[Ammi]

A teacher at a school in Berkshire has been told to make her Cumbrian accent "sound more southern", according to a union.

The woman, who has not been named, is a staff member at Whitelands Park Primary School in Thatcham.

It was Ofsted who first made a comment about her accent, according to the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT).

Sky's West of England Correspondent Isabel Webster said the school, which is in special measures, took the issue "to heart".

Webster said it was given to the staff member as a "key objective" for her to work on as part of her personal development as a teacher.

The school did not immediately comment.

Paul Watkins from the NASUWT said: "We are very disturbed by this issue. It is victimisation and I think this is the most extreme and bizarre objective I have ever heard of."

He added: "It could initially be seen as humorous, but the more you talk about it, the more annoyed and outraged you become.

“It is the most extreme form of discrimination and bullying in a country where we are supposed to be celebrating diversity."

Parents outside the school told Webster they thought the teacher was being discriminated against.

Netty Austin, a local councillor and parent of a pupil at the school, said: "I don't see how her teaching, or his teacher, is going to be affected by them changing their accent in any way."

Another parent said: "There's nothing you can do about it. It's like a religion, you can't just change your religion. Your accent stays with you no matter where you go."

In a statement an Ofsted spokesman said: "Inspectors comment on the standard of teaching at schools.

"Negative comments about the suitability of regional accents are clearly inappropriate and should form no part of our assessment of a school's or a teacher's performance."