School that banned Union flag dress closes early over ‘extremist threats'

Telegraph

18-07-2025

A school that banned a 12-year-old girl from wearing a Union flag dress has been forced to close early for the summer over 'extremist threats'.
Student Courtney Wright was pulled out of class after wearing a Spice Girls-inspired dress as part of culture day celebrations at her school in Rugby, Warwickshire, last Friday.
Now, Bilton School has informed parents it will close early for the summer holidays 'in the interests of student and staff safety' after claiming to have received 'extremist abuse online and via our telephone systems'.
The school's decision to brand the Union flag dress 'unacceptable' was widely condemned, with a spokesperson for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer saying: 'being British is something to be celebrated.'
Ranjit Samra, CEO of Stowe Valley Multi-Academy Trust and Jayne Delves, headteacher at Bilton said staff had also been threatened after Courtney's father, Stuart Field, 47, shared online that he had to collect her from school because of her inappropriate attire.
A letter to parents said: 'The nature and tone of this abuse has escalated in recent days, including personal threats to staff.
'While we have been working closely with our multi-agency partners to address the situation, our primary responsibility remains the safety and well-being of every child and member of staff.
'This is not a decision we have taken lightly.
'We understand the disruption this may cause to your families and your child's education, but the safety of our school community must come first.'
The letter ended by thanking parents and guardians for their 'understanding and continued support' during a 'very challenging time'.
Mr Field, 47, said this week he was 'gobsmacked' to learn his daughter had been segregated from her peers due to her choice of attire. He added: 'She should not be made to feel embarrassed about being British. And she shouldn't be punished for celebrating British culture and history.'
Courtney said teachers told her 'only other cultures were allowed to celebrate', leaving her feeling 'really embarrassed'. She said some teachers had told her 'they liked the dress as it was really sparkly' and that she 'looked like Ginger Spice'.
However, Courtney added that teachers 'point blank refused' to let her read her speech about British culture and 'they didn't want to hear it at all'.
She explained: 'My speech was about diversity and all the traditions that we have in Britain – our politeness, our humour, we drink tea, we talk about the weather a lot and we like rugby and football.'
The school has since issued an apology to parents and the wider Rugby community.
Headteacher Jayne Delves said: 'This incident caused upset for the student and the family as well as members of our wider community. I have spoken directly with the student and her family to offer our sincere and heartfelt apologies.
'However, I also want to extend that apology to everyone else who may have felt hurt, uncomfortable, or unsettled by what happened. As a school, we recognise that we don't always get things right. When mistakes happen, it is important that we are open, transparent, and reflective.
'We are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that every student feels recognised and supported when expressing pride in their heritage. I have shared this message with students through assemblies, making it clear that everyone should feel proud of who they are, their identity, their culture, and their heritage.'