UK’s strictest head turns hall into ‘overflow car park for detentions’ in uniform crackdown – with 240 caught in one day
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BRITAIN'S strictest head teacher has turned the school hall into an "overflow car park for detentions". James Davidson is cracking down on uniforms at Penair School in Truro, Cornwall - allegedly disciplining 240 pupils in a single day last week. Ahead of the new term, he sent a letter to parents reminding them he would be "reinforcing" and "reminding" pupils of its expectations.
![[James Davidson, head teacher at Penair.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/james-davidson-head-teacher-penair-962817878.jpg?strip=all&w=758)
After Christmas, mass detentions were handed out, with one parent calling the clamp down "ridiculous". They claimed Mr Davidson had given out detentions "for little things" like a top button undone or a shirt not tucked, adding it "seems completely bonkers".
![[Penair School entrance.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/240-punished-james-davidson-head-962877900.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
They told CornwallLive: "Sounds like Penair has gone uniform-crazy like other schools. "240 pupils in one day sounds totally ridiculous and over the top.". A pupil added: "Some teachers look like they live on the streets, but you get detention if a bit of your shirt is untucked. It's so stupid.
"Now the sports hall has become the overflow car park for detentions. That's how ridiculous it's got.". The school has said there will be no further reminders and it will be issuing a 10-minute detention the following day if "high expectations" aren't met.
The full letter sent to parents and guardians by the school reads: "As we start a new year, we are reinforcing and reminding pupils of our expectations around behaviour and uniform. "We expect our uniform to be worn correctly in all areas of the school, and this applies from when children arrive until departure.
