A MUM has hit out at a York school over claims her daughter fell ill through not drinking enough in class.

Jeanette Brown, of Boroughbridge Road, said her daughter, Katie, seven, has had numerous urine infections because the school policy means she has not been able to drink juice at Poppleton Road School.

Water on its own, which is allowed in class, makes Katie retch, said Mrs Bwon, and, as a result, Katie has had stomach pains resulting in blood in her urine. She is now having to go to the hospital for a scan on her stomach.

Mrs Brown said: “I took Katie out of school for a week and a day because she had to take medication after she got a urine infection.

“I sent her in with a drink with a tiny bit of juice in it to make sure she drinks something, but the school doesn’t allow it in class and she doesn’t like plain water – she starts gipping, as if she’s going to be sick. I don’t drink plain water so I understand where she’s coming from.”

Head teacher Debbie Glover said: “At Poppleton Road School we encourage children to drink water throughout the day and the children are allowed to keep and drink water in the classroom. We also hold the Healthy Schools Standard which promotes the drinking of water only in the classroom. It is school policy for juice not to be allowed in the classroom as if spilt it causes a sticky mess, which can be damaging and difficult to clean up.

“Children can bring juice to drink at lunchtimes, as part of their meal, which is kept in their packed lunch boxes in a designated area. If any child has a health condition which requires them to drink a specific amount of juice at regular intervals, we have and will continue to treat this as an official medical procedure which is carried out under supervision in the office area.”

Mrs Brown said Katie was now back at school and had been allowed to take flavoured water to drink. She said she was now trying to arrange a parents’ meeting at school.