A head teacher has scrapped a policy of mapping pupils’ progress by displaying their photographs alongside happy and sad emojis.

The idea was to place colour-coded pictures to identify if students at St John Fisher Catholic School were doing well or needed to improve.

But the initiative upset some parents, including a mum who withdrew her child from the school, which has sites in Ordnance Street and Maidstone Road, Chatham.

Head teacher Dympna Lennon has apologised and removed the boards but said that the idea was intended to encourage youngsters.

Emojis initially displayed after they went up on Thursday were taken down within a couple of hours.

Mrs Lennon said: “We are sorry if this approach has upset any of our 118 pupils in Year 11.

“An assembly was held four weeks ago with the pupils to advise them their overall GCSE progress number would be displayed on the wall to help encourage and motivate them.

“Pupils were offered the opportunity to speak with teachers if they had any concerns around this.

“We are dedicated to supporting each individual’s needs and ensuring they reach their full potential throughout their education.”

The upset mum, who asked not to be named, felt it was more like naming and shaming those who were not doing so well with their GCSEs.

She said: “I have removed my child from school.

“St John Fisher think it’s okay to put children’s photos up on a display board rating them from red to green – red meaning the kids who aren’t doing too well, green meaning students that are doing well – in the school corridor for the whole school to see along with sad and happy emojis.”

She said she had written to the school to make a formal complaint.

She added: “I’m glad the display has now been fully removed, and hopefully lessons have been learnt.

“Shaming is never good for self-esteem.

“I wonder if they were to put a display board up of the teachers photos with happy and sad emojis, would the teachers feel how the children did?

“Children’s grades, levels and targets are between teachers, pupils and parents and should stay that way.”