A mother-of-four has become the latest parent infuriated by what she sees as over-zealous school rules on children's haircuts.

Claire Mitchell is angry that her two sons, Alfiee-Joe, nine, and Declan, eight, are banned from the playground at break times after Silver End Academy in Witham, Essex ruled the styles 'extreme'.

She says the irrationality of the decision is exposed by the fact that only one boy was initially banned, despite them having the same crop.

It was only when she pointed out the similarity with her other son's hair that the school decided the ban both boys, she says.

A mother is angry after her son Declan's haircut was considered too 'extreme' to allow him to play outside at school break times

The schoolboys told her some teachers had commented how smart they look, further highlighting the inconsistency, the mother says.

Ms Mitchell, 28, said: 'It takes roughly four or six weeks to grow back... I do not know how long it will take.

'If they are going to keep him in that long he's going to be scaling the walls. It's just a bit over the top.'

She added: 'I'm now having the pick them up at lunch time and break time. I also have a six month old and a house and things to do.

'Taking them out at lunch time and break time they feel like they are being punished for their hairstyle.

'I said I will bring you home and you can have your lunch and have a charge around the garden. I can't do it every day though, I have a baby.

'My little girl is autistic and now she wants to come home because her brothers are.'

The problem was doubled for the family after Declan's brother Alfiee-Joe was also deemed to have breached his school's uniform policy with his haircut

Ms Mitchell said her boys have had the hair style at previous schools and never had a problem.

They moved to Silver End Academy in May and had been settling well until they got the haircuts 'as a treat'.

Their mother said: '[Alfiee] had a brilliant week, he was really good in class - the teacher told us how good he had been.

She added: 'My other son - he is a model student - is devastated he is now being punished for a hair cut.'

The headteacher of Silver End Academy, Simon Webb, said: 'Whenever we have new parents come into any one of our academies we take the parents through the home-school agreement.

'It's a set of statements which we believe are agreed between the home and school in terms of uniform, behaviour and general support the school can offer parents and advise parents. We are open to anyone coming in with any concerns and any worries.'

The school says 'the parents have chosen to take their boys and have their hairs cut in a way which is not appropriate to the academy'

Mr Webb added: 'That school agreement is signed by parents before children arrive and 99 to 100% of the time we never have to refer to that.

'I think in this case the parents have chosen to take their boys and have their hairs cut in a way which is not appropriate to the academy and makes the boys stand out more than any normal haircut.

'This isn't the first time this has happened. Rather than ask the children to stay off school like most secondary schools would, we take the children off the playground and sit in the library or a classroom with an adult who can supervise them. In this way they are safe and not punished.'