Overview

• Izobella Dawson, 13, was twice suspended at Kirk Balk Academy after declining to take out clear plastic earring retainers or go to isolation.
• The school’s published policy states jewellery must not be worn, with only a wristwatch permitted and smart watches excluded.
• Her mother says the retainers had been worn without issue since September 2023 and alleges more than 90 pupils were recently isolated or suspended for similar breaches.
• In a meeting on September 29, the mother says staff acknowledged past inconsistencies in enforcing the rule, though they maintained the policy had not changed.
• The pupil returned to lessons on October 1 after removing the retainers, a formal complaint has been filed, and the trust points to a June 2025 Ofsted report praising appropriate use of suspensions.