The Jewish Free School (JFS) has triggered a backlash among students over potential changes to the uniform policy to make sixth formers "smarten up".

Sixth form students at Europe's largest Jewish school are currently allowed to wear their own clothes but newly-appointed headteacher Rachel Fink, who is a former JFS head girl, is considering changing this.

Student sources have suggested that the changes would make male students wear suits and female students dress more smartly, though the school denied the policy involved suits.

An online petition, which was signed by 207 people before it was taken down, said: “Changing the school uniform will forever change the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere of our school and will put the student body in direct conflict with the new headteacher."

The petition said smarter clothes are usually more expensive, which less wealthy sixth formers would be unable to afford.

The first petition, which was on change.org, urged people to sign to “help preserve our school atmosphere".

A JFS spokesman told the JC it was "incorrect" that the new uniform policy would involve suits, adding this was part of the reason the first students' petition was taken down.

He said: "As you would imagine there are a variety of policies that are under review with a new headteacher.

“We are indeed in the process of making changes to our sixth form uniform policy with a view to smartening up the appearance of our sixth form students...

"The discussion is still ongoing."

After the closure of the first petition, a second one was started that said students “don’t want to be malicious” but “just want to be heard”.

The petition said Mrs Fink was a “phenomenal” teacher after turning Hasmonean Girls School from an “average” to an “outstanding” school.

A student source said the new policy would be aimed against jeans, trainers or t-shirts and require male students to wear a shirt and chinos and female students to smarten up.