Girl banned from wearing Union flag dress on school's culture day

Lifestyle

Fury as Schoolgirl Sent Home for Union Flag Dress on Culture Day Sparks National Debate

Published on July 17, 2025

A 12-year-old schoolgirl was left humiliated after being pulled out of class for wearing a Union Flag dress during her school’s culture celebration day. Courtney Wright had shown up proud and prepared, dressed in a Spice Girls-style outfit and clutching an essay she’d written herself about British history and customs. But instead of being praised, she ended up sitting in reception for hours until her dad could pick her up.

The event at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire, was supposed to celebrate diversity and heritage. A letter sent out in advance even stated the aim was to “promote inclusion, understanding, and appreciation of different backgrounds, traditions and heritages.”

But on the day, Courtney’s Union Jack dress was labelled “unacceptable” by staff, and she was pulled from lessons, reported the Manchester Evening News.

Her dad, Stuart Field, 47, was stunned. “Courtney was so embarrassed and couldn’t understand what she’d done wrong. It’s the school that made it political,” he said, adding that other kids wearing St George’s and Welsh flags were also turned away at the gates.

He said Courtney had been proud of her outfit and the effort she’d put into her speech. “She chose the dress and wrote the piece off her own back. The next thing I know, I get a call at work around 9am saying she’s not allowed in school dressed like that. I couldn’t get away until about midday, and in that time, she was sat in reception, in front of everyone, made to feel like she’d done something awful.”

He added: “She shouldn’t be punished for celebrating being British. It’s the Union Jack, the Spice Girls, and just the freedom to wear a dress she liked. That’s what Britishness means to her.”

The incident has triggered a storm of public reaction, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer even weighing in. A spokesperson said: “I think the school has put out a statement on this so I’m not going to comment further, but the Prime Minister has always been clear that being British is something to be celebrated.”

The school has since apologised after receiving a wave of criticism. A spokesman for the Stowe Valley Trust, which oversees Bilton School, said: “We deeply regret the distress this has caused and offer our sincere and unreserved apologies.”

They added that they’d now spoken to Courtney and her family directly to “listen to their concerns and reflect on how this could have been handled better.”

The school said it’s now reviewing its policies and will strengthen staff training “to ensure our practices reflect our values of inclusion, respect, and understanding for all.”

Courtney’s dad said the damage had already been done and that the school had failed its own standards. “Nobody else I’ve spoken to can get their heads around it,” he said. “Somebody at the school politicised a Union Jack dress even though that was clearly not Courtney’s intent.”

It’s a moment that’s sparked a wider national conversation about identity, inclusion and what it really means to be proud of where you come from. All Courtney had wanted was to celebrate hers.

Don’t Miss These: