Police called to school after parents protest headteacher who sent home 50 children for wearing wrong uniform

Headteacher admits a 'small number' of parents not very happy

Hartsdown headteacher Matthew Tate

A headteacher has defended enforcing his school's uniform policy, which saw police intervening as 50 pupils were sent home for wearing the wrong clothes.

A Police Community Support Officer based at Hartsdown Academy, in Margate, Kent, as well as officers who were passing the secondary school, stepped in after a "disturbance" outside the gates on Tuesday morning.

Matthew Tate, who has just taken up the post of headteacher, said that adhering to the uniform rules led to better behaviour and improved grades.

He said: "This is a school that has been underperforming and we are determined to do the very best by the children of Thanet, this is part of raising expectations and standards so that every child has a fantastic education.

"A small minority of parents were not happy but we have had emails and phone calls from other parents to express their support and they said this is a good thing, that it is good to set standards and they want the best for the children.

"I have had feedback from teachers that behaviour was much better and if we can improve behaviour by 10% then that gives children another 19 days school, so a small amount of time out of school is a price worth paying."

He added: "The police weren't called by the school, the police were driving past and stopped because there was a group of children around the front."

Parent Lorna Bristow told KentOnline: "My son was turned away this morning because he was wearing shoes that looked like trainers. They were okay last year, so why aren't they now?"

A Kent Police spokesman said: "At 11.03am on Tuesday September 6 Kent Police received a report of a disturbance at an educational establishment in George V Avenue, Margate.

"A PCSO who is based at the school was in attendance. Two police officers later attended the school for a brief period but no offences were disclosed."