A school headteacher has defended his decision not to give pupils the chance to observe the national two minutes' silence in memory of the Queen Mother.

Rod Walker, head of Witney's Henry Box secondary school, said the timing of the silence, at 11.30am on Tuesday, did not fit in with school break time.

It was also physically impossible, he added, for all 1,300 students to fit into a hall that could take only about 200 in safety.

According to a pupil at the school, who did not want to be named, the decision did not go down well.

The student told the Oxford Mail: "We were very angry to be told that we were not allowed to see the funeral on television or even have a two-minute silence.

"They allowed a silence for Remembrance Day, and for September 11. I think this is outrageous."

The school's policy is not to coerce students into remembrance ceremonies. But all students would have had the chance to honour the Queen Mother at assemblies throughout this week, said Mr Walker.

He said: "I cannot imagine many secondary schools being able to provide for a mass two minutes' silence. And it was certainly impossible to provide enough televisions for them to watch the funeral.

"No student has mentioned to me they were upset. We're remembering the Queen Mother through the week's assemblies, so there's a chance for all pupils."