Expensive designer coats ban at Merseyside school

A school in Merseyside has banned pupils from wearing expensive designer coats in a bid to stop "poverty-shaming" among its students.

In a letter to parents, Woodchurch High School in Birkenhead said pupils would not be allowed to wear branded coats such as Moncler, Pyrenex and Canada Goose.

Head teacher Rebekah Phillips said pupils and parents supported the move.

However, some people on Twitter have called the ban "absolutely ridiculous".

The labels banned by the school include children's sizes which sell for between £400 and £1,000.

The ban will be introduced after the Christmas holidays.

Mrs Phillips said: "We are very concerned as a school about poverty-proofing our school environment and, as such, we met with groups of pupils and made the decision in consultation with them.

"The pupils spoke to us about the pressure on families and the pressure on themselves to wear particular branded coats. A few years ago we introduced a school bag for the same reason.

"We have had parents approaching us asking us to introduce a ban prior to us writing the letter."

There has been a mixed reaction on social media with people writing both in support and against the school's designer label ban.

One Twitter user wrote: "Absolutely ridiculous, banning those coats. It's a fact of life that there are poor kids, get over it."