A HEADTEACHER has warned his pupils he will strictly enforce a uniform code after a teenage girl was repeatedly sent home for breaking it.

Dr Stephen Bizley, headteacher of Gosford Hill School in Kidlington, spoke out after India Chahal, 13, was sent home for wearing a skirt deemed too short, and a lip piercing.

Her mother, Heidi Chahal, of Croxford Gardens, claims her daughter is being singled out unfairly by the school.

Mum-of-two Ms Chahal, 34, said: “India was sent home on Monday because she was wearing a skirt which was not below the knee and a lip piercing.

“But on the same day there were 20 or 30 girls allowed to stay in school who were wearing even shorter skirts. One of the girls had fishnet tights on.

“The following day India went to school with the same length skirt on and she was not sent home.

“Since the start of the year my daughter has been sent home about six or seven times for this and I think she is being picked on.

“I have tried to talk to the headteacher about this but I have not had any success, and I am considering getting India transferred to another school.

“India is a bright girl and does want to learn and I want the school to help us find a way through this.”

Ms Chahal, who also has a 10-year-old son, Pele, who attends North Kidlington Primary school, said she was now considering applying for a place for India at The Marlborough School in Woodstock.

Dr Bizley said: “We communicate with parents regularly about the uniform and India has been warned about her dress code and the lip piercing. We don’t allow such piercings and have spoken to India about it on several occasions, but she has repeatedly ignored advice.

“The vast majority of parents will work with us but pupils will be sent home after receiving several warnings.

“We want to work with the Chahal family but the rules say skirts should be knee-length and there should be no piercings.

“We believe high standards are very important with the uniform, and we will be making it even more formal next year to make sure standards are not slipping.

“We want students to be proud of their school and their appearance.

“I want India to be in school learning while wearing the correct uniform.”

From September, the uniform for Years Seven to 10 pupils at the school will change to incorporate a blazer and a tie. The new uniform will be optional for Year 11 pupils.

The 1,055-pupil school in Oxford Road became a specialist maths and computing college in 2003. In 2007, three new laboratories were built as part of a £730,000 project.

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