Bushey Meads School sorry for sending boy in shorts home

Jamie is campaigning for shorts to be allowed permanently as part of the uniform

A school has apologised after sending a boy home because he was wearing shorts in the heatwave.

Jamie, 15, turned up at Bushey Meads School in Hertfordshire on Monday wearing "smart black shorts", instead of the regulation long trousers.

Mum Klara said Jamie asked the school to change its policy but did not hear back, so he went in with his shorts.

School principal Jeremy Turner said staff made a "genuine mistake" and pupils could now wear smart shorts.

Klara said her son "feels very passionately about the uniform policy and has requested changing the boys' summer uniform to include shorts".

He had emailed the school to request the change ahead of the predicted heatwave, she said.

The school has said pupils may now wear smart shorts

However, within 20 minutes of arriving at the school on Monday, he was taken out of class and Klara was called to either take him home or bring in his trousers.

"I fully support his decision to wear shorts as I feel it is discrimination against the boys to make them wear long trousers when the girls can wear short skirts," she said.

"Jamie didn't want to be a sensationalist and wear a skirt, which is uniform, as other pupils have done at other schools in previous years. He simply wanted to be at school, smartly dressed with the ability to be slightly cooler so that he could continue his education without disruption."

Temperatures in the area reached up to 37C (99F) on Monday, according to the Met Office.

• Live updates: Tuesday's heatwave in the East of England

In a statement, the school's executive principal, Mr Turner, said: "Unfortunately a student was sent home from school today for wearing shorts.

"This was a genuine mistake made by a member of staff and the pupil in question should not have been sent home. He was wearing smart black shorts and should have remained in school.

"The pastoral team here at the school have subsequently contacted the parent and apologised."

He added: "If students want to wear smart shorts they can."

Klara confirmed she sent her son to school earlier - wearing his shorts again - and said Jamie would continue to campaign for the school to change its policy, so that shorts become a permanent uniform choice.