A SCHOOL has threatened to ban students from leaving the site at lunchtime after neighbours complained of 'antisocial' behaviour.

Year 11 students at Henry Box School are currently allowed to leave the premises during their lunch break, but the school could scrap the privilege if certain pupils do not improve their conduct in the community.

Last week the school sent a letter to parents stating: "We are currently looking at whether the Year 11 privilege of being allowed to leave the school site at lunchtime should continue.

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"Unfortunately, we receive regular communications from the local community about antisocial behaviour, littering and rudeness they experience from our Year 11 students.

"We have also noticed that an increasing number of Year 11 students are regularly returning late to school following their lunchtime spent off site.

"Whilst we are organising individual sanctions for those students that we know are involved, it is not always possible to identify the culprits."

The letter urged parents to talk to their children about their responsibilities when off the school site.

It added: "Please encourage your child to always be aware of the impact they can have on other people.

"Please reiterate our message that students need to be respectful and safe when they represent the school in the wider community.

"I am sure you and your child would share our disappointment if such a long-standing school tradition had to be ended."

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It is not the first time a school has written to parents about students' behaviour outside of the site.

In November Aureus School in Didcot wrote to parents stating: "We have received a number of complaints about how Aureus students are behaving in ASDA before and after school.

"We are working with the local shopkeepers and store managers to write a community expectations agreement - please do remind your child that they need to be Aureus ambassadors in the community."