Head who sent 50 kids home on the first day of school for wearing the wrong uniform claims most parents support his tough stance
Matthew Tate sparked a furious protest with crackdown at the gates of Hartsdown Academy in Margate
A HEADMASTER who sent 50 kids home on the first day of school for wearing the wrong uniform has claimed most parents back his tough stance.
Matthew Tate defended his actions after cops were called to deal with a furious protest by parents this morning outside Hartsdown Academy in Margate, Kent.
Mums complained their kids were barred for "ridiculous" uniform breaches - and some had even bought the offending clothes from the school's official shop.
One of those sent packing was Year 7 pupil William King who has a doctor's note saying he needs to wear trainers following hip replacement surgery after he was hit by a car.
His mum Sharon likened the headmaster to the Gestapo after he allegedly told her he was "happy" for the youngster to be in pain all day.
As the row escalated, Mr Tate claimed only a "very tiny number" of parents were angry - and blasted them for protesting outside rather than going home to change their kids' clothes.
He said: "Clearly we have had parents here for two hours when actually they could have popped home and got things sorted in that time.”
Mr Tate added: “We wrote out to parents in July to confirm with them that we would be ensuring the uniform policy is adhered to and that if children were not in perfect uniform when they arrived today that they would be sent home.
“The majority of our parents are pleased with that.
“They feel the school needs to be better for their children and I’ve had several parents today who have said to me how pleased they are that they can see that actually we want to be different.
“We want to be a school that they can be proud of sending their children to.
“There is a minority, a vocal minority but a minority of parents who are not happy with that and I understand that it has inconvenienced parents.
"There's a few parents who have lost their temper but it is a very small number.
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"The reality is that our children have not been getting the education that they deserve, and I with my staff team are absolutely committed to making this a school that Thanet can be proud of and every single parent and child can be proud of.
"Part of that is wearing the uniform with pride, it's wearing the uniform in a way that says actually I want to be a part of this school and I am part of this school."
He added enforcing the uniform policy is a "big part" towards solving the more serious problems facing the school.
The row broke out as kids arriving for their first day were turned away at the gates by Mr Tate and his staff.
One mum claimed close to HALF the school was sent home. Mr Tate said it was about 50 pupils and 20 were later allowed in after changing their clothes.
Furious Sharon King, who has lodged a complaint with Ofsted over her son's treatment, told the Sun Online: "There were around 200 students outside the school at its peak, and all through town you could see kids in Hartsdown uniforms.
"I've never seen anything like it, teachers were holding the gates shut - students were stranded on the street. It was ridiculous."
Sharon said she "totally respects" and agrees with the uniform rules, but slammed the way today's policing was executed.
She said: "He's a new headmaster and he's got no respect now. The pupils have already nicknamed him 'potato'."
Fuming parents protested for two hours before police were called to diffuse tensions - while many students were left stranded and unable to enter the school.
Samantha Wood's daughter Lucy, 11, was ordered to take her white socks off before entering the school for the first time today.
Furious Samantha says she had "no idea" white socks were not allowed, and says the school uniform store "never said a word" when she bought them.
After being forced to remove the socks little Lucy suffered painful cuts and blisters to her heels.
She said: "Lucy was in tears due to the headmaster making her take off her socks.
"The shoes ripped open the backs of her feet. There was blood everywhere."
The angry mum said she was "so p***** off" with the school after her young daughter "went in crying".
She added: "He was sending tons of kids home, I've never seen anything like it.
"[The school] is a load of crap and I'm moving her after what I saw this morning."
Hartsdown Academy uniform rules
This is the uniform list sent to parents before start of term at the Margate school.
Knee length or calf length black skirt, not culottes, in plain or pleated style; or
Formal black straight-legged trousers. NOT jeans/cords/leggings/stretch material
Plain white blouse or plain white shirt
Tie with appropriate colour for year group
Plain black 'V' necked pullover with long sleeves may be worn, alternatively a higher quality pullover with the school logo can be purchased from The Schoolwear Centre in Margate
A black blazer with Academy badge is compulsory. No other jacket/jumper/cardigan may be worn in place of a blazer.
A plain top coat. Studded, denim or motor-cycle type leather jackets are not acceptable.
A plain black scarf may be worn; no other scarf is acceptable. Scarves and coats may not be worn in lessons
Plain black shoes
Plain black socks/plain black tights - no frills
No tee-shirt or jewellery that shows may be worn
Mum Allison Hopper says her Year 9 daughter Kim was sent home because of her plain black lace-up shoes - which teachers claimed were trainers.
Kim, 13, was also refused entry for wearing a black cardigan that was purchased from a uniform shop which stocks this particular school's clothes.
Furious Allison said: "She's 13 and was left on the pavement until I could get a taxi to collect her!"
A number of the parents The Sun Online spoke to claimed multiple pupils were left on the street unable to get home as their parents were at work or unavailable.
Angry Louisa Abram, 36, and her partner Sian Williams, 32, dropped their young daughter Alaesha Paige Farbrace off at the school for her first day of Year 7 this morning.
When they arrived crowds of pupils and parents were gathering outside the gates, as the head stood at the entrance refusing entry to dozens of kids.
Luckily little Alaesha, 11, was allowed to enter, but Louisa has slammed staff for the "ridiculous" rules that stopped other kids .
She told the Sun Online: "Kids who were wearing black school shoes were being turned away because they were canvas or had buckles on them.
"In the letter we received about uniform it just says they should wear 'black shoes' - nothing about what style, or what's on them.
"Some of these kids were wearing the same shoes last year and never had a problem - if the policy hasn't changed, how were they to know?"
The angry mum-of-two says the students should have been allowed in for the day, but sent home with a letter telling parents to fix the uniform before tomorrow.
She says: "I understand the uniform is there for a reason and rules have to be followed, but this is just ridiculous."
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