Furious parents have attacked a school 's 'ridiculous ' uniform policy after dozens of pupils were put in isolation for refusing to remove charity ribbons and badges . Students at The Grange School , in Runcorn , Cheshire , were kept out of lessons today after they refused to remove yellow ribbons and daffodils supporting the Marie Curie cancer charity . Head Barry Carney defended the decision , saying the school selected one charity to support each year and could n't be seen to prefer one cause over another , but parents branded it 'pathetic ' . Student Lily Gaynor , 16 , said that up to 70 students from The Grange School , Cheshire , had been taken out of lessons ahead of their GCSEs for refusing to remove the charity pins . Pupil Lily Gaynor alerted a local newspaper to the student 's plight by calling them from isolation . She estimated that between 60 and 70 students had been removed from classes . The 16-year-old said : 'We have been taken out of lessons before our GCSEs because we won ’ t take off our charity badges . 'We ’ ve got cancer badges and ribbons on our blazers and they ’ re saying it isn ’ t part of school uniform and it ’ s singling out some charities over others . 'We ’ ve been here about an hour . They ’ re planning on keeping us here all day . It jeopardises our learning and we ’ ve got exams soon . ' Corinne Versleys , whose daughter Caitlin Mulchrane is among those in isolation , said : 'The school is putting children in the isolation unit for wearing those flowers . ' I think it ’ s absolutely ridiculous - all it is is a little flower . 'The majority of kids wearing them are dealing with family members with cancer and they ’ re being told to remove them . I think it ’ s absolutely pathetic . ' The Marie Curie daffodil appeal has been running every March since 1986 . Supporters are encouraged to donate in return for a daffodil badge or ribbon which they can wear . Support : Pupils were wearing these flowers and yellow ribbons given out by the Marie Curie cancer charity during March as part of a fundraising drive which last year raised £8.26million . Last year the campaign , which is supported by the likes of actors Olivia Coleman and Dominic West , helped to raise £8.26 million , funding 413,000 hours of nursing care . Despite criticism , Barry Carney , the head of Grange School , said he was simply applying the school 's uniform policy , which was available online 'for all to see ' . He told the Liverpool Echo : 'Each year we have a nominated charity which we call the head boy and the head girl ’ s charity . This year it happens to be the Teenage Cancer Trust . ' A number of students have been wearing some badges which are not permitted according to the rules of the school , which are pretty clear . 'When we asked students to remove these badges there has been a small number who have dragged their heels and said because of personal circumstances they want to show their support . ' He said he has spoken to these pupils and suggested organising a fundraising event to support the charity , rather than wearing a ribbon or badge . He added that the school holds plenty of charity events , and has raised £1,000 for the Teenage Cancer Charity in the past year , with an open door cafe planned next Thursday . He said the school was contemplating having more than one nominated charity next year .
Pupils had ribbons and daffodils supporting Marie Curie cancer charity . Were taken out of lessons after staff deemed they breached uniform code . Furious parents branded the school 's decision 'pathetic ' and ridiculous ' But head defended decision , saying uniform code was clear on the issue .