A school is facing a backlash from parents who claim a new scheme will stop children from eating lunch with their friends.

The idea - branded family lunch - is to be introduced at the Towers School in Ashford in September but parents have already compared it to a prison.

When pupils return after the summer break, they will be assigned a seat in the dining hall and must spend 25 minutes sitting with their tutor groups during lunchtime.

This is then followed by 25 minutes of free time, where pupils will be able to socialise with their friends until the next lesson.

Paul Fothergill, from Hothfield, has two children at Towers and has already complained to the school.

He said: “I don’t think the head teacher has considered that children with additional needs may struggle, as they may only be comfortable with close friends.

“It could make them feel isolated as they are forced into a group they do not know very well.”

Mr Fothergill complained to the school last week and was invited to attend the lunch and share his concerns with the head teacher after the summer holiday.

He says other parents who have also complained have received the same generic response from the school, despite asking different questions.

Another concerned parent, who did not want to be named, said: “It feels more like a prison than a school and I think they have no right to dictate to children who they can sit with.”

Head teacher Richard Billings says he has introduced the scheme after completing an “an exhaustive piece of theoretical research” over nine months, which has included visiting schools with a similar lunchtime structure in place.

He says the idea is the next step in his vision for Towers.

From September, tutors will eat lunch with their group once a fortnight.

Mr Billings said: “At lunchtime our students will sit together at tables based on tutor groups. This gives them the opportunity to converse and eat their lunch sensibly each day.

“We believe in developing our students not just through the curriculum we teach but through our approach to every aspect of the school day.

“Lunch is the perfect time to continue to enhance moral values of support, kindness and helpfulness.

“Students will sit in the same seat in the dining hall every lunch time and this will give them the opportunity to converse and eat their lunch sensibly each day.”

Lunchtime at Towers will be extended in September, meaning the school day will finish at 3pm. The day will start at 8.45am.