PARENTS have criticised a school's 'misleading' uniform policy after confusion over whether pupils could wear shorts during the current heatwave.

Clare Graubner was concerned for son Owen, 12, after his full Larkmead School uniform left the youngster 'sweltering' as temperatures soared to a high of 29C this week.

Flouting school policy, the mother-of-four, along with several other parents, sent their children to school in P.E shorts yesterday morning.

The Abingdon secondary school then sent out an email to parents stating the alternative summer uniform already allows pupils to wear a white polo with Larkmead logo and knee-length tailored shorts.

Sharing the message on social media Miss Graubner said the school had made her look a 'complete fool' but insisted when she rang Larkmead on Tuesday she was specifically told that no shorts would be allowed.

This was also echoed by another parent who commented she had been given the same information.

Miss Graubner added: "I checked with quite a few parents and they all said the same thing, it's misleading if that many people didn't know."

Headteacher Chris Harris, however, said reception staff may have told parents P.E shorts were not acceptable but the alternative summer uniform was a 'long-standing' policy.

He added three students had arrived in P.E shorts yesterday but had not been punished, with Mr Harris saying it was being 'treated as a misunderstanding'.