The list was sent by the council to a small number of head teachers last year, but only on the basis that the information would be treated confidentially. A map showed “feeder” schools in geographical areas dominated by two gangs – the Johnson Crew and the Burger Bar Boys.

Chrissie Garrett, assistant director of Inclusion Support, said it was “most unfortunate” that the list of schools had been published on the website and in the Birmingham Mail.

She added: “This information was circulated as part of preventative work to a small group of head teachers. It certainly wasn’t meant to highlight or identify individual schools or single them out as being at risk.

“What we can’t have is head teachers lambasted and looking as if schools are at risk because of gang territory.”

But Chris Dyer, the council’s Neighbourhood Management Co-ordinator, said the message contained in the report would be “ignored at our peril”.

Mr Dyer added: “This document is poorly worded, but it’s not far from the truth. The schools happen to be there and the gangs are there as well.”

He said that families connected with gangs used their membership as a “badge of honour” in the playground.

And support for the Mail’s stance came from scrutiny committee chairman Coun Keith Barton (Con Longbridge).

He said the articles merely accurately reflected that certain schools were “vulnerable to gangs”.

See the full list here