'The school needs to get its priorities right': Mum slams Yorkshire academy after daughter kicked out of lessons for fur hood

Grace Evans, a student at Edlington’s Sir Thomas Wharton Academy, was sent home over the coat which staff told her contravened the school’s uniform policy.

Angry mum Claire Williams has blasted the school for disrupting her daughter’s studies during her GCSE year and says it needs to ‘get its priorities right.’

She said: “She is a top grade student, work works hard and follows the uniform policy.

"She always looks smart and presentable when attending school.

"My daughter is in an important year and has just missed out over a year of education.

"For a school to be taking her out of education again over fur around a hood I find very concerning and feel the school needs to get its priorities right.”

Grace, 15, who lives in Balby, was told that the fur around the hood of her coat was in breach of the school’s uniform policy.

But Claire said the policy is unclear and said: “It is not very clear as it states no denim, fur or leather jackets – these could be seen as meaning a full fur coat and not just lined.

"Also it states coats are not allowed to be worn in the school building and must be removed before entering as non academy wear is not allowed to be worn indoors.

"I am finding it hard how they can dictate what coat can be worn to and from school when they are not even allowed it in school.

"A coat is a seasonal item of clothing and is not worn all year around so the school expecting to be able to pick an item which will also have to be used out of school is not feasible.”

The school’s policy states: “Only plain outdoor coats are permitted. Hoodies, fur, denim and leather jackets are not permitted at any time on the academy site. Outdoor coats must be removed at the entrance to the Academy buildings, as outdoor wear is not permitted indoors.

“Non-Academy clothing worn inside the building will be confiscated immediately.”

Mrs Williams says she has been to school to discuss the issue and added: “I have spoken with the member of staff who has apparently brought this rule in because he doesn’t like this style of coat.

"When I picked my daughter up, she was upset that she had been put in this situation and taken out of her lessons. The response from the school was basically ‘this is the policy we will not do anything about it and if we don’t like it go to a different school.’