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Head gives slipper to parents wearing dressing gowns and pyjamas on school run

Dressing gowns with pyjamas beneath have led to a warning from a school in Middlesbrough
Dressing gowns with pyjamas beneath have led to a warning from a school in Middlesbrough

A headteacher has urged parents to dress "appropriately" when dropping their children off at school after some were seen arriving in pyjamas and slippers.

Ayresome Primary School, in Middlesbrough, issued a warning on its Facebook page which said "dressing gowns on the school yard are not appropriate".

Despite the warning, some parents still arrived at the school gates in nightwear on Monday morning.

Several mothers appeared to be wearing pyjamas under their warm coats as they walked their children to school. One arrived in a grey fleece and pyjama bottoms and was carrying a teddy bear under her arm.

One father said: "I'm absolutely sick of it. It's not hard to get dressed in the morning. Imagine how much those kids are going to be ridiculed when they get into school.

"They don't even put on a fresh pair to come and collect them. A lot of the parents are disgusted by it."

Charlotte Haylock, the executive headteacher of Ayresome Primary School - Richard Rayner Photography
Charlotte Haylock, the executive headteacher of Ayresome Primary School - Richard Rayner Photography

One mother said: "The children all have to wear their uniforms and they look smart when they come to school, so there's no reason why the parents shouldn't either.

"Some of the states you see here is unbelievable. I wouldn't go and pick up a pint of milk from the doorstep dressed like that, let alone walk half a mile through the streets."

Charlotte Haylock, the executive headteacher of Ayresome Primary School, said: "We've recently seen an increase in the number of parents wearing dressing gowns when dropping off and collecting their children from school.

"This prompted me to issue a polite reminder to parents for them to wear appropriate clothing when accompanying their children to and from school.

"As a school we encourage our children to be appropriately dressed at all times, and we feel it is important for parents to do likewise. If parents are concerned about any issue impacting on their child's schooling, my door is always open if they need to seek advice and support."

Ayresome Primary School has 678 children on its roll, with ages ranging from age two to 11. It is one of seven primary schools within the Ad Astra Academy Trust in the Teesside area.

Andy Brown OBE, the trust's chief executive officer, said: "A number of parents and teachers have also expressed concern about some parents wearing nightwear at the school, and I wholeheartedly support the stance taken by the headteacher."