Dozens of parents were left furious after ‘up to 70’ children were sent home from school for wearing incorrect school uniform such as ‘not polishable shoes’.
Parents have reported that students were sent home from the Broadlands Academy in Keynsham, Bristol for not wearing a blazer, and ‘not acceptable footwear’.
A parent said her son got sent home for wearing ‘not polishable’ shoes while another boy was sent home for not wearing a blazer, even though his mother says it has been ordered, but has not yet arrived.
A student got sent home after being told his shoes were ‘not polishable’
Mum Emily Evans, 33, got a call from her son to pick him up, after being told his shoes were ‘not polishable’.
She says she is ‘disgusted’ by the school’s strict uniform policy.
She said: ‘I have forked out on private tutoring throughout, despite not being able to work due to Covid.
‘I lost more money today due to being called into the school, to which I’m very upset as I’ve lost a lot already.
Students got sent home for wearing the wrong pair of shoes
‘They want them to return to school tomorrow to spend the whole day in isolation until I buy another pair of shoes, which is not happening.
‘After being off work for so long I cannot afford another pair and I can’t even return the ones I bought as they have already been worn.
‘Isolation is a form of punishment. They will be in the same room as other students that aren’t in their bubble which, to me, is not sticking by the social distancing rules.’
Defending their policy, the academy’s new head teacher, Louise Hamilton, said a ‘high standard’ of uniform had been introduced to benefit pupils’ experience at the school.
The new headteacher of the Broadlands Academy defended the school’s policy
She said: ‘As the new head teacher at Broadlands Academy, I am determined to create the climate for excellence that our students deserve.
‘Young people across the country have missed out on months of education and, as a school, we have made a pledge to our students and their parents that we will create disruption-free learning in all our classrooms, so that our students can focus fully and benefit from the bespoke curriculum that we have put in place to fill any gaps in learning that have arisen during the pandemic.
‘We will be working closely with families to ensure that our high expectations are met, we have made every effort to reach out with numerous texts, emails, post and website updates over the summer period.
Alex Thomson got sent home for not wearing a blazer and Amy Connor for ‘not acceptable shoes’
‘Many parents have been in touch to say how much they appreciate our focus on high standards in uniform, attendance, behaviour and effort and are looking forward to the benefits this will bring to their children’s experience of Broadlands.
‘I am very much looking forward to beginning a new chapter at Broadlands, where our unique family feel and pastoral care is combined with a culture of high expectations, effort and respect.’
Another mum Joanne Thompson, 39, said she received a call to collect her son for not wearing a blazer and her daughter for wrong footwear.
Parents were furious when their children were sent home for ‘not acceptable shoes’
She said: ‘My son was pulled for not having a blazer, to which they are aware that it has been ordered and we are still waiting for delivery.
‘And my daughter was told that her school footwear was not acceptable.
‘We’ve been in a global pandemic and most people have been out of work, lost jobs or been furloughed.’
‘I’m more concerned about my children’s education than the footwear.’
Parent Michelle Shoemark said she had to pick up her daughter after she got sent home for wearing the same shoes she wore the last academic year.
The school sent home a student for wearing the same shoes as the year before
She said: ‘I didn’t even get a phone call from the school to say she was being sent home – they are Kickers, I thought these would be acceptable as when I brought them it said shoes and not trainers.’
‘Now my daughter is being made to go into school tomorrow and having to catch up on the work that she has missed out on today, which I am not happy about, as this wasn’t her fault and I don’t think it’s fair.’