Leicester: Boy removed from school in heatwave shorts row

Leanne collected Archie from isolation and took him home

A 12-year-old boy was taken out of school by his mother after he was put in isolation for wearing shorts during a heatwave.

Leanne said her son Archie - who is in Year 8 at Fulhurst Community College in Leicester - was told by teachers he had to wear trousers or a skirt.

It happened on 7 September when UK temperatures rose above 30C.

The school said "reasonable adjustments" were made to uniform rules during extreme hot weather.

Leanne said she received a call from the school and given an ultimatum to take her son a pair of trousers or he would be sent to isolation for not following uniform policy.

"I was frustrated, I was so angry," she said.

'Unreasonable and unfair'

Refusing to force him to wear trousers, Leanne collected her son from isolation and took him home instead.

"It was more the principle of it than anything," she said.

"My son was punished and put into isolation because I allowed him to go to school with a pair of shorts on.

"I just didn't agree with it. I think they were being unreasonable and unfair."

Archie returned to school the following day, also wearing shorts.

Leanne insisted her son be allowed to attend lessons and this time he was allowed to join his classes as normal.

In response to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Fulhurst Community College said: "As a school we always make reasonable adjustments to uniform during the school day in times of extreme hot weather, but all of our students are expected to wear the correct uniform on arrival to school every day, and parents have recently been reminded of this.

"If a parent or student stated a preference for a skirt, in line with our policy we would agree to this."