A LIVID mother has criticised a school's 'ridiculous' school uniform policy on what has become the hottest day ever recorded in Lincolnshire.
Lincoln Castle Academy came under fire online due to its decision to not allow students to wear their PE kits due to the warm weather, with a number of students sent home from school, and the school classing it as a 'fixed term exclusion.'
Tanisha Smith, mum of Year 7 student Jessica Smith, 12, sent her child to school on Monday morning wearing her PE kit due to the heat and as it had the school badge on it, meaning her school could be identified in case of any emergency.
Lincoln Castle Academy's uniform policy for July 18 said that students could leave their blazers and ties at home, but they would still be required to wear trousers, or tights if they were wearing a skirt.
A number of parents criticised this decision on the school's Facebook page, which has since been removed and appears to have been deleted.
Ms Smith slammed the policy as 'ridiculous' amid the extreme temperatures, with yesterday being confirmed as the hottest day on record in Lincolnshire, and this record is set to go again today.
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Ms Smith explained that she sent her daughter to school in her PE kit partly because it featured the school badge, something which would not have been included if she had worn what the school requested.
She told Lincolnshire Live: "Lincoln Castle Academy sent an email out to parents saying (the kids) could leave their blazers and ties at home, but they still need to come in their uniforms, and I know that the girls that wear skirts have to wear tights still in this weather, and the lads are expected to wear trousers, not shorts.
"The teachers are wearing nice, flowy, dresses and not wearing tights, and the male teachers are wearing shorts.
"Some of the parents had decided not to send their kids to school, I decided I wasn't going to do that because I don't think her education should be stopped just because of the heat.
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"So, I sent her to school in her PE kit like most of the other parents said they were going to do. I also thought this was a good idea as the PE top has their school logo on, and leaving their blazers and ties at home means they don't have a school logo.
"(Jessica) cycles 20 minutes to our school from our home address, so god forbid if anything were to happen to her, at least someone would know where she's from. I thought that was a good reason."
Ms Smith explained that when Jessica got to school, she was contacted and asked to bring her school uniform for her to change into. Ms Smith declined this request and told them her reasoning, which she says the school staff member on the phone said was a valid point.
It was at this point that the school said they would be sending Jessica home, and that it would be classed as a 'fixed-term exclusion'.
Ms Smith added: "My daughter's come home quite upset that this will now go on her school record, all because the school wouldn't allow her to wear her PE kit in weather like this, which I think is absolutely ridiculous."
"On the Facebook page, the post they put up this morning, hundreds of parents were agreeing with me and having the same issues."
Ms Smith added that around half of year 7 and 8 have been sent home for wearing PE kits.
The Facebook post in question outlined the school's uniform policy, however, it has since been deleted with it appearing that the whole school's Facebook page has also been removed.
Lincoln Castle Academy have been contacted for a statement on its uniform policy and to find out exactly how many students were sent home, but it has yet to respond and has since confirmed to parents that today, July 19, will be a non-uniform day.
Ms Smith added: "One parent went up to the school to pick their kid up, and there was a bunch of other kids outside waiting to be picked up. I don't understand their point at all."
Temperatures hit 37C in Lincolnshire yesterday, when students were being sent home, and are expected to rise even higher today. Highs of 40C are currently forecast for Spalding, and 39C is expected in Lincoln.
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