Anger as 300 students sent home by JFS over ‘misbehaviour’

“There was a small minority, maybe 20 or so, who were causing a few problems. There was a small egg and flour fight during break time, and a few people left stink bombs in the corridor. But they decided to punish all of us.

“I was sitting in my third lesson, and it was our final lesson ever in that subject so everyone was really emotional. Suddenly, one of the deputy heads came in and said year 11 had to leave immediately and that we wouldn’t be allowed in tomorrow for our last day.

“A line of teachers escorted us out. My mum phoned the school five times and they hung up on her every time.”

Another unnamed pupil, 16, said the school had treated their year group “aggressively. We were very confused at first, because we didn’t do anything wrong. They chose to take it out on the entire year, instead of the small group of people who had been causing trouble.

“They didn’t care what we did when we left school. Some of us can’t get home because they need the school buses.”

A third pupil, also 16, added: “They wouldn’t allow us to collect our personal belongings. They just said we had to come back during study leave. Some people had their phones in their lockers, but couldn’t get them. My parents tried to phone the school but no one picked up.”

One parent told the JC she was “furious. It’s disgraceful. Some of those kids are under 16 and the school is in loco parentis. I repeatedly tried ringing but couldn’t get through.”

But another parent, who said her daughter in Year 11 was not involved in any misbehaviour, backed the school.

"I want my children to be safe, and if that was the only way to calm the situation, the school was right to send them home."

All parents received an email from the school’s headteacher, Mr Miller, telling them that “with deep regret” the school had “taken the unprecedented decision to start year 11 study leave early.

“All year 11 students have been dismissed at the end of lesson three and there will be no school for year 11 students tomorrow.”

In his email, he said the decision had been taken “as a result of inappropriate behaviour by a sizeable group of students.

“After considerable efforts to target sanctions to specific individuals, the scale of disruption caused at the school during the morning left us with no choice but to follow this course of action.”

He added: “We take extremely seriously the attempts of some students to cause serious and actual damage to the school which will have financial implications to put right.

“In addition, their conduct jeopardised the health, safety and welfare of all students and staff in the school.”

But according to one year 11 pupil, “it felt like the teachers were looking for trouble. Ever since we walked into school this morning, they were patrolling the corridors and following us into class.

“We weren’t even allowed to use the toilets.”

Following these reports, several sixth form pupils contacted the JC to complain against the year 11 pupils' version of events.

According to one unnamed pupil, she was "outraged and disgusted" by "the despicable behaviour that was presented by year 11."

She said it was "a significant number of the year who took part in these occurrences".

Another sixth form student commented: "I feel like the brilliance of the school and also the misconduct of year 11 has been downplayed.

"I really think that the school did a brilliant job at handling the chaotic situation and I feel like there's a reason that no other year has participated in a muck up day at JFS before, instead deciding to do it in an isolated park year after year.

"This is because we respect the school, acknowledging its brilliance and competence."

JFS declined a request for commment.