goes wrong. In the wake of the Midlothian incident, many are calling for renewed efforts to educate both children and parents about the dangers lurking online—and for tech companies to do more to enforce age restrictions and detect harmful groups.
In the meantime, the immediate priority for authorities in Midlothian is to support the children affected and reassure anxious parents. The council has made it clear that any pupil who needs help will be offered support, and that families will receive updated guidance on online safety in the coming days. Police Scotland, for its part, continues to investigate the origins of the WhatsApp group and is urging anyone with information to come forward.
The incident has also prompted a wider debate about the responsibilities of technology companies, schools, and parents in keeping children safe in an increasingly connected world. While WhatsApp’s minimum age policy is clear, enforcement remains a challenge, and many children are able to sign up for accounts using false information or with minimal oversight. In the words of one local parent, “We trust these devices will help our children learn and stay connected, but this has been a real wake-up call.”
As the investigation unfolds, families in Midlothian—and indeed across Scotland—are being reminded of the importance of staying vigilant, asking questions, and maintaining open lines of communication with their children about what they encounter online. The hope is that, with greater awareness and cooperation between parents, schools, and authorities, incidents like this can be prevented in the future and children can enjoy the benefits of technology without falling prey to its darker corners.