THE PARENT of a pupil of Whitby High has reacted angrily to the school's decision to cancel its Year 11 students' leaving day celebrations.
The youngsters were called into an assembly yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon and handed a letter stating they would be finishing early and not on today's official leaving date.
But, in a statement, the school has revealed its concerns that a small minority were planning 'inappropriate activities' on their last day.
Mother Susan Fife, of Halton Road in Great Sutton, said: 'I'm absolutely disgusted at the way the kids have been treated.
'Leaving school is meant to be the best day of their life and they had it all planned to say goodbye and give leaving cards to friends and teachers and now that has been taken away.'
She added: 'To be called in so late and told that you are to leave the premises and not come back is disgusting, especially after being at the school for five years.
'The young people are devastated. It's like being evicted from your home. My daughter and her friends have come back in tears.'
The students are on study leave and will return in June to sit their GCSE exams.
Mrs Fife added: 'My daughter's form tutor had collected money from the pupils so they could have a special breakfast this morning to say goodbye and now it's been ruined.'
In a statement issued by the school this morning, headteacher Margaret Hughes said: 'It was decided to begin study leave a day earlier than planned after it emerged that a small minority of Year 11 pupils were planning inappropriate activities on their final day.
'In recent years it has become commonplace for schools across the country to finish the Year 11 term a day early to avoid the bad behaviour increasingly experienced on socalled leavers' day.
'Whitby High School is unwilling to put its pupils and staff at risk from any such behaviour.
'Letters were sent to parents informing them of the decision, which will give pupils an extra day to prepare for their examinations.'
