UK heatwave: Schoolboy put in ‘prison-like’ isolation room for wearing shorts as temperatures soared

Temperatures rose to over 30C for Kent and other southern parts of England

Harrison Utting, 13, wore shorts to school amidst high temperatures (Terry Utting / SWNS)

A schoolboy was put in a ‘prison-like’ isolation room for wearing shorts to school amidst a national heatwave, his father says.

Harrison Utting, 13, was sent to a special room in Westlands Secondary School in Sittingbourne, Kent for turning up without trousers on Monday morning.

The boy’s father, Terry Utting, criticised the school for its actions as temperatures around the UK continue to rise and weather warnings are put in place.

The father said his son was put in a pastoral support room which is “like a prison.”

He said: “I don’t think it’s right the way the school is treating its students.

“There is a blanket ban on shorts but there is no air-conditioning in the classrooms and the pupils are roasting in 30C heat. At least the girls can wear skirts.

“I read that in another school all the boys ended up wearing skirts as that was the only way they could keep cool and follow the dress code,” Mr Utting continued.

The secondary school in Kent has a strict dress code (Terry Utting / SWNS)

This week, Kent and other parts of the south of England saw temperatures of up to 32C as a heatwave makes its way across the country.

The Met Office extended its amber warning over the ‘extreme heat’ until next Tuesday as high of 35C are expected.

Christina Honess, head teacher at Westlands Secondary School, said: “At Westlands, we take pride in being an inclusive and safe school that listens closely to what its pupils and parents say.

“We have a formal uniform policy that we expect all of our students to follow. This policy is reviewed on an annual basis with our school community.

“Next week, abnormally high temperatures have been predicted and we have planned a series of adjustments to ensure all our pupils have a comfortable and focused end to the school year.

“Parents have been informed of these adjustments today.”