A mum has pulled her car-mad son out of school after he was banned from the classroom – for having a ‘VW’ symbol SHAVED into his hair.
Hairdresser Charlotte Eccleston, 28, asked a stylist to recreate the famous Volkswagen logo on the back of 11-year-old Zac’s head.
Charlotte and her partner both drive VW Golfs – which are also Zac’s favourite car – and the family travelled 200 miles to get his distinctive hair cut.
But when his teachers saw his customised crop they barred him from classes for breaching strict uniform rules.
Staff said the youngster would have to be taught in “isolation” but mum Charlotte, 28, was so disgusted she removed him from the school in protest.
Charlotte, of Camborne, Cornwall, said Zac chose the £15 design himself when she took him to a barbers in Wales over the Christmas holidays.
She said: “Both me and my partner drive Golfs and I think our love for them has rubbed off on Zac. The hairdressers specialised in this sort of thing and it looked really good.
“I couldn’t believe it when I got the call from his school saying he had been put into isolation. It’s absolutely ridiculous.
“I don’t see how a hairstyle could affect a child’s learning. All little boys love cars – what could possibly be wrong with that?”
Charlotte said Zac had previously had tramlines and Christmas trees shaved into his hair during his time at primary school but staff had never objected.
The little boy was thrilled with his new do but teachers gave him the red light when he arrived back for classes in January.
Charlotte, who lives with partner Jamie Betterely, 32, a gardener, and their other son, 14-week-old Alfie, then removed him from school.
She said she feared being in isolation would upset him and the decision was reversed a week later and Zac was allowed back into regular classes.
Staff at Camborne Science and Community College eventually relented and let Zac return as normal on Monday by which time his design had mostly grown out.
Charlotte went said: “I stamped my foot down and they finally listened to me and let Zac back. I wasn’t going to shave the rest of his hair off out of principle.
“He’s a lovely boy and he’s been punished for no real reason. It’s a ridiculous situation.”
Officials at the school said parents were made aware of the “high standards of uniform” it expected of pupils.
Mark Fenton, deputy vice-principal, said: “Camborne Science and International Academy has a smart uniform and it has had a positive impact on pupils.
“Parents and students are aware of the high standards and there are no exceptions. We believe uniform is a factor as to why we are a school of choice for our parents.
“We want to work with parents wherever possible. The decision to remove Zac from school was not ours.
“The standards of uniform is fully supported within the local community.”
