TEACHERS have threatened to call the police on students – if they turn up to school.
Sixth form pupils at Grove Academy in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, were warned not to come back to school after their final day was cancelled at the 11th hour.
The decision was allegedly a response to social media rumours that deputy head teacher Fiona MacIntosh’s home would be egged by departing pupils.
Staff informed the students at the end of the school day last Thursday that they were to empty their lockers and not to return the next day – their last day before the exam period.
They even threatened to call the police if the 17 and 18-year olds came back, amid fears the students would “act up”.
The decision was made after the headteacher decided “enough is enough” following “issues” with last days at the school in the past.
Protest
Outraged pupils staged a small protest outside the school building after they were denied the traditional final day festivities.
Furious parents compared the decision to a “nanny state” and said that their children had been “chucked out as if they were rubbish”.
Some students were reportedly in tears after receiving the news.
Tears
Parent Keren Guthrie said: “Pupils were in tears and upset, just what they need when they are sitting their Higher exams. How will that affect their results?
“Don’t expect any support from your school. After six years of supporting the school they were chucked out as if they were rubbish.”
Another parent, Debbie Findlay, said: “They say it’s about health and safety, it’s just absolutely nanny state of them to cancel 147 pupils’ last day at school because they suspect a few of them may act up.
“This is apparently about the fear that pupils could draw inappropriate things on jumpers and ‘excite the first years’, which I think is absolutely preposterous.
“I know it will have something to do with their league tables, and something to do with their reputation, but these are not problem kids, they’re kids who have worked hard.”
Exams
Some pupils said they were worried about studying, as they were unable to ask teachers any last-minute questions before exams started.
Pupil Laura Sinclair said: “You can imagine how hurt all of our year is, when all we wanted to do was have a good final day with friends before we leave.
“You look forward to this throughout the whole six years at school and to be denied it is honestly heartbreaking.”
Fellow pupil Isla Connor added: “It’s a joke that we’ve been deprived of a last day.”
Pity
Local councillor and Labour education spokesman Laurie Bidwell described the decision as a “pity”.
He said: “It’s a pity school management feel it necessary to cancel the last day of festivities.
“It’s a day that should be a celebration of learning and achievement and a real turning of the page in the book of life.
“I’m not aware of any problems last year, but the school would not have taken this decision lightly.”
Support
Council education chief Stewart Hunter said he supports principal Graham Hutton’s decision.
He said: “There have been issues with last days at the school in the past and the head teacher has decided that enough is enough.”
Last year, teachers boycotted a sixth year prom after masked students “attacked” them with flour and water on their last day.
The entire sixth year at Auchmuty High, in Glenrothes, Fife, was sent home in disgrace after going “mad” and “terrorising” younger pupils, one of whom suffered an asthma attack.
The headteacher even turned up to work to find his parking space had been transformed into a duck pond, complete with a fishing rod and plastic ducks.
