Parents asked not to wear pyjamas on school run

Parents should 'put some proper clothes on' when the do the school run, Jeremy Corbyn said as he backed a headteacher who appealed to parents to stop arriving in their pyjamas.

But the Labour leader said how they dressed was less important than making sure their children arrived on time and were well fed.

Kate Chisholm, headteacher at Skerne Park Academy in Darlington, made the appeal after she had noticed an increase in the number of parents wearing nightwear to the school gates and even to school assemblies and meetings.

Asked about the issue during a visit to Middlesbrough, Mr Corbyn told The Gazette: 'I wouldn't do it myself, I'd advise people to wear a coat and put some proper clothes on - it gets cold out there.'

A request for parents to stop wearing their pyjamas on the school run has divided opinion at a primary school in Darlington.

Some parents say that not getting dressed for school is 'shameful', while others have criticised the letter for bringing them unwelcome attention.

Meanwhile, Skerne Park Academy headteacher, Kate Chisholm has defended her choice to ask parents asking them to stop wearing pyjamas on the school run.

Ms Chisholm has said despite all the media attention, she would send the letter again for the sake of improving standards at the school.

• Poll: Should school run pyjamas be banned?

The headteacher of a school in Darlington has defended her choice to send a letter to parents asking them to stop wearing pyjamas on the school run.

Kate Chisholm has said despite all the media attention, she would send the letter again for the sake of improving standards at the school.

• Read more: 'Getting children to school is priority', says 'pyjama parent'

Our reporter Tom Sheldrick has told us that at Skerne Park Academy, in Darlington, there are differing opinions from parents this morning regarding the pyjamas debate.

Some say they'd never wear pyjamas, they agree with headteacher who sent out a letter on the subject.

Others say it's 'each to their own' and some say the letter has painted the community in a bad light.

No pyjamas were spotted there this morning until one parent arrived wearing hers.

When asked about it, she said she was running late, that she doesn't normally wear them, and added that getting her daughter to school is her priority. She does not agree that it sets a bad example.