Shocking: Conspiracy School Teaches Four-Year-Olds Rifle Shooting

CHILDREN as young as four are being taught how to shoot rifles at a suspected illegal school run by conspiracy theorists. HOPE Sussex – which has blocked Ofsted inspectors – gives reception-age kids lessons in shooting and martial arts alongside maths, English and science. Pictures shared by founder Matthew Single, who set up the site with wife Sadie, show small children gripping air rifles and aiming at targets near the village of Netherfield in East Sussex. Another snap shows Mr Single, 54, wearing a T-shirt reading: “I identify as a conspiracy theorist – my pronouns are told/you/so”. More than 40 families attend Hope every week, according to recent company filings. And children have incredulously been set tasks including making necklaces from bullet casings and crafting their own nun-chucks, as first reported by the Times. During a recent trip to Budapest pupils were even taken to a shooting range and posed holding sub-machine guns, reports the outlet. Hope Sussex was reportedly launched in 2021 by anti-vaccine activists and former members of the far right. The group insists it is not a school, describing itself instead as an “autonomous community” supporting home-educating parents. A full curriculum is offered, but often viewed through a conspiratorial lens. Mrs Single, 47, a former state primary teacher, has said her history lessons cover “fallacies and lies that have taken place”. This includes claims the Pearl Harbor attack happened with President Roosevelt’s prior knowledge – a theory long dismissed by historians. She has also told pupils 9/11 was a modern-day Pearl Harbor. Ofsted believes it is operating as one illegally, but closed its criminal investigation into Hope due to the limitations of current legislation. Inspectors currently have no legal power to force entry onto sites suspected of being illegal schools, said the watchdog. Ofsted last attempted a visit in 2022, but staff – including Mr Single – refused entry, The Times first reported. A new Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill going through Parliament would give the watchdog greater powers. Mr Single and his wife are former British National Party members. The pair were thrown out of the BNP in 2009 for leaking online the names and details of thousands of fellow party members, it is understood. The parents-of-four are alsoCovid-denial activists, with Mrs Single filmed clashing with police during an anti-lockdown march inLondon in August 2021. Mr and Mrs Single urge parents to pull children out of state schools and send them to Hope – while reportedly telling the council the kids are being home-educated. Mrs Single is also understood to have previously repeated claims in lessons that include “lies” from history, pushing conspiracy theories widely rejected by experts. Meanwhile Mr Single is an admirer of President Putin and Kim Jong-un. He said he believes the “awake community” is “at war” with the state – reportedly encouraging people to “take the fight to them”. In one post, titled “They are coming for our children”, he wrote: “We must be prepared to step outside of the comfort zone of simply protesting and demonstrating with placards and megaphones – we have our army in the field, now we must press forward with greater, more specific action.” He told The Times that the comments were made with the intention of “applying political pressure on the government”. Mr Single also told the outlet that he gave lessons in “archery and air-weapon shooting, all run to a high level with a maximum emphasis on safety at all times”. He also claimed he had taught people from the age of four to 82. Hope Sussex and Matt Single were contacted for comment. Ofsted declined to comment when contacted by The Sun. Sussex Police were also contacted for comment.