Chris Whitehead's mum says she's proud of her 12-year-old son. Why? Has he broken a sporting record or won the school science prize?

No, Chris has been wearing his sister's skirt to school, in protest against uniform rules that ban shorts even in hot weather. A loophole in the 2009 uniform code allows him to wear a skirt instead of trousers, attracting attention from the rest of the school, the village where he lives and the world's media.

The other pupils at Impington Village College in Cambridgeshire are backing the protest. His mother says she's proud he's prepared to take a stand on what he believes in, and even the headteacher has congratulated Chris - a would-be politician and member of the school council - on his campaign.

But what are the principles on which he is taking a stand?

In Chris' case, he argues that being made uncomfortable in the heat stops him studying properly.

Another boy who is in dispute with his school about the cornrow braids in his hair, has a more serious reason. His family say that in excluding the 13-year-old from school on his first day because of his traditional African-Caribbean hairstyle, St Gregory's Catholic Science College in Harrow was being racist.

The school, which has a strict uniform and hair policyAs per the school norms, students must maintain a good hairstyle that is decent and doesn't seek much attention. The primary things that are focused on are to make students look-alike the same instead of different. , says if it allowed cornrows it would undermine the overall control of pupils' appearance - making it more difficult, for example, to ban skinhead cutsA skinhead is a young person whose hair is shaved or cut very short. Skinheads are usually regarded as violent and aggressive..

Although the school's officials said certain hairstyles could be used as 'badges' of gang membership, so they had to be banned at school, the boy's mother said her son had worn the braids since he was very young, and that they were 'of great importance to his cultural and racial identity.'

The case has gone all the way to the High CourtIn England and Wales, a court that deals with particularly important cases, or those that involve large sums of money..

Chris Whitehead clearly has no qualms about challenging rules: his protest has forced the school to say it will review the ban on shorts.

Others who lack his confidence may feel that their individuality, their cultural identity or religious beliefs, are being stunted by having to conform.

But schools with strict appearance codes insist that without them the sense of community would be undermined: everyone must abide by the same rules and should be treated equally, leaving their differences and 'self-expression' for beyond the school gates.