Some pupils failed to complete their first day back at school after an apparent row over a uniform crackdown.
Those arriving at the Sir Robert Woodard Academy in Lancing were greeted at the school gates with uniformand dress-code checks on Thursday morning.
One parent suggested children were “sent home”
because of improper appearance, while others claimed pupils were given face-wipes by teachers to remove excessive makeup.
However, Peter Midwinter, the school’s headmaster, said just three pupils chose to go home on their own accord after refusing to remove makeup that made them “look like they were heading to a nightclub”.
A parent said there had been ‘no communication’ between parents and the school and questioned, “what would have happened to children whose parents were working?”.
Mr Midwinter said: “We have over 850 pupils at the school with an attendance rate of 98% and we were most definitely not sending pupils home.
“There were three girls who refused to take their excessive makeup off and walked home on their own accord.
“We are not against natural, light makeup. But some students had holes and studs in their ears, bright pink, yellow and green hair and makeup that made them look like they were heading to a nightclub.
“We are driving up the standards and expectations of the school and the area and frankly, some of the dress wasn’t acceptable.
“We informed parents last termthat we intended to make a stand.”
Mr Winter said the school, which is in special measures but has seen significant grade improvements over the last two years, had received positive feedback from parents for tightening up dress and appearance policy.
He added: “If this was a members club, say where you were required to wear a dinner jacket to attend, then it would be no different.
“We are aiming for the best in all that we do. Our expectations and standards need to be the best in all that we do.
“As an academy we went into special measures some 19 months ago. My task is to get the academy out of those measures, not by the ‘skin of its teeth’ but as good on all counts.
“We have high attendance, good grades and are heading in the right direction and we need parents to work with us to achieve that.
“It’s all about changing expectations for the better.”
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