A school has been slammed after claims a pupil was sent home for refusing to wear his black BLAZER – despite nearly passing out in 30c degree heat.
Reece Wolfe, 12, was handed a “fixed-term” exclusion by teachers just minutes after starting the school day, along with two other pupils.
The trio thought it was ridiculous to sport their blazer in the scorching heat.
Reece’s mum Leanne Monkman, 36, has blasted the school’s uniform policy which states pupils must wear their blazers when moving through the corridors and open spaces.
She claims her son, dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt, black blazer and black trousers, nearly fainted while in a shoe shop earlier that morning due to warm weather.
Leanne immediately told school staff that her son was feeling poorly and asked if he could take it off for half and hour to cool down.
But she received a call just five minutes later saying he had been excluded — which she claims was down to flouting school rules.
However, headteacher Dale Jackson stated “no students were sent home as a direct result of not wearing their blazer”.
Instead, they were sent home for “rude and defiant behaviour”, says the Kingswood Academy Head.
Mum-of-five Leanne says her son has been issued a week-long ‘fixed-term exclusion’ and will be allowed to return to the Hull school, East Yorks., on Monday.
She said: “I think it’s appalling. A lot of parents have been commenting saying the children even have to wear blazers in classrooms.
“The children are going to end up with heat exertion. It’s not like the corridors are really that wide, it will be hot with all them children walking through at the same time.
“The policy needs to be relooked at. I think the policy is right in terms of pupils looking smart but in that heat, it’s wrong.”
She added: “I took him into Bransholme centre before he started school at 10.50am to buy new school shoes.
“He was in his school uniform and was so hot in his blazer he nearly fainted. Staff had to get him a chair to sit on and a glass of water.
“When I got him to the school I asked reception if he could not wear his blazer because it was so hot and they said he could as long as he carried it on his arm.
” It’s ridiculous that they are excluding him for feeling poorly.
“The teachers said he was getting mouthy and raised his voice at them.
“I was very angry when I got the phone call – I think it’s wrong, in this weather.
“It can make children ill and they are forcing them to wear their blazers.”
Reece was collared by a teacher while walking through the corridor on the second-floor while on his way to get a timetable – with his blazer over his arm.
The Year 7 pupil said he tried to tell staff he was not wearing his blazer because his mother told him not to and he had nearly fainted that morning.
He was allegedly given the ultimatum by teachers to either sit in a behavioural unit called ‘consequences’ which had no air con – or face exclusion.
The school lad said: “I was on the second floor and [a teacher] asked me to put the blazer on and I said no because my mum had told me to keep it off.
“He started having a go and saying if I don’t put it on I would have to go to consequences. I said no because it would make me ill.
“When I went to reception they told me I’d been expelled.”
A further two students were also sent home for their behaviour after being asked to wear their blazers.
Another mum, whose child attends Kingswood but who wished to remain anonymous, said it was “ridiculous” children had to wear their blazers in the hot weather.
“I think it’s ridiculous they have to wear their blazers all the time, especially if it’s hot.
“As long as their shirt’s tucked in and they look presentable what of it? If I’m at work and I’m hot I take my cardigan off – what difference does it make?”
Speaking about the incident, Kingswood Academy headteacher Dale Jackson said: “Today (Monday, June 19) no students were sent home as a direct results of not wearing their blazer.
“Three students, were however, sent home on ‘fixed term exclusions’ due to rude and defiant behaviour – this type of behaviour is simply not tolerated at Kingswood Academy.
“With regards to our uniform policy students must wear their blazers when moving around the Academy through the corridors and open spaces.
“In lessons, students are welcome to take off their blazers.”
