A pupil at Willow Tree Primary School in Salford was suspended after taking a gun to school.
The 11-year-old boy brought the weapon to school on Thursday 18 June but the incident only came to light after parents complained that they had not been told.
A teaching assistant spotted him with it before the morning’s lessons started and confiscated it immediately, headteacher Ros Munro said.
A former army reservist who teaches at the school confirmed that it was a deactivated starting pistol which could not be fired, and it posed no threat to any pupils.
Greater Manchester Police were called as a precaution and spoke with the boy and his parents but no further action was taken.
He was suspended for two days, and the family were allowed to keep the pistol.
Ms Munro said: “The children had previously done a World War 1 project in school and one of our pupils brought his grandfather’s old, deactivated starting pistol into school.
“He had not been asked to do this by school and he did so without his parents’ knowledge and clearly didn’t realise the consequences of what he was doing.
“I spoke with the few children involved and parents were informed as necessary. As it took place before school very few children were aware of the situation as it was quickly dealt with promptly and properly by staff.”
