Parents criticise seasonal school jumper ban

Parents have criticised a seasonal ban on wearing school-branded jumpers at a secondary in Leicestershire.

Lutterworth High School introduced the rule at the end of the Easter holiday until the October half-term break, telling parents its jumpers were "designed to be a winter item".

Mum Sarah branded the decision "ridiculous" and said daughter, Phoebe, 12, had been sent to isolation - a separate room for supervised learning - every day since returning after the Easter break for flouting the rule.

The school declined to comment when contacted by the BBC, but said it was "genuinely sorry" for the concern the change had caused in a letter to parents.

According to the Department for Education, it is for the governing board of a school to decide whether there should be a school uniform, and if so, what it should be.

Guidance published by the department states it recommends school governing boards "actively engage" with parents and pupils when making any significant changes to uniform policy and take these views into account when determining the final policy.

Parents have said they were told of the new rule as the school broke up for the Easter break.

In a follow-up letter on Thursday, seen by the BBC, head teacher Julian Kirby said the change was "carefully considered" and introduced in response to issues around "uniform adherence when the weather improves".

He said this had often arisen from students not wearing the mandatory blazer and instead, choosing to wear the jumper, which was optional.

"However, I fully recognise that for some families, this change has caused concern, and for that, I am genuinely sorry," he wrote.

Sarah, 40, said her daughter was wearing her school blazer, with the jumper underneath, and that was why she had been penalised.

"It's not just about the jumpers, it's about how the school's being run.

"It's more of a dictatorship to the children, rather than listening to the children's views. They're not listened to," she said.

She added: "It's absolutely ridiculous, obviously in April there's still ground frost, there's rain, it was hailing the other day."

She said the jumpers also offered a "security blanket" to pupils who might be more body conscious.

Phoebe said she would continue to break the rule and wanted her "voice to be heard".

She said plenty of other pupils, mostly girls, were in the same situation.

Another parent, who did not wish to be named, said the issue had become a "massive thing" that could have been dealt with more simply.

She said: "I completely agree with school uniform, I think they [the pupils] should look smart.

"Financially, it keeps everyone on the same level. But I think students, they could have a bit more say."

The 40-year-old said the students were generally "well-behaved".

"Students should have a voice, they should be listened to," she added.

She said parents were not given the opportunity to discuss the matter.

While the head teacher has apologised for the concern the change has caused, the rule remains in place.

Additional reporting by Ady Dayman and Dan Hunt.

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