Parents of children who attend a school where the word Christmas is banned until December spread some festive cheer this afternoon.

Yesterday, we exclusively revealed how the head teacher at Whitehill Primary School had banned children from using the C word.

Pupils at the Gravesend school faced losing ‘golden time’ for discussing the festive season prematurely.

The story has since appeared on television and in numerous national newspapers.

Today, parents donned elf and Santa hats and sang carols outside the gates of the Sun Lane school as they collected their children.

Kelly Dowding, who has two children at the school, said: "We're disgusted with the head teacher banning our children from saying Christmas and punishing them if they do.

"It's rubbish to say it's in the school's policies because it's not, it's just a load of rubbish."

Head Jane Porter said children were expected to come to school to learn – not discuss Christmas.

She said: “It’s always been the case at our school. It’s been like that since I started here in 1997 and it was like that before then too. I would have to question why people would want it to start any earlier?”

The school was rated “good” this year by Ofsted and praised teachers and pupils, adding: “The clear vision of the head teacher has been pivotal in improving the school.

“Her high aspirations and focused development have been pursued with rigour and resulted in clear improvements in pupils’ progress, behaviour and the quality of teaching.”

Mrs Dowding added: "I've asked my children what they're doing at school for Christmas and they've told me they're not allowed to mention it.

"It's strange; they're excited about it. We went to Gravesend's Christmas light switch on and there's the grotto in the shopping centre, of course they're excited."

Fellow parent Mandy Wallace said: "The school is not a bad school, and the head has done a really good job since she's been here, there's no doubt about that. We just don't agree with her stupid policies."

The protest continued, complete with Slade Christmas classic Merry Christmas Everybody, as the children came out of school - watched carefully by police officers who are thought to have been called to the scene.

Head teacher Mrs Porter added: “The long and short of it is that one of the golden rules is to work hard so if the children are not working hard, talking about Christmas for instance, then they will lose their golden time.

“That would be the case with anything not related to school – they shouldn’t be talking about David Beckham.

“If they’re talking about something they shouldn’t be, they’re not working hard. We’re a school, we’re about education, not retail.”