A school has sparked fury among parents after opening windows to stop the spread of coronavirus while telling pupils they cannot wear their coats inside.
Barr Beacon School in Walsall, West Midlands, sent a letter to parents explaining the decision to teach with windows open to allow better ventilation.
In the letter, headteacher Lynsey Draycott said that the direction came from advice issued by The Independent Sage group.
While the school said coats will not be allowed, it suggested pupils could wear an extra vest or t-shirt under their school uniform.
But many parents said the decision not to allow students to wear coats was "unbelievable" - although others said the decision was "fine", reports Birmingham Live.
Gareth Hall said: "Too right, about time privileged cupcakes learned to man up. Best get to the shops and stock up on thermal underwear and thick socks."
And Rae Dodkins-Rudge added: "For those of us brought up with no central heating and unheated bedrooms this is nothing.
"My primary school had an outside toilet block.
"Many young boys wore shorts in winter and girls dresses with long socks. We used to get snow too. Real snow not an inch or two.
"We survived."
But others – including Ellisa Skelding – disagreed and penned: "So when they all come down with colds and possibly flu will they all be sent home for Covid?
"Why make kids ill to protect them from a virus that is less deadly then the flu they will get from being made to sit at school for hours on end cold.
"It really doesn’t get anymore stupid other than making them wear a mask at the same time."
And Sarah Shilton added: "Absolutely disgusting!! No one should ever get used to being cold. Being too cold, too hot, too tired or too hungry are all reasons pupils can’t concentrate."
The team of scientists at the independent SAGE group said children should put on more clothes and get used to being cold because schools will need to keep windows open over the winter to fight Covid-19.
They also called on the Government to give schools extra funds to improve ventilation and to cut class sizes.
The letter, which was dated September 11, reads: "The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) has warned that because school windows must be left open to fight coronavirus, pupils should start wearing more clothes and 'get used to being cold'. This has been widely reported in the press.
"Pupils will not be allowed to wear coats in classrooms but they may choose to wear plain, white vests and t-shirts below their shirts and/or a black v-neck jumper, in accordance with our existing uniform policy."
Susan Michie, a professor of health psychology at UCL, told the independent Sage Group meeting: "Many schools don’t have windows that can open, so there needs to be immediately a budget to ensure that windows can be opened."
However, she said families and teachers needed to play their part.
She added: "As well as Government giving grants so that schools can open windows, doors, skylights whatever they can, I think also pupils will have to get used to – and staff – coming in wearing more clothes.
"Certainly when I was a child, I lived in Edinburgh, no central heating and we wore several jumpers in the winter.
"I think we need to change some of these habits in order to accommodate the new situation we need to be in."
In a statement Barr Beacon School said: "Barr Beacon School's first priority is the safety and wellbeing of its pupils and staff. To ensure we keep our children safe the school has shared with parents the steps taken to minimise the risk of viral transmission.
"Government advice has been to encourage the through flow of air to reduce transmission. To prevent children from being cold the school suggested that pupils could wear an extra vest or t-shirt under their school uniform. Many parents have thanked the school for the information and advice that has been sent home and the support their children have received.
"All we are trying to do at Barr Beacon is keep our children and staff as safe as possible.”