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Sunday, September 1, 2013

Schoolgirl, 14, sent home on first day of new term for wearing 'too tight' trousers

Year 10 pupil Annalise Wilks was pulled to one side by furious staff at Beaumont Leys School, Leics, and told to change her pants or go home

A teenage girl was sent home just hours into the new school term after teachers insisted her trousers were TOO TIGHT.
But mum Denise says her daughter's trousers are perfectly suitable
Annalise Wilks, 14, had just rejoined friends after their summer holidays and taken her first steps into preparing for GCSE exams.

But the Year 10 pupil was pulled to one side by furious staff at Beaumont Leys School, Leicester, and told to change her pants or go home.

About 25 children were given their marching orders or put into isolation for breaking the secondary school's 'zero tolerance' uniform rules.

Annalise's mum Denise says her daughter is missing out on an education
Annalise's mum Denise, 44, was contacted by the school on Thursday to be told her daughter was not allowed into her classes.

Denise said: "I personally think Annalise's trousers were suitable - I don't think they were too tight at all.

"I think it's disgusting. She's being deprived of an education. I know at least two other parents who are furious about it.

"Can't they just educate the children until 3pm and then send them home with a letter?"

Head teacher Liz Logie, who has overseen seven years of academic improvement at the school, said the hard line was important for school discipline.

She said no children were sent home unless their parents were at home waiting for them.

Ms Logie said: "We've changed our school uniform and we anticipated having hiccups, which is why we posted letters to students' homes with precise descriptions and had two or three assemblies with the pupils.

"We made it really clear they would be put in isolation or sent home if they did not wear the uniform.

"About 20 to 25 out of 1,050 pupils were in the wrong clothes or shoes and, if their parents could be contacted, they were sent home and, if not, they were put in isolation."

She said 'holding the line' was vital for both discipline and the academic success of the school.

Zero tolerance: The school sent pupils home for wearing incorrect uniform

Ms Logie added: "Schools such as Beaumont Leys in challenging areas don't get to be successful without being clear and rigorous.

"We know there were parents who were hacked off with us over the uniform but we don't imagine they will be so hacked off when their children get good results."

In the past, pupils in years 7, 8 and 9 had a uniform, while older students were asked to wear black and white, with certain restrictions on styles.

The uniform now is for all pupils. For boys it is a white shirt, school tie, black trousers and a black blazer, while girls have the same uniform with the option of wearing a knee-length skirt instead of trousers.

Ms Logie said part of the reason for the new uniform was to avoid having 'ridiculous' conversations about what the rules were.

The school's website includes a guide with illustrations of what styles of clothes are acceptable.