A primary school has provoked a mixed reaction from parents after banning children from bringing in fruit juice.

Pupils at Wateringbury Primary School are only being allowed to drink milk or water during the day, with all sugary drinks prohibited from lunch boxes.

Headteacher Chasey Crawford-Usher feels it is the Bow Road school’s responsibility to improve the health, diets and fitness of its pupils, but says the policy has sparked a mixed reaction.

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She said: “Over the last few years, we have noticed the number of sweetened drinks in the dining hall has changed dramatically from an occasional box of fruit juice to a raft of artificial drinks with a high sugar content and squash taking the place of water in the children’s water bottles.

“Limiting our school drinks to water and milk is an easy and natural way to reduce our children’s sugar intake whilst at school.

“If parents wish their children to drink fruit juices or sweetened drinks, there is ample opportunity for that at home before or after school.”

She added: “I aim to lead a school that steps up to the very important health and fitness issues facing our nation. To do nothing would be an abdication of my duty as a school leader.”

It comes after new advice recommends children aged four to six consume no more than 19g of sugar - around the amount of sugar in a pouch of Capri Sun - and no more than 24g for children aged seven to 10, the same as in a Snickers bar.

But while some parents have welcomed the initiative, some have contacted KentOnline's sister paper the Kent Messenger with concerns that their children will not drink water or milk and will become dehydrated.

The policy does not extend to sugary foods, with fresh fruit, cakes, biscuits and hot puddings available from the canteen, although the school requests chocolate is not included in lunch boxes.

Have you been affected by the policy? Email messengernews@thekmgroup.co.uk or call 01622 695666