Education bosses at Whitehall have stepped in to investigate a summer-long row at a Keighley school over its new school uniform policy.

It is the second time within a year that the Department for Education has launched a probe into the management of 1,800-pupil Oakbank School.

The policy has been fought by parents who want to buy the new blazer from the shop of their choice -- and not the designated supplier.

A spokesman for the DfEE, said this week: "The claim is that the school is inappropriately enforcing its uniform policy.

"Our position is that it is up to the governors and head teacher if there is to be a dress code, but we expect the school to behave reasonably and consult parents, especially those in financial difficulties."

Last year the department launched an investigation into how Oakbank won its Sports College status, removing the qualification and only returning it after it was assured about a new fundraising scheme.

This week head teacher John Roberts and his governors agreed to bow to parent power and allow them to buy the school blazer from the shop of their choice.

And from next September, badges and blazers can be bought separately by parents of pupils at the school.

But Mr Roberts and his governors are still demanding that parents, led by John and Mandy Hawley, of Keighley, who rebelled against the rules, must toe the line this year.

In a letter to them, governors have offered to buy back the incorrect blazers so they can purchase the official jacket with the attached badge.

In a statement on next year's new policy, Mr Roberts said: "Badges will be able to be bought separately and blazers will be able to be bought from wherever the parent chooses.

"At the last count there were seven out of 930 students (to whom the rules apply) whose parents had insisted they did not wear the correct blazer. The governors felt they should not be punished, but also felt that the huge majority who had complied, some with reluctance, should not feel let down."

So students still not in the correct blazer will have to borrow a proper blazer to be collected at school and returned each day.

And the school is offering to buy back the unofficial blazers so the parents can go out and buy the correct one.

Mr Roberts said he was unaware that education bosses in Whitehall were investigation the uniform issue.

He said: "The governors think we have taken a reasonable position which I hope parents will accept."

The decision was a victory for parent power, said Keighley councillor Andy Mudd, who has been backing the parents.

He says: "They have got everything they asked for, but unfortunately there is a sting in the tail in that Mr Roberts insists parents this year can't keep the blazers of their choice.

"I can understand the Hawleys not feeling very happy, but they should feel very proud of themselves for representing the whole of the parents and sticking up against the governors."

An angry Mr Hawley said: "We are going to stick with the blazer we have got. I'm not allowing them to buy it back and my son is not wearing one they supply.

"It's as if the governors are determined to punish us for the campaign. If anyone takes away my son's blazer it will be an infringement of his human rights. We will be taking this further."

And friend Christine Meeking, of Keighley, whose daughter is not wearing the official blazer, said: "I'm livid.

"This is no way to treat children -- I don't want it to affect her schooling. She should not be punished in this way," she added.