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Pupils excluded following walkout Pupils excluded following walkout
(about 3 hours later)
Eleven children have been excluded from a Stoke-on-Trent high school as they walked out during a dispute believed to be over uniforms and body piercing. Eleven children have been excluded from a high school after they walked out amid claims over supply teachers.
About 20 students protested outside Berryhill Sports College and High School, Bucknall, on Tuesday. There have been protests at Berryhill Sports College and High School in Stoke-on-Trent on Monday and Tuesday, with dozens said to be involved.
The chair of governors, Terry Crowe, said the excluded pupils, who are aged about 15, had walked out and were told to stay away for a fortnight. Governors' chairman Terry Crowe said the excluded pupils, who are aged about 15, had walked out and were told to stay away for a fortnight.
He said: "Parents who have taken part with the children are irresponsible." "Parents who have taken part with the children are irresponsible," he said.
I won't be bullied by children or parents Terry Crowe, chair of governors
Police were called during a protest on Monday, a spokesman for the school in Bucknall said.
One of those to have been excluded, Nikita Bailey, told the BBC that about 60 pupils were involved in Monday's demonstration.
She said: "All the students are just getting to the point where they don't want supply teachers any more.
"They just want a proper education with proper teachers and everyone's just getting sick of it, so we just walked out to get heard really.
"The teachers and the head teacher won't listen to us and we thought we would get heard if we walked out."
Main protagonists
One parent who was outside the school on Tuesday, Mandy Moore, said: "I believe the children have a right (to protest). Nobody seems to be listening."
Another parent, Elsa Haldane, said: "I'm with them (the children) 100%. At least they can see the children want to learn."
The school said those who have been excluded were the main protagonists and some issues had been resolved.
Mr Crowe said staff had said there had been complaints over school uniforms and body piercing.
The school said it could not give specific reasons why pupils had been excluded but it was not aware of an issue to do with uniforms.
'Very frustrated''Very frustrated'
Mr Crowe added: "I've been the chairman of governors for 20 years and I won't be bullied by children or parents to do things I don't think are compatible with what the school is about. Mr Crowe said: "I've been the chairman of governors for 20 years and I won't be bullied by children or parents to do things I don't think are compatible with what the school is about.
"Staff have got a hard enough job these days without parents egging them on. It's not good for school discipline.""Staff have got a hard enough job these days without parents egging them on. It's not good for school discipline."
Mr Crowe stressed the pupils have not been permanently excluded and the situation would be reviewed after a fortnight. The vast majority of students enjoyed a normal school day Mark Ranford, deputy head
He said: "Hopefully the ringleaders and the parents will have seen sense by then. The school said it was available to listen to the views of parents and students. Deputy head Mark Ranford said on Monday: "A small number of pupils engaged in an unacceptable demonstration against essential school rules at the school gate.
"I'm very frustrated - I've had an open door policy where parents can speak to me. "Four representative pupils were invited into the school and discussed with senior staff ways of resolving their issues.
"If anyone's had a problem in the past, they've always contacted me." "Several students then returned to lessons as normal. The vast majority of students enjoyed a normal school day and lunchtime."
Mr Crowe, who is waiting for a full report on the facts, said he had purged the school of body piercing six months ago. The school said a meeting had been arranged with the chair of governors later this week to allow further dialogue between students, parents and senior staff.
He is to meet the head teacher, Ruth Poppleton, on Wednesday. The city council said it was concerned about the situation but the issue of school discipline was a matter for the head teacher and the governors.
The city council said it was concerned about the situation but the issue of school discipline is a matter for the head teacher and the governors.