Priory School headteacher Martyn Ofield sent the pupils home a day early yesterday (Wednesday) because of 'increasingly defiant' behaviour from some Year 11 pupils, and concerns about what they would get up to on the last day.

A number of parents called the Express to say how shocked they were at the way their children had been treated.

They said the children were told not to come back to the school except to sit their GCSE exams.

One parent said her daughter had been 'robbed' of the chance to say goodbye to her friends.

In a letter to parents Mr Ofield said: 'I regret to inform that this year the behaviour of a small, but significant, minority of year 11 students has deteriorated over the last few weeks and some year 11 students have become increasingly defiant and unwilling to co-operate with the school.'

Mr Field said he feared this would get worse on the final leaving day and result in drunkenness and criminal behaviour.

He said: 'Regrettably, it is not uncommon for some normally well-behaved students, under the influence of alcohol or peer pressure, to make serious errors of judgement on year 11 leaving day and become involved in actions that they later regret and which have lasting consequences such as injury or a criminal record.'

PC Duncan Ellison said in previous years some students have gone to school drunk on their final day, and last year a teacher's car was vandalised.

He also confirmed two police officers, two police community support officers and two police school's liaison officers went to the school on Wednesday.

Karen Blaxland, whose daughter left the school on Wednesday, said: 'They have been completely robbed of their chance to say goodbye.

They are not being treated like adults, it's very upsetting that something which should be a happy memorable day has been snatched away from them.'

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