A school has renamed a Mother's Day stall to avoid upsetting any children without a mother.

Brunswick East Primary School in Melbourne will call the stand an 'appreciation stall' instead.

In previous years, the school has hosted a fundraising stall where children could buy Mother's Day merchandise such as mugs, trinkets, candles and soaps.

But staff have decided to change it because some families were offended - and now children can buy gifts for any special person in their life.

Brunswick East Primary School (pictured) in Melbourne will call the stall an 'appreciation stall' instead

Principal Janet Di Pilla explained the change in a newsletter to parents, reported the Herald Sun.

She wrote: 'I am sorry that in the past we have offended some members of our community and I hope that this acknowledgment goes some way to address any hurt which has occurred in the past.

'I sincerely hope that this change in name will show that we as a community recognise that our families are not made up of any particular combination of people and that we no longer subscribe to a binary world.'

Mrs Di Pilla said she had consulted with staff, parents and students before installing the change.

Right-wing political party Australian Liberty Alliance slammed the school for the change.

It wrote online: 'We believe the natural family is the core building block of human society and must be protected.'

But some parents backed the change, with one telling the Herald Sun: 'Some kids, for whatever reason, may not have a mother in their lives, so I don't mind if they broaden the stall so those kids feel included.'