Parents' dismay at 'draconian' uniform rules

Sharon Smith's daughter was sent home despite wearing "the same shoes" she wore last term

Some children returning from the summer break are facing isolation or being sent home over school uniform rules, which parents have described as "draconian".

Sharon Smith sent her daughter back to Hull's Trinity House Academy with shoes which are "the exact same" as the pair she had worn for the previous two years with no issues.

Her daughter was told she could either "reflect" on her actions in isolation, or go home, so her mother told her to come home.

A spokesperson for Hull Trinity House Academy said its school uniform policy "remains unchanged" and only "plain black, round toed, flat polishable shoes are acceptable".

The spokesperson said the school "makes no apology" for its "high academic, behaviour and uniform standards".

Ms Smith's daughter was sanctioned for wearing the shoes on the left, which are almost indentical to the pair on the right which had been acceptable for the past two years

Ms Smith said: “She’s gone back to school after the summer holidays with the new shoes, which are exactly the same, except for some reason they’re now not acceptable.

“A staff member took her aside and said the only choice you’ve got is spend the full day in isolation and reflect, or go home, the shoes aren’t acceptable to come to school in now.”

Ms Smith said she asked her daughter to come home, explaining “I can’t have her reflecting on something, when she hasn’t done anything wrong.”

Lorraine Briggs said she was unaware of the new school rules affecting skirt length

Lorraine Briggs, whose 12-year-old granddaughter Paris was taken aside at Outwood Academy Brumby in Scunthorpe for having a skirt above the knee, said she was unaware of the new rules.

After Paris was told she would be placed in isolation, Mrs Briggs decided to take her out of school.

She said: "To me it’s just draconian for being ostracised because your skirt is a bit above the knee."

Mrs Briggs said she was concerned about how isolation might affect pupils' mental health and added: "They are there to learn at the end of the day."

When she attended the school, about 20 other girls were being spoken to outside of class for having skirts above the knee, she added.

Another Outwood Academy Brumby parent, Sarah Davies, said her daughter also fell foul of the rules for her shoes which had a gold buckle.

She said: "They had a buckle on them that wasn’t black. But she’d been wearing the same shoes for the last two years.”

Ms Davies said the buckle was “chopped off” and her daughter was allowed back to class.

A spokesperson for Outwood Academy said students were only sanctioned when they were "not prepared to cooperate", as per its behaviour policy.

They said: "Incorrect uniform is not something which would result in sanctions for students as it can be easily fixed by taking items loaned from school for the day or by working with parents to rectify uniform on the same day where possible."

The spokesperson added: “We ask that all students wear their uniform as outlined by the uniform policy, and wear it with pride.

"The policy has not changed in any way and has been available to all parents and carers to consult over the summer."

Outwood Academy Brumby said isolation was for those who had failed to "follow reasonable instruction".

Speaking on BBC Look North, Steve Chalke, leader of Oasis Charitable Trust which runs some academies in North Lincolnshire, said he had not seen the examples featured in this article, but that he had some misgivings about school uniform rules.

He said: “It doesn’t sound right, it doesn’t feel right at all, because schools are meant to be welcoming.”

He said concerns over pupils' uniforms needed to begin with “conversations with families”, rather than sanctions.

He added: “Schools need standards, but one of those standards needs to be inclusion.”

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