HUGGING has been banned at a Geelong primary school with children told to find other ways to show affection.

St Patricks Primary School principal John Grant said “nothing in particular” had caused the ban on hugging at the Geelong West school.

“But in this current day and age we are really conscious about protecting kids and teaching them from a young age that you have to be cautious,” Mr Grant said.

He said he had spoken to teachers about his decision to ban hugging and then the teachers had spoken to classes, instructing the children on different methods of showing affection. He had not sent any correspondence home to parents but said there would now be a letter going home on Monday.

“There’s a range of methods including a high five or a particular knuckle handshake where they clunk knuckles as a simple way of saying ‘well done’,” Mr Grant said. “There are also verbal affirmations and acknowledgments.”

Children at the school have been enthusiastic huggers, he said, with hugs given out to teachers and other children.

“We have a lot of kids who walk up and hug each other and we’re trying to encourage all of us to respect personal space,” Mr Grant said. “It really comes back to not everyone is comfortable in being hugged.”

Some parents had been in touch with the Geelong Advertiser expressing disbelief when their children came home from school on Thursday with the news that hugging was out.

One dad, who did not wish to be named, said he and other parents laughed when they first heard about it.

`We have a lot of kids who walk up and hug each other and we’re trying to encourage all of us to respect personal space.’

He said they hadn’t been formally notified of the changes and only found out when their kids told them about the unusual new rule.

“I’ve done some studies in psychology and touch is actually one of the basic human needs, touch and hugging,” he said.

“A Catholic school in Melbourne tore out pages of text books and now another Catholic school is banning hugging.

“At a first glance it does appear that way, like a bit of a nanny state. I know the school banned cartwheels a couple of years ago but that’s because there were a few injuries around the schoolyard. So I’m sure there was a reason.”

One junior level student told the Addy that the teachers had told them of a “new rule”. “You’re not allowed to hug each other or your friends or the teachers, but you’re allowed to hug your mum,” the student said.

A senior school student explained the rule was for “personal space or something like that”.

Mr Grant said teachers would be sensitive in the adoption of the new rule.

“It’s not as if they’d be punished if they were hugging each other in the yard,” Mr Grant said. “They’ll be simply asked to respect each other’s personal space.”