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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Schools 'can suspend informally' | Schools 'can suspend informally' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Education ministers insist schools in England can send children home to get changed if they break rules on uniform. | Education ministers insist schools in England can send children home to get changed if they break rules on uniform. |
| They can use "common sense" and do not have to formally exclude pupils who break dress codes, Schools Minister Andrew Adonis said. | They can use "common sense" and do not have to formally exclude pupils who break dress codes, Schools Minister Andrew Adonis said. |
| He spoke out after officials apparently criticised a school near Doncaster. | He spoke out after officials apparently criticised a school near Doncaster. |
| A family had complained their daughter had been sent home from the Trinity Academy for having nail extensions and their son for having spiky hair. | A family had complained their daughter had been sent home from the Trinity Academy for having nail extensions and their son for having spiky hair. |
| Their case had been raised with the Department for Education and Skills by a local councillor who had received a letter from officials saying the school should not send children home "informally". | Their case had been raised with the Department for Education and Skills by a local councillor who had received a letter from officials saying the school should not send children home "informally". |
| The letter said "in cases where the school feels the pupil should not be on site as a result of their actions and the situation cannot be resolved immediately, an exclusion is the only way forward". | The letter said "in cases where the school feels the pupil should not be on site as a result of their actions and the situation cannot be resolved immediately, an exclusion is the only way forward". |
| Representatives of the Christian Emmanuel Schools Foundation, which runs the academy in Thorne, say they send children home informally because they do not want to "blight" pupils' records with a full exclusion for a minor matter. | |
| 'Nonsense' | 'Nonsense' |
| Lord Adonis said: "It is nonsense to suggest that schools cannot send pupils home to change into the correct uniform. | Lord Adonis said: "It is nonsense to suggest that schools cannot send pupils home to change into the correct uniform. |
| "Indeed we fully support heads in taking a tough line to enforce school rules and dress codes. | "Indeed we fully support heads in taking a tough line to enforce school rules and dress codes. |
| "Heads can of course authorise absences to send pupils home for a brief period to change as soon as possible, then return to school. | "Heads can of course authorise absences to send pupils home for a brief period to change as soon as possible, then return to school. |
| "This would be the usual approach to a first offence, but where rule-breaking is persistent, our guidelines clearly state that schools can formally exclude pupils. | "This would be the usual approach to a first offence, but where rule-breaking is persistent, our guidelines clearly state that schools can formally exclude pupils. |
| "Of course it is important that schools have a record of the pupil's absence which is why we caution against so-called 'informal exclusions' where pupils are sent home unofficially for indefinite periods." | "Of course it is important that schools have a record of the pupil's absence which is why we caution against so-called 'informal exclusions' where pupils are sent home unofficially for indefinite periods." |
| Head teachers insist it is right to send pupils home for a short period if they are not wearing the correct uniform. | Head teachers insist it is right to send pupils home for a short period if they are not wearing the correct uniform. |
| John Dunford, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said it was also what parents would expect. | John Dunford, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said it was also what parents would expect. |