The 2022 guidelines from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) …. will be shared with schools to help make sure their rules about hair or hairstyles are not discriminatory.1 (my emphasis)
Every Havering academy demands conformity as a qualification for attendance. They are precise about school uniforms and use fierce punishments to ensure compliance. They care deeply about hairstyles. The government’s ‘Halo’ guidelines appear to be irrelevant to them.
Abbs Cross “Allow all pupils to style their hair in a way that is appropriate for school, and makes them feel most comfortable.2
Campion “The school uses ‘The Halo Code’ as guidance with concerns related to hair styles for students from Afro-Caribbean backgrounds.”3
Frances Bardsley “Extreme or bizarre hairstyles or colours will not be tolerated. If colour is being used on hair it must be natural colour only.”4
Hornchurch High “Any dyed hair must be of a colour that could naturally grow. Extreme hairstyles, or colours will not be tolerated.”5
St Edwards “Hair should be of a natural shade (NO extreme hairstyles or colours).”6
Conclusion
Conformity in school uniform and hairstyles is the eligibility criterion for Havering’s academies. Four of the five highlighted academies ignore government ‘Halo’ guidelines despite having explicit hairstyle policies. But why do they want to do this? There’s no evidence of positive academic outcomes caused by school uniform or avoiding extreme hairstyles.
Havering academies focus on trivia. And this despite their, mostly, mediocre preparation of youngsters for GCSE. They have missed the point with their emotional and professional obsession on school uniform and hairstyles.7
Research Note
The websites were accessed on 23rd October 2026. The five schools highlighted are not special cases. A quick review of another six schools revealed the same outcome. Only one other school uses ‘Halo’ guidelines so far as I can see but I may be mistaken.
Notes
1 Afro hair: New discrimination guidance for schools published – BBC Newsround
2 SCHOOL-UNIFORM-POLICY-UPDATED-SUMMER-2026.pdf
3 Behaviour-Policy.pdf Adoption of the ‘Halo’ code is important because the school also says, “Hair should be well groomed, neat and tidy.”
4 FBA-Uniform-Policy-Sept-2026.pdf There is no recognition of the ‘Halo’ code.
5 Policies | Hornchurch High School “Any decision regarding ‘extreme’ haircuts will be left to the discretion of the Deputy Headteacher/Assistant Headteacher.” They make it up as they go along, in other words.
6 School-uniform-list-2025-26.pdf
7 There is no causal link between school uniform and academic achievement. But what is worse is that there is no correlation between school uniform and positive outcomes either.
