A Warwickshire school has apologised after a 12-year-old girl wearing a union flag dress was prevented from delivering a speech about British culture during a ‘culture day’ event. Pupils at Bilton School in Rugby were invited to wear outfits reflecting their nationality or heritage on Friday, 11 July.
Courtney Wright, a year 7 student, wore a union flag dress inspired by Geri Halliwell’s iconic 1997 outfit. Her father, Stuart Field, said his daughter was removed from the celebration and not allowed to give her speech, which focused on British values such as fairness, politeness, and traditions like drinking tea and eating fish and chips.
In a Facebook post, Field wrote that his daughter was told the event was ‘not for her as she gets to celebrate being British every day’. The school later issued a statement expressing ‘sincere and unreserved apologies’ for the distress caused, and said it had spoken directly with the family to reflect on how the situation could have been handled better.
The Stowe Valley Multi Academy Trust, which runs the school, confirmed it is reviewing policies and strengthening staff training to ensure all pupils feel recognised and supported when expressing pride in their heritage. The school said it is committed to fostering an environment of inclusion, respect and understanding for all.
