Bohunt School in Liphook criticised for uniform punishments

The school's website said its uniform was "very important in encouraging self respect"

Students and parents have criticised new punishments introduced for infringements of a school's uniform policy.

They claim Bohunt School, in Liphook, Hampshire, sent dozens of pupils to sit in silence for not complying with regulations.

An online petition opposing the punishments was signed by 1,100 people.

The secondary school's website said its uniform was "very important in encouraging self-respect".

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The online petition claimed pupils were not being given a warning or the chance to adjust their uniform.

It said 188 pupils had been made to sit in silence in the sports hall for breaking a uniform regulation on Tuesday, a punishment known as "inclusion".

"This totals 376 missed hours of learning," the petition said, implying that students were held for two hours.

It said punishments were handed out for "entering school without jumper" and for trousers being too tight and ties too short.

Pupils were also punished for wearing hair-bands on their wrists, according to the petition.

Among the comments posted on the petition site, one parent wrote: "Happy for school to implement non-school uniform compliance punishments but it is ridiculous to waste two hours of pupils' time for these very minor misdemeanours."

'Sense of community'

A pupil posted: "It's ridiculous that we're missing our GCSE lessons and the fact that they care more about the uniform than our education."

Another parent posted on Facebook: "Kids were put in inclusion on Tuesday for uniform related issues including my daughter. It's insane, Bohunt need to spend more time on teaching then policing the length of skirts and undone buttons! I'm so angry."

The school said the vast majority of its pupils were dressed appropriately.

In a statement, it said: "Our uniform policy is crystal clear and we wrote to all parents at the end of last term and again at the end of August to remind them of it.

"We are pleased that the vast majority of parents and students support it, demonstrated by the fact that more than 90% of our students came to school this week looking extremely well turned out."