Teachers caught having a crafty cigarette outside an infant’s school gates are setting a poor example to students, a parent complained.

But the school said the teachers would continue to be allowed to smoke outside Elmwood Infants School in Lodge Lane, Croydon, for fear of breaching their human rights.

Osteopath Pauline Dickson, 43, said parents are “forced to walk the gauntlet of smoke” as teachers light up each morning outside the school.

Mrs Dickson, whose 11-year-old daughter Skye goes to Elmwood junior next door, said: “The teaching staff who are smoking are doing so just beside the school railings and blocking the pavement so you have to walk through their smoke to get to school.

"I am amazed that while they have the right to choose the possibility of lung cancer, it is not fair the children are forced to walk through the gauntlet of smoke.

“Surely these people realise they’re looked up to by the kids and are not setting a good example.”

In an email to Mrs Dickson, Gill Douglas, chairwoman of the schools’ governors, wrote: “I have noted your concerns.

"However, I must point out the members of staff that you have highlighted are complying with the school’s anti-smoking policy.

"It is also within their human rights for staff to be able to smoke outside of the school as long as it is within a certain distance away from the premises.

"We do, however, take all complaints very seriously and I will forward your concerns to the governing body premises committee meeting to be held on September 22.”

• What do you think? Let us know by email here, phone the newsdesk on 020 8330 9555 or leave a comment below.