School apologises after girl, 12, punished for wearing Union Jack dress to ‘Culture Day’

A school was forced to apologise after it sent a 12-year-old pupil home for wearing a Union Jack dress at a class about diversity.

Courtney Wright wore the Spice Girls-style frock to Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, after students were encouraged to wear “traditional cultural dress” to celebrate the “rich diversity of our community”.

But the Year 7 “straight A” student was removed from her class on Friday and told to wait in reception until her father Stuart Field, 47, collected her.

Mr Field told MailOnline: “It's ironic they were having a cultural diversity day but then decided to single out a group of people. Others were allowed in burkas, niqabs or traditional Nigerian clothing.

“Somebody at the school has politicised a Union Jack dress even though that was clearly not Courtney's intent. She wanted to celebrate being British, she couldn't understand what was wrong with that.”

In a letter sent to parents, the school said pupils could take part in a “variety of activities, designed to promote inclusion, understanding, and appreciation of different backgrounds, traditions and heritages.”

“We encourage students to consider wearing attire that reflects their nationality or family heritage. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to learn about the cultures of their peers and staff”.

Mr Field claimed other pupils with St George's and Welsh flags were also turned away, while students wearing other burkas were allowed.

The father-of-five said Courtney had prepared a speech about history and traditions like the Royal Family and tea as part of the celebration.

He claimed she was going to praise fish and chips, drinking tea, kings, queens, castles and writers such as Shakespeare.

A spokesperson for Stowe Valley Trust said: “At Bilton School, we are proud of the diversity of our students and the rich heritage they bring to our community. We are committed to fostering an environment where every pupil feels respected, valued, and included.

"On Friday 11th July, an incident occurred during our Culture Celebration Day that caused considerable upset to one of our pupils, her family, and members of the wider community. We deeply regret the distress this has caused and offer our sincere and unreserved apologies.

"We have since spoken directly with the pupil and her family to listen to their concerns and reflect on how this could have been handled better. We are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that every student feels recognised and supported when expressing pride in their heritage.

"As a school, we are reviewing our policies and strengthening staff training to ensure our practices reflect our values of inclusion, respect, and understanding for all.”