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 2013 . 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 holidays .