Primary school children have been banned from running in the playground in case they fall over and injure themselves . Pupils at Riverview Junior School in Gravesend , Kent were told they could not move around too quickly because they might bump their heads . Parents are furious about the ban - saying that children need to 'let off steam ' during their breaks as well as getting exercise by running around . Banned : Pupils including Bradley , Luca , Mia and Diesel ( pictured left to right ) have been told they can not run in the playground at Riverview Junior School in Gravesend . Rachael Sparks said that her 11-year-old son Diesel had returned home upset after being told not to run outside at school . She said that she checked with headmistress Pam Wenbam , because she could not believe that it was true , before realising that a ban had in fact been imposed . ' I went in to school to speak to them as I thought he must have misunderstood , ' Ms Sparks said . 'What else is a playground for in a primary school if not for running around and letting off a bit of steam ? ' I was lucky enough to get to speak to the head , Ms Wenban . I said , `` I just want to clarify if this is true . '' 'She started off by saying we 've asked them to slow down a bit , but then it transpired that they had banned running . ' Safety : Staff at the school , pictured , say they are trying to crack down on a dangerous 'chasing ' game . The school claims that the ban is intended to tackle a specific 'chasing ' game which has caused children to hurt themselves . Ms Sparks said : 'She went on to say that due to some children not looking where they were going , there had been incidents of bumped heads . 'She claimed due to this it was her duty of care towards the children that had prompted her to ban running . They are not allowed to play British Bulldog , they are not allowed to play football . ' I know children do get the occasional bump to the head or grazed knee while running around on the playground but having spoken to a number of parents as well as children , 100 per cent of both expressed that running and getting the occasional minor injury was most definitely preferable to not running at all . ' I do n't want to run the school down but I think it is a step too far . Kids have been bumping their heads and grazing their knees for hundreds of years . ' Ms Wenband said : 'We have asked children to refrain from playing a particular chasing game in the playground as we have found the increasing numbers taking part has caused some injuries , including a fractured collarbone . 'We are concerned for the safety of the children and need to stop this particular game until we can establish a safer way for them to play . 'When the weather is dry and sunny children can run and play more safely on the school playing field . '
Pupils at Riverview Junior School in Gravesend are not allowed to run . Teachers say the new rule is designed to stop them hurting themselves . Parents are furious that children are n't allowed to 'let off steam '