Pupils sent home over skirt length rules confusion

Leanne believed her daughter's skirt met the policy and was knee-length

Parents of pupils at a secondary school said they were "absolutely devastated" their children were sent home for breaching the dress code.

Hassenbrook Academy in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex is changing the existing dress code policies as it moves to a new trust.

Some parents have complained, claiming the leaflet they were given does not specify skirts should cover the knees completely.

"Unfortunately, some wording within this communication and our website gave incorrect information about skirt length," the academy said.

Parents said they followed the guidelines in the welcome leaflet

Leanne's daughter was sent home on her first day of Year 7 because her skirt was too short and was told she could not return until she had a longer one.

"She was crying absolute floods of tears because she's such a good girl, never been in trouble at all with school," she said.

"Everyone remembers their first day of senior school. And that is always going to be a scar for her, that she's going to be classed as one of the kids that got sent home."

Leanne said she accepted the skirt was not long enough but believed the situation was not handled appropriately and her daughter was now anxious about returning.

Another parent told BBC Essex her daughter was worried she would not make friends due to missing part of her first day.

The school wrote to parents in July about the trust merger, when students could "start afresh with renewed expectations"

The school's uniform policy document from 2023-24 states "when the student is standing, the knee cannot be seen."

"The correct uniform guidance is contained in the full policy in a separate area of the website. When the error on the website came to light it was amended."

Hassenbrook said they were now reaching out to the parents affected to apologise and offer assistance.