Ref. 75828-56A HEADTEACHER has defended her decision to ban parents from taking photographs in their children's school play.

At Oliver Tompkins Junior School's performance of Alice Through the Looking Glass no one in the audience was allowed to take photographs or use a video camera.

A statement from the school read: "A letter was put out by the school to the parents before the production regarding the taking of photographs of the children.

But headteacher at the Toothill school Elizabeth Wood described this as "standard practice" and said she was following LEA guidelines to ask all parents their consent to photographs of their children being taken before a school play.

"We had positive and negative responses. So provisions were made for parents who wanted to take photographs at the end of the performance on both nights. Further provision was made for parents to come into school on Friday afternoon to take photographs of the children in costume."

Ms Wood said of those children whose parents had refused permission: "We didn't think it was fair to pull those children out of the production.

"The only thing parents could not do was take photographs on the night. This is standard practice.

"We talked to parents on both nights and nobody complained to me."

Parents at the school say they were disappointed but that it is a sign of the times and they can understand why some parents would not want anyone to take their child's photograph.

Dawn Davis, 39, of Toothill, who works as a dinner lady and has a nine-year-old son, Josh, at the school, said: "I think it's disappointing because the children will be grown up soon and it might have been something they would have liked to look back on.

"Strangers should not be able to take photographs during the play but parents should. But it's understandable with what goes on these days I can understand some parents saying no."

Dawn Hutchins, 36, a pharmacy dispenser of Toothill who has a nine-year-old daughter Elizabeth at the school, said: "I think it's a shame that we could not take photographs at the play because it's something you could look back on over the years. It's unfortunate that a few parents decided they would not allow it.

"The headteacher was very good though and she made sure we could take photographs of the children in their costumes."

Vicki Murphy, 30, of The Prinnels who has a ten year-old son and an eight-year-old son, said: "I could agree if it was PE or something but I can't understand it with plays. It's not fair but that's just the way it's got to be."

Mother of an eight-year-old girl, Michaela Smith, 39, of Grange Park, said: "In one way I can see the point that some of the parents are making. But it is nice to have a photograph of the performance especially because the school play is performed by the older children and it's the last time they do a play before they leave so it would be really nice to have a had photograph of them on stage."

Diana Milne