Australian school bans cartwheels and handstands as they are too 'dangerous'

A primary school in Western Australia has taken the extraordinary step of banning its students from doing cartwheels and handstands - because of the danger involved.

Bunbury Primary School has defended the move by saying at least two students a day were coming to the office each day with injuries to their wrists, according to news.com.au.

"This is not about stopping kids from taking risks and having fun - but attempting things like flips or handstands on bitumen and sloping grassed areas without learning how to do it properly is never a good idea," school principal Shane Dougherty told Seven News.

The ban was not permanent yet, suggesting there could be a reversal if enough parents complain.

Parents are not impressed with the ban.

My granddaughter told me last night going home and I think it's absolutely ludicrous," one person told Perth Now.

"I don't know where it has come from, but that's what they do and they've been doing it for years and I don't know what the problem is with it," another added.

"We'd like to see kids out and being active, we know that kids who aren't active actually get injured more," Kidsafe WA CEO Scott Phillips said.

The issue isn't a new one for Australian schools. A NSW school introduced a similar ban in 2012 and a Queensland school followed in 2014.