Schoolgirl sent out of lessons for having hair in plaits

A schoolgirl was kicked out of lessons - for having her hair in PLAITS.
Alisha Sutcliffe with her mum Amanda from Burnley.Alisha Sutcliffe with her mum Amanda from Burnley.
Alisha Sutcliffe with her mum Amanda from Burnley.

Alisha Sutcliffe (13) had her long locks styled into five French plaits while on holiday in Turkey.

But they landed her in isolation when she returned to school after being classed as “extreme”.

Alisha Sutcliffe from Burnley with her plaitsAlisha Sutcliffe from Burnley with her plaits
Alisha Sutcliffe from Burnley with her plaits
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Single mum Amanda has slammed the school for the “unnecessary punishment” and claims her daughter was denied her right to an education.

Amanda (43) said: “It’s completely over the top and I think it’s a ridiculous response to her just having her hair in plaits. Apparently it’s extreme because she has more than one plait, which is ludicrous.

“You would think she had gone to school with a multi-coloured mohican, when in fact it meant her hair was tidy and tied back. Some of the teachers even told her it looked nice before another decided it was against the rules. What sort of message is that sending pupils?”

Alisha had planned to have the plaits done while on holiday with Amanda and brother Matthew (12) after previously returning from Turkey with her hair in the same style while she was at primary school.

St Christopher's CE High School in AccringtonSt Christopher's CE High School in Accrington
St Christopher's CE High School in Accrington
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Conscious of not breaking strict school rules, Amanda checked the guidelines before they left and found no reference to plaits - even ensuring they were tied with blue bobbles to match Alisha’s uniform.

But, after returning to school, the teenager from Burnley, was told to remove them.

Amanda said: “She came home from school and said a teacher had told her to take them out.

“She was quite upset as she’d only had them done the a couple of days before so I told her not to, as I couldn’t see why it would be such a big problem for her to keep them in.”

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St Christopher’s C of E High School in Accrington, has an oustanding rating by Ofsted and in the uniform policy on its website, the only reference to girls’ hair is that extreme hairstyles or hair colouring is not allowed.

But when Alisha went back to school on Tuesday, she was removed from assembly and put into isolation for the day as punishment for the plaits.

Amanda said: “I couldn’t believe the school had got their priorities so wrong. They denied her of her right to an education just because she had plaits in her hair.

“Some girls go into school with their hair looking a right mess with big scruffy buns - her hair was tidy and off her face.

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Alisha has now removed the plaits for fear into getting into further trouble, but is upset she was only allowed to keep them for three days.

She said: “I don’t think I should have been put in isolation just for having my hair in plaits.

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