School bans sugary drinks

A school has sparked a row with parents by banning pupils from bringing in soft drinks.

Governors at the south London primary school introduced the ban - which covers everything from fruit juice to fizzy drinks - because they fear high levels of sugar in some drinks could harm children's health.

But some parents say it leaves their children with only one drink - water - which many do not like, and in the recent hot weather pupils have been returning home tired, listless and dehydrated. More than 100 parents at 390-pupil De Lucy primary school in Abbey Wood have signed a petition demanding the policy - believed to be the first of its kind in London - be reversed.

Introduced as part of a healthy-eating campaign that has also banned pupils from eating biscuits, it has sparked fresh controversy over who should have the last word in decisions affecting young children's health - teachers or parents. A Greenwich council spokeswoman backed the school and said: "Water is perfect for rehydration and is provided in every classroom. Children are encouraged to bring in their own water and it is also brought out to them while they are in the playground, during particularly hot weather."

She added that while soft drinks are popular among young children, they are bad for teeth and can cause hyperactivity. "Although it is not council policy to have a water-only rule in place, the scheme at this school has its value in ensuring a balanced, nutritious diet," she said. But parents today spoke of their anger over the ban.

Jacqui Arnold, whose daughter Daisy, eight, goes to the school, said: "She often comes home thirsty and if she's got fruit juice in her bag, she has to keep it hidden. I can't understand why they're doing it. Lots of us feel the same way. It's not fair on the kids."

Sally Humphreys, 35, whose 11-year-old daughter Georgina is a pupil, said: "I think they should be allowed fruit juice. A lot of kids don't drink water. They used to have milk but they're not allowed that any more.

"My daughter gets very hot. She sometimes comes home with splitting headaches."

Health and education experts said the policy was "excessive". A spokesman for the British Dietetics Association said: "While high sugar levels in drinks are a concern, so is dehydration.

"There appears to be a little bit of 'the nanny state' about this policy. The real danger is that if children cannot have these drinks at school, they will be even more attractive once they get outside the gates.

"Schools need to listen to parents' views and work with them to encourage an overall healthy diet." The National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations added its opposition.

A spokeswoman said: "We are particularly concerned about a lack of consultation, which obviously hasn't been adequate in this case if 100 parents are objecting to the school's policy.

"Most parents know that many young children will not drink plain water, so there is obviously a concern about dehydration.

"Schools need to follow healthy dietary policies, but they can be taken to extremes. They need to consider which is the lesser of two evils, children drinking something which may have some sugar in it, or not drinking at all."