Mum fuming after sobbing daughter sent home from school as skirt 'wasn't pleated enough'

Mum fuming after sobbing daughter sent home from school as skirt 'wasn't pleated enough' Carolann Barton has claimed her crying daughter was punished and sent home from school on her first day back after her uniform was deemed to have broken the rules A furious mum claims teachers sent her sobbing daughter home - because her skirt "wasn't pleated enough". Carolann Barton dropped off her daughter, Amelia Rollinson, 15, for her first day back at Thornaby Academy in Thornaby, Teesside, on Wednesday (September 2). But the 36-year-old says she received a call the same morning from a teacher telling her Amelia's school uniform wasn't acceptable and that she was being sent home. The school's uniform policy states girls' skirts should have 'fully pleated front, sides, and back' and they should sit 'on or below the knee'. The Year 11 pupil was wearing a 'pleated skirt' from Asda, which sat an inch above her knee, and Carolann claims staff said the skirt wasn't pleated or long enough. The school reportedly offered Amelia one of its own skirts, but she refused because she felt it was too long and feared she would be picked on by other pupils. Carolann claimed a tearful Amelia was then told to sit in a room alone while waiting to be picked up. The balloon company owner collected Amelia and went shopping for trousers, which she now wears to school. Carolann, from Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, said: "We were informed about the uniform policy at the end of last year. "We knew skirts had to be knee-length and pleated, which is understandable. We went to Asda and I got the longer skirt, it was about an inch above the knee. I sent her into school and she was sent home because the skirt didn't touch the knee. They also said it wasn't pleated, which it clearly was. On the tag it said 'pleated long skirt'. "They have teachers at the gate, when Amelia walked through there were no issues. As soon as she got inside, the teachers said her skirt was unacceptable. They wanted to take her shopping and not send her home. I said, 'you're not taking my child shopping in school time'. "They sat her in a little room on her own. I got a phone call at 11am and they asked if it was possible for her to stay at school until 12pm and then send her home. I said 'no, she's sitting in a room and not getting education, she might as well be at home'. "She sat sobbing at school. I feel frustrated, angry and upset for Amelia because she cried over it. I'm disgusted. They tried to get her to wear one of the school ones and she refused because they go right past the shin and she doesn't want to get picked on." Carolann believes schools should allow children some individuality rather than expecting every pupil to look exactly the same. She said: "Amelia said she doesn't understand why the students have to dress a certain way when teachers are covered in make-up and wear whatever they want. If you keep them at home, you get fined, if you send them in, they happily send them home." Carolann admits people have asked whether Amelia had rolled up her skirt at school, but she claims she is not "that type of kid". Carolann said: "I've had people comment saying she's rolled it up, but she's not that type of kid. She would try to pull it down for it to reach her knees. I do see some children go around and have them up the bum, but the way Amelia was treated on her first day back to school was disgusting in my eyes." A spokesperson for the Northern Education Trust said: "Thornaby Academy is committed to maintaining the high standards that have driven significant improvements in our students' educational outcomes since joining Northern Education Trust. We are incredibly proud of our students and the high expectations that have driven these improvements - an amazing 69% of students overall achieved a pass in English and maths in this year’s GCSEs (74% in maths and 78% in English) marking three consecutive years of growth –tremendous outcomes for our students and above national average. “Our uniform expectations were shared with families throughout last academic year and most recently on 29 June 2026. Assemblies took place with students well in advance of the summer holidays. Information was also shared multiple times over social media throughout the summer holidays. All our policies are applied consistently and fairly. To support families and remove barriers, we have invested significantly in brand new uniform which we have given free of charge to families that have come into the academy and worked with us. “We cannot comment on individual cases, but we strongly encourage parents with any concerns to speak directly to the academy. We will always work with families to resolve issues, and believe that direct conversation with the school, rather than through the media, is the most constructive way to do that. Our Open Evening takes place on Tuesday, September 22 at 5pm and we warmly invite families to come and see the academy for themselves.”