A NUMBER of pupils have been sent home from the newly revamped Bourne End Academy at the start of the new school term because they were not wearing the correct school uniform.

An unhappy parent contacted the BFP earlier today to say that some students at the former Wye Valley School, including her own child, had been sent home.

The academy, however, said the school’s dress code had been clearly communicated to parents, adding that they had been warned that failing to comply might result in students being sent home.

The parent, who wished to be anonymous, said parents had been contacted by text and were asked to bring pupils back, correctly attired, later that morning. It is not clear how many students were affected.

A statement from the academy said today: “Bourne End Academy opened to students on 4 September with the vast majority of students arriving to school in the correct uniform looking smart and ready for school.

“Our uniform and dress codes set the tone for our community and provide the scaffolding for high standards in every aspect of school life. To ensure that parents and students were fully aware of the high expectations that we would have this academic year we communicated clearly our expectations with parents and students at the end of the summer term, during the school holidays and at the start of this term; we were clear that we would be diligent with monitoring school uniform.

“We explained that students who arrived to school with a uniform issue that could be resolved would be sent home to rectify and parents would be contacted. A very few students were sent home today for this reason. We are very grateful for the support of the majority of our parents in ensuring that their child fully complied with our expectations.

“Bourne End Academy had a very pleasing set of summer examination results and high standards in and out of the classroom will ensure that our school becomes the first choice of school within the community.”

As Wye Valley, the school was placed in special measures by Ofsted in 2013. It changed its identity to Bourne End Academy in time for the start of the new school year as the latest step in a rebuilding process, becoming part of an Academy Trust alongside Wycombe High School.