PE kit-clad Morecambe school pupils sent home for refusing to wear full uniform in scorching heat

Up to 50 children were sent home from Morecambe Bay Academy (MBA) today (Wednesday), or went to wander the streets, after being turned away at the school gates for wearing PE kit during the heatwave.

One parent said: “It's all kicking off at Morecambe Bay Academy!

“Scores of children have been refused entry to school for wearing PE kit or not wearing a blazer and tie because of the hot weather.

"Lots locked in the library, lots more wandering aimlessly on the promenade. Parents are in uproar.

"The school has now issued an email with a complete U-turn on uniform for the rest of the week, but it doesn't help that loads have already been sent home or refused entry to school and are now hanging out on the prom.”

Another parent said: “Morecambe Bay Academy is not letting students wear PE kits and students that have been sent home are outside protesting in PE kits.

"It is like a green house in the classrooms and there are only few rooms with aircon.

"People have fainted and thrown up yesterday in their PE kits and now they are forcing them into their full school uniforms. I think it is disgusting.”

A mother of a 12-year-old girl in Year 7 at the school said: “I sent my daughter in her PE kit today and she was denied access to the school along with other children.

"They were given the option of going home to get changed into uniform and go back to school, go home and stay home today or remain in their PE kit but be segregated to the school library.

“Other kids around the school decided to go to the beach or into Morecambe town centre and some parents won't know where their kids are.

"It is absolutely ridiculous how the whole situation has been handled.

"There are around 50 children who were involved in this.

"This is absolutely disgraceful and it’s a shambles.

"This is a massive safeguarding issue and I will be making a complaint to the county council about this.”

Another mother of a 12-year-old girl in Year 7 said: “It’s been declared a heatwave until Monday so despite receiving an email from school saying children had to wear full uniform, I sent her in PE kit today and she has been sent home.

"Other children are still in the library or being sent to lessons from there.

"It’s a safeguarding issue, my daughter was able to phone me and has now gone to a friend’s house but what about other children who’ve been sent home?

"It could have all been avoided if they had listened to us yesterday.

"They are putting wearing school uniform over our children’s health.”

An email sent to parents today from the school said: “Thank you for sending your child in school uniform today, we spoke to a few pupils who mistakenly came in PE kit.

"The forecast shows that the high pressure is set to break at the weekend and next week will be much cooler with some rain.

"To avoid further confusion, pupils will be allowed to wear their MBA PE kit from tomorrow for the remainder of the week or they may continue to remove their blazer/tie and undo their top button.

“All pupils will be expected back to full uniform on Monday.”

John Cowper, Executive Head Teacher of Morecambe Bay Academy, part of The Bay Learning Trust, said: “Pupils were informed that they were not expected to wear full school uniform and that they could take off their blazers and ties.

"Some pupils who arrived in PE kit this morning were able to go home and get changed.

“I spoke with the remainder of the pupils in the library, before they went off to lesson two of the day.

"All parents then received a communication to apologise for the confusion and to state that for the remainder of the week pupils can wear their PE kit if they wish.”