Mum’s dismay as students banned from wearing leavers’ hoodies inside South Shields school

Sonia Wilson, whose son is in his final year at St Wilfrid’s RC College in South Shields, said she received a text from the school on Wednesday saying the black top, which cost £20, would be available to pick up today.

However, she said the message went on to add that pupils would not be able to wear the garment, which displays all of the students’ names, inside the Temple Park Road building.

Mrs Wilson said: “I seems such a shame, it’s their final two weeks why can’t they wear them around the school.

“I totally understand why they can’t wear them in examinations, but surely they could be allowed to wear them in place of their blazers.

“They’re not going to want to carry both the hoodie and the blazer to school, to keep swapping, it’s not very practical.

“It just seems a bit mean spirited, it’s their final days in school and this would make it a bit more special for them.”

But head of school Mark Price said students are required to wear the normal uniform inside of school to keep disruption to a minimum.

Mr Price said: “As a school community we ensure there is as little disruption in and around the school during the examination season as we possibly can to maintain the calm, supportive environment for pupils that we have all year round.

“By keeping the uniform exactly the same we ensure the experience pupils have had in all previous examinations in the school, is mirrored in their final public examinations.”

It comes just a week after the school came under fire for sending out a letter to students saying their exam results could play a ‘key role’ in the future house they live in or car they drive.

The controversial letter, which was sent our by executive headteacher Brendan Tapping, caused uproar among parents on social media.

The school later issued an apology.

Mrs Wilson added: “Considering all of the upset recently caused you’d think they’d allow the students to have a little bit of enjoyment in their final days.”

The school later added the hoodies can be worn during social times at the school, just not in class.