Patriotic pupils were left fuming after being sent home from school for turning up with red and white faces to celebrate St George’s Day.

Around 20 students from Cathedral High School in Wakefield, West Yorks, were turned away by teachers before they even went through the gates on Thursday.

They had all turned up for lessons with English flags painted on their faces or tied around their necks, like capes.

Shocked Year 11 student Becky Douglas said: “We decided to do this because we like being English.

“This is our special day and we think we have every right to celebrate it. But we didn’t even get into school. The teachers must have been watching us on the CCTV.

“They just came straight out and told us all to go home. We are outraged about it.

"It’s our exams in about three weeks and we will be missing out on all our revision classes. This is not our fault. We would all have gone in and worked as normal.”

The pupils admit although they discussed the plan among themselves, they had not asked for permission from teachers to come to school while not wearing the proper uniform.

Becky, 16, who is studying for her GCSEs, said: “We had been planning to do this since before the Easter holidays. “I know a few teachers knew about it – and they didn’t tell us not to do it. I think they are just being boring and trying not to offend anyone, but I just don’t see how it can be seen as offensive.”

Amanda Gaskell, mother of one of the other patriotic pupils who was sent home, 12-year-old Lee Gibson, said: “I think it is shocking that they got sent home.Nobody from the school would comment on the incident yesterday.