Doncaster school defends coats ban after pupils threatened with detentions

Ash Hill Academy in Hatfield has stopped pupils wearing outdoor coats in communal areas and insists that jackets must be removed before entering the building and not put on until they have exited the building, according to parents.

One parent, who declined to be named, said that pupils have to carry their coats outside the building before they are allowed to put them on.

The dad said: “My daughter has come home this week having being advised that if she wears her outdoor coat, then pupils face detentions.

"This includes when the pupils are between class rooms or about to exit a building. They are only then allowed to carry their coat outside and put it on.

"I fully appreciate that schools have a uniform policy to wear uniforms in lesson times and during their learning environment, but to deprive someone of being able to keep warm outside the learning environment during commuitng and break times is unacceptable.

“At a time when pupils of school leaving age are getting ready to face prospects of work life, should they not have it instilled into them, to be able to decide when they need or need not wear their own items of clothing.”

The school is one of several run by the Delta Academies Trust, which also runs De Warrenne Academy and Don Valley Academy in Doncaster, along with a number of other schools.

Added the dad: “This rule is being brought in at a time when we should be ensuring the welfare and safety of everyone against Covid 19.

"If a pupil is then to sustain any cold like symptoms, they would be expected to remain off school until their self isolation period is over.

"This would both impact on their families, and potentially others in their support bubble at school having to isolate, not to mention the potential of an unpleasant experience of then requiring to undertake a Covid test.”

A spokesman for Ash Hill Academy said the policy was to ensure pupils are ‘ready to learn.’

It said:“Staff greet students as they enter the building, engage with them about the school day and ask them to remove their outdoor coats.

"This means that when they enter the classroom they are ready to learn.

"Any detentions issued are in accordance with our published Care, Support, Guidance and Behaviour policy”.