A SCHOOLBOY has been sent home for wearing PE shorts instead of trousers on the hottest day ever recorded in June.
The pupil, who attends Nunnery Wood High School, was one of two pupils allegedly sent home for wearing PE shorts instead of the school’s long black trousers.
Seventy-six schools in Worcestershire have closed or partially closed today (Wednesday) following red extreme weather warnings issued by the Met Office.
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Several other schools have opted to allow pupils to wear their PE kit instead of a traditional school uniform – however, Nunnery Wood High School told pupils they need to remain in full school uniform.
Mum Jamie Challis said: “I do not think staff are considering my son’s safety at school and they tried to make him wear full black trousers.
“All the kids I see in that school are suffering – it is my son’s health and safety at the end of the day.”
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Ms Challis was contacted by Nunnery Wood High School this morning (Wednesday) telling her she had 20 minutes to pick up her son and take him home.
She said he was taken into the office and told he either had to put on a pair of trousers from lost property or go home.
Ms Challis said she had decided to allow her son to wear shorts today after he wore trousers the day before, which had caused prickly heat rash on his legs.
“It is really upsetting as it is disrupting his learning because he is wearing shorts in scorching heat,” she added.
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“I hope they rethink their policy in conditions like these and treat pupils with more respect.
“Hopefully, there is change.
“They have disrupted my son’s learning for wearing a pair of shorts.”
Today (June 24) officially marked the hottest day of the month ever recorded, with temperatures reaching up to 36°C in Worcester.
Temperatures are set to rise to 37°C tomorrow (Thursday).
The Met Office issued a red warning for extreme weather, which is in effect today and tomorrow.
Nunnery Wood High School has declined to comment.
A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “An exceptional spell of hot and humid weather is expected across this region, with impacts to the general population highly likely.
“The heat will be accompanied by high humidity, exacerbating the potential for discomfort and health impacts, with very warm and humid night times also reducing the ability for people to recover overnight.
“Significant disruption to daily life is likely and the public should take every effort to make precautions and adapt their daily routines where possible to cope with these levels of heat, which up to now have been extremely rare for the UK.”