Greater Manchester school hits back amid criticism for suspending dozens of pupils in uniform row

A high school has defended its decision to suspend dozens of pupils amid a row over school uniform.

The changes have been brought in at Buile Hill Academy Salford, which is being supported by a new education trust after failing to change its 'requires improvement' Ofsted rating.

But trust leaders say the rules were already in place - just not being upheld - and the only change they have made is that girls can no longer wear socks and must have 60 denier black tights instead.

Uniform was checked on the first day back after the Easter holidays on Tuesday (April 16), when a number of suspensions were made, with parents blasting the new rules as 'outrageous'.

Read more: Some parents think their kids don't really need school anymore

One mum claims her daughter Ava, 11, was sent home after refusing to wear tights, despite having the skin condition psoriasis, which is aggravated by them.

"My daughter got sent home because she refused to put a pair of tights on," said the mum. "She has psoriasis and tights make her itch and make her skin condition worse. They said they will not accept a medical letter either. It's absolutely disgusting how they are treating people with a skin condition."

Others have questioned the introduction of tights during the warmer weather and how much it's going to cost families to replace them when they are so easily damaged.

A number of parents also criticised the timing of the move, coming in midway through the school year, when families have already bought the uniform, and said youngsters should not be forced to 'miss vital educational time for such a minor thing'.

"Changing a uniform policy halfway through a school year in a cost of living crisis is completely unfair," said one dad, whose two