A boy's family has slammed a secondary school for confiscating his winter coat as it was not part of official uniform.
Levon Bayley, 12, had his thick coat taken from him amid freezing temperatures because it was not a Canterbury-branded jacket with the school's logo embroidered on the front.
His parents had allowed him to take his own after he was admitted to hospital with suspected Strep A in November, and doctors apparently said the school’s was not warm enough.
Dad Aaron Bayley, from Newcastle, said Jesmond Park Academy has taken it away several times.
The 47-year-old told Chronicle Live: “Two medical experts, the doctor and the hospital, have said that the coat is just not warm enough and he should have a better coat on in this weather.
"When the weather is mild I don't mind sending him to school in the Jesmond Park Academy coat. But when it's really cold I don't want him to be susceptible to catching anything else.
"The school doesn't seem to grasp it. They have this sort of Dickensian attitude towards the kids, and the kids and the parents will do as they say.
"When he arrived at school today wearing the coat there was three teachers waiting for him, each of them wearing a big winter coat, and they confiscated his."
Aaron, who is also a teacher, said he understands the need for uniform policies and parents with children at the school will have varying disposable incomes.
He added: “If you're a struggling family with more than one kid in the school you're looking at over £100 for a coat when you could go to a supermarket and probably buy them a coat for £20 which is a lot warmer.
“They really need to think about some of the policies they have because this is not the trousers, a jumper, or a blazer with the school emblem on, this is a coat.”
Information on the Jesmond Park Academy website says: "Any student arriving to school in what we consider incorrect uniform will work in isolation unless the issue can be corrected, for example, changing shoes or removing jewellery.
“This rule is not negotiable and applies to all students.
Steve Campbell, school principal, said the school is "always willing to engage in a dialogue" with parents and carers, but expects uniform requirements to be adhered to.
He told the Mirror: "We are extremely proud of the high standards of uniform that we have within our Trust and we believe this contributes to a hugely positive ethos at the academy.
"The observance of our school uniform requirements by our students is exemplary. This is a result, not only of our expectations being consistently high, but also the overwhelming support we receive from our Parents and Carers.
"There are items available within our uniform range that enable students to wear up to four layers of clothing should they wish to, including a fleece for underneath their school coat.
"We consistently go to great lengths to support parents with free or second hand items of school uniform and by responding to specific student needs, which has been gratefully appreciated in these difficult times.
"Moreover, those students who can provide medical proof of the need to wear their own coats due to health conditions are allowed to do so.
"The school is always willing to engage in a dialogue with Parents and Carers but, as is the case with all schools, we expect our uniform requirements to be adhered to by our students and uniform items to be worn by them, as needed, in order to keep them warm in inclement weather.”
