A mum has been barred from her daughter’s school in a row over uniform.

Tara Fifield, 26, has been told she is not welcome at Cedar Primary, Strood, following a dispute over the shorts Samantha, seven, wears under her skirt.

Mother-of-four Miss Fifield sends Samantha and her younger sister, four-year-old Tammy, to school wearing cotton cycling-style shorts to protect their modesty.

However, last week Samantha got home from school and told her mum she had been made to take the shorts off.

Following a row over the matter, the school said it had banned Miss Fifield because she became rude and aggressive towards teachers in front of young children.

Chairman of governors Debbie Wadhams told KentOnline's sister paper the Medway Messenger that there had been a recent uniform policy change at the school and girls had the option to wear either culottes or trousers instead of a skirt.

Miss Fifield, of Laburnum Close, Strood, denies being aggressive but admits raising her voice at staff and getting wound-up because, she claims, they refused to answer her questions.

She said: “How did they know Samantha had the shorts on? They are really small and are beneath her skirt.

“I was asking why they had undressed her at school and why she couldn’t wear them.

"My daughter is a real girly-girl and even though I have brought her school trousers to wear, she doesn’t want to look like a boy" - Tara Fifield

“My daughter is a real girly-girl and even though I have brought her school trousers to wear, she doesn’t want to look like a boy. She does not want to wear the trousers.”

After the row, Miss Fifield was sent a letter banning her from the school because of the incident.

She then returned to the school to query the ban and, when she said she would not leave until her questions had been answered, police were called.

Miss Fifield said: “They called the police on me and I was made to leave. Even the police asked me how they knew she had the shorts on underneath her skirt.”

The school said it introduced the new policy to address hygiene issues because some pupils were wearing shorts under their skirts during the summer.

Miss Fifield added: “I just try to do the best for my children and, as Samantha is always doing handstands and the like, I don’t want people seeing her knickers.

“There are no hygiene issues with any of my children as they have a bath every night.

“I am now thinking of taking both girls out of the school and sending them to another where they can wear shorts under their skirts.

"I’ve spoken to one school already who have assured me there is no problem with shorts under skirts.”

Ms Wadhams said: “Our uniform policy is published on our website with parents’ agreement.

“This lady shouted and screamed at staff in front of children and aggressive behaviour is not tolerated at the school.”

Miss Fifield has now written to the school requesting a meeting to resolve the issue.