The students were ordered home for the week following a snowball fight at South Leeds Academy.

Ethan Tate, 16, was one of the six suspended on Monday, it was reported. His mother Tracy, 46, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "I think it's absolutely pathetic. It beggars belief."

Between 30 and 40 pupils were reported to have been involved in the snowball fight in the school grounds on Monday afternoon.

Ethan's mother, a mature social sciences student at Leeds University, added: "If you put kids in the snow, what do you expect they are going to do?"

Principal Colette Jones said: "We are unable to offer comment on individual student matters with a third party.

"At the South Leeds Academy we promote our academy standard regarding behaviour.

"We ask that all students should: be safe, be kind, be respectful and be proud. We take the safety of our students very seriously. Behaviour that compromises student safety will be addressed in an appropriate manner.

"Any decision to exclude a student for a fixed period, because of their behaviour, is taken with thought and consideration for everyone concerned.

"We will always take action to ensure that standards of discipline keep all members of the academy community safe."