UK PM Keir Starmer apologises to teachers after leading ‘6-7’ classroom chant

Keir Starmer won favour with some students after leading a forbidden chant on a visit to a local classroom, leaving some teachers very unimpressed.

The UK Prime Minister has landed in a spot of trouble after a visit to a primary school this week, where he led the children in a version of the ‘6-7’ viral dance meme.

Starmer visited Welland Academy in Peterborough this week, promoting the expansion of a free school meals program with Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.

While reading with a young girl in class, she pointed out that they were on pages six and seven.

Without missing a beat, the PM began to make the juggling gesture that goes with the viral meme, leading the pupils to join in with raucous laughter.

He was side-eyed by a teacher who said, “We’re not over that yet,” in reference to the internet trend.

Afterwards, the accompanying teachers politely told him, “You know, children get into trouble for saying that in our school”.

“Sorry about that,” he said with a laugh.

“I didn’t start it, miss,” he joked.

The Prime Minister was quick to pick up on the ‘6-7’ joke. Picture: Joe Giddens – WPA Pool/Getty Images.

Starmer later posted a video of the exchange to Instagram, captioning it “I think I just got myself put in detention”.

Six-seven has become a pain point for teachers and parents everywhere, with Gen Alpha and younger Gen Z constantly referring to the meme.

Starting as an internet trend, the meaning is somewhat nebulous, but the popularity of the term saw it named Dictionary.com’s word of the year for 2025.

“We’re still trying to figure out exactly what it means,” the online platform admitted when it came to the choice.

It has been linked to meaning “average”, as in six or seven out of 10, and possibly originated from the song Doot Doot (6 7) by American rapper Skrilla.

It also gained popularity around the American basketball player LaMelo Ball, who stands at 6-foot-7.

Starmer got some serious side-eye from a disappointed teacher. Photo by Joe Giddens – WPA Pool/Getty Images.

Despite not really knowing the meaning of the term, kids have become so obsessed with saying it and performing the accompanying gesture that teachers have banned the term in schools.

The kids seem to get a kick out of having a slang term that the adults don’t understand.

“Few slang terms have captured the cultural mood of 2025 quite like 6-7,” Steve Johnson, Director of Lexicography for the Dictionary Media Group at IXL Learning, said.

“It’s part inside joke, part social signal and part performance,” he mused.

“It’s one of the first Words of the Year that works as an interjection, a burst of energy that spreads and connects people long before anyone agrees on what it actually means.”

No matter the meaning, it endeared the children to Starmer, even if he was put in detention.

Originally published as UK PM Keir Starmer apologises to teachers after leading ‘6-7’ classroom chant