The Government is asking school nurses to carry out a staffroom weigh-in and measure teachers’ BMI (body mass index) from today, with further checks carried out on an annual basis.

Any teachers found to be over the recommended weight will be expected to implement a daily exercise regime, supervised by the school’s PE specialists. The hours spent training could count towards their 35 hours of CPD.

Other measures could include playground circuits, having their parking space removed to encourage them to walk or cycle to school, and following a specially-tailored low-calorie diet prepared by canteen staff.

“It’s time we got serious about tackling the obesity timebomb in society. There is no point in removing high fat and salty foods from children’s school meals if they are then confronted with overweight teachers who are the epitome of a couch-potato lifestyle,” said a government source.

A spokesman for the EIS teachers’ union described the policy as “political correctness gone daft” and warned that healthier, slimmer teachers who lived longer would place even further strain on a pensions system already under attack. It is planning to hold a 26-mile protest against the imposition of compulsory daily exercise.

Training programmes and diet sheets can be found at www.scotland.gov.ukapril1.