Some brave teenage boys cheekily turned up to their school in skirts this week.

The boys attended their school on Wednesday in a bold protest after being told they couldn't wear shorts.

The five lads - from ISCA Academy in Exeter, Devon - were told by teachers that they'd be placed in isolation were they to walk into class in shorts.

The move to wear skirts came as the UK was gripped by a heatwave, with temperatures soaring to above 30C in some parts of the south of England.

A mum of one of the pupils said her 14-year-old was told a day earlier by the head teacher, "you can wear a skirt if you like", after he complained about the heat, the Mirror reports.

"My son wanted to wear shorts but was told he would be put in the isolation room for the rest of the week," the mum said.

"The head teacher told them 'Well you can wear a skirt if you like' but I think she was being sarcastic.

"However children tend to take you literally and so five boys turned up in skirts today – and because she told them it was ok there was nothing she could do as long as they are school skirts.

"One of the five boys did get in trouble today – because it was too short."

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The Exeter mum said that children should have a voice, no matter how old they are.

"Now there are about 50 boys who are trying to borrow skirts off the girls and they all say they are going to wear them tomorrow," she added.

"Children also don't like injustice. The boys see the women teachers in sandals and nice cool skirts and tops while they are wearing long trousers and shoes and the older boys have to wear blazers. They just think it's unfair that they can't wear shorts in this heat.

"They are doing this to cool down – but also to protest because they don't feel they have been listened to."

The news follows after an angry mum hit out at the school for their uniform policy after her son 'almost passed out' from the heat.

Claire Reeves, 30, has criticised ISCA Academy for allowing girls to wear skirts but boys being able to wear trousers.

"The weather has been so hot recently and it's got to the point where my son is suffering," she said.

"I have called the school several times and they have told me that if I send my son to school in shorts then he will be sent to the isolation room all day and if I keep him off school then it'll be an unauthorised absence.

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"The girls are allowed to wear skirts all year round so I think it's completely unfair that the boys can't wear shorts.

"Boys just don't have the option and I am just really concerned about how the heat is going to affect him.

"I have sent him to school as normal because he doesn't want to be put in the isolation room. I just want something done about it because as far as I am aware all the other high schools have adapted their policy for the hot weather but ISCA are refusing to budge."

Headteacher Miss Aimee Mitchell said they are considering revising the school uniform policy.

She said: "We recognise that the last few days have been exceptionally hot and we are doing our utmost to enable both students and staff to remain as comfortable as possible.

"Shorts are not currently part of our uniform for boys and I would not want to make any changes without consulting both students and their families.

"However, with hotter weather becoming more normal, I would be happy to consider a change for the future."