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Wave of support for school's ban on parents wearing pyjamas Wave of support for school's ban on parents wearing pyjamas
(35 minutes later)
A primary school headteacher says she has been “bombarded” by supportive messages after writing to parents asking them to wash in the morning and stop dropping off their children in their pyjamas. A primary school headteacher says she has been bombarded with supportive messages after writing to parents asking them to wash in the morning and to stop dropping off their children in their pyjamas.
Kate Chisholm, head of Skerne Park Academy in Darlington, made the appeal after noticing an increase in parents wearing pyjamas at the school gates and even at Christmas performances.Kate Chisholm, head of Skerne Park Academy in Darlington, made the appeal after noticing an increase in parents wearing pyjamas at the school gates and even at Christmas performances.
“I just thought – can I condone this? It’s all very well having the right to do what you want, but we’re trying to raise standards in the school. We want children to know what it’s like in the outside world. I thought ‘I’ve got to say something’, so I did,” she told the Guardian on Wednesday. “I just thought, can I condone this? It’s all very well having the right to do what you want, but we’re trying to raise standards in the school. We want children to know what it’s like in the outside world. I thought I’ve got to say something, so I did,” she told the Guardian on Wednesday.
Her letter to parents on Monday went viral after being shared on social media. But it might not have had the desired effect on the 50 parents – out of a school of 450 children – who regularly turn up to the school gates in their nightwear. Her letter to parents on Monday went viral after being shared on social media. But it may not have had the desired effect on the 50 parents – out of a school of 450 children – who regularly turn up to the school gates in their nightwear.
“Funnily, since it’s gone on Facebook and gone viral, a number of parents wore pyjamas deliberately today to make a point. It’s the same old culprits,” Chisholm said.“Funnily, since it’s gone on Facebook and gone viral, a number of parents wore pyjamas deliberately today to make a point. It’s the same old culprits,” Chisholm said.
“I’ve had loads of parents ringing me saying they support it, saying they’re pleased we’re making a stand, because they’re very proud of their estate and they don’t want to have the ‘Benefits Street’ image. “I’ve had loads of parents ringing me saying they support it, saying they’re pleased we’re making a stand, because they’re very proud of their estate and they don’t want to have the ‘Benefits Street’ image.”
“It’s crept up and it seems to be normalised, so more people do it. It just came to a point where it seemed quite a substantial number of parents doing it. She added: “It’s crept up and it seems to be normalised, so more people do it. It just came to a point where it seemed quite a substantial number of parents doing it.
“We’ve also had some people who haven’t been very nice about it. But the people who haven’t been supportive have been more jumping on the moral high ground of who am I to tell people how to dress – and a couple of disgruntled parents who don’t like me anyway. Proportionately, it’s been overwhelmingly supportive.” “We’ve also had some people who haven’t been very nice about it. But the people who haven’t been supportive have been more jumping on the moral high ground of ‘who am I to tell people how to dress’ – and a couple of disgruntled parents who don’t like me anyway. Proportionately, it’s been overwhelmingly supportive.”
Chisholm said she had received over 150 supportive emails and phone calls since the letter went public, including from parents and other headteachers in Darlington and nationwide. Chisholm said she had received more than 150 supportive emails and phone calls since the letter went public, including from parents and other headteachers in Darlington and nationwide.
The issue appears to be of growing concern to local schools but one that they have been reluctant to address until now. The issue appears to be of growing concern to local schools but one that they had been reluctant to address until now.
“I’ve had a number of headteachers from Darlington ringing me saying ‘well done for taking a stand and we all should really do something’. I’ve had a number of emails from heads across the country,” Chisholm said.“I’ve had a number of headteachers from Darlington ringing me saying ‘well done for taking a stand and we all should really do something’. I’ve had a number of emails from heads across the country,” Chisholm said.
“I’ve had an 85-year-old man ringing every 20 minutes every time something pops up on the news because he loves it. I’ve actually had to disable my Facebook account because it was being bombarded with friend requests. It’s been overwhelming.”“I’ve had an 85-year-old man ringing every 20 minutes every time something pops up on the news because he loves it. I’ve actually had to disable my Facebook account because it was being bombarded with friend requests. It’s been overwhelming.”
It is not the first controversial letter Chisholm has sent since she became head four years ago. There was a minor backlash when she wrote to parents requesting their children to wear black shoes for school, not black trainers. “I got rid of boys having rat-tails in their hair and black trainers – that was quite an issue, the parents didn’t like that,” she said. It is not the first controversial letter Chisholm has sent since she became head four years ago. There was a minor backlash when she wrote to parents asking them to ensure their children wear black shoes for school, not black trainers. “I got rid of boys having rat-tails in their hair and black trainers – that was quite an issue, the parents didn’t like that,” she said.
Families collecting their children from the school on Monday told the Northern Echo they supported the headteacher’s letter. Families collecting their children from the school on Monday told the Northern Echo that they supported the headteacher’s letter.
Leigh Emmott said: “It does make a difference if parents drop off their kids wearing pyjamas. It’s a bad example to set to children because you can’t turn up to work in pyjamas, you have to be smart at all times.Leigh Emmott said: “It does make a difference if parents drop off their kids wearing pyjamas. It’s a bad example to set to children because you can’t turn up to work in pyjamas, you have to be smart at all times.
“As a mother of six I’ve never turned up to pick up the kids in pyjamas, but other people do and I don’t think it’s right.”“As a mother of six I’ve never turned up to pick up the kids in pyjamas, but other people do and I don’t think it’s right.”
Grandmother Valerie Hall said: “I’ve heard of a lot of people doing it and I agree with what the school has done about it.”Grandmother Valerie Hall said: “I’ve heard of a lot of people doing it and I agree with what the school has done about it.”