Schoolboy aged nine threatened with isolation over Olivier Giroud-inspired haircut

A primary school pupil has been threatened with isolation because of his haircut inspired by Premier League star Olivier Giroud.

Nine year-old Danny Purdy saved up £7 of his own pocket money to get the style like Arsenal’s French striker.

But his mum Sarah said he came back from school in tears after a telling off from his teachers at Brooklands Middle School in Leighton Buzzard, Beds.

She says she was told Danny would have to stay in isolation until his hair is 'rectified'.

Danny’s predicament came just days after 12-year-old Glen Renton was isolated from classmates over his Joey Essex inspired haircut.

Danny’s mother said: ‘I spoke to them and they told me he could, but he would be put in an exclusion room away from all other children until his hair is sorted.

'All he wanted was a little confidence, and it was amazing how something as simple as a haircut did that for him, Brooklands school have taken that away from him.'

Danny has been off school since last Friday after his mum took him in and was told he would be placed immediately into isolation.

She has now asked the school for materials so she can tutor Danny from home until the row is resolved.

Sarah said: 'We genuinely didn't think a haircut like Danny's was breaking the rules.  As long as children wear their school uniforms correctly and work hard at school, I really don't see what the problem is.

'I most certainly won't stand by and watch them make my son feel like an outcast and exclude him from lessons.’

But headteacher Steven Harrington-Williams has defended the school's stance and said they had held an assembly on uniform policy prior to the cut.

He said: 'What happened was he came into school with a large portion of his hair shaved almost to the scalp while the rest was long.

'We don't expect that sort of haircut in the school. We would have placed him in the reflection area where he would have done something.

'The other thing that's distressing is that on the morning back from holidays, I gave a message to the whole school in what was acceptable in terms of appearance.

'We have a school policy on haircuts and unfortunately, I, as headteacher of the school, have to abide by those standards.'

It is not the first time Brooklands School have been accused of being too strict in regards to its uniform policy.

In October, one parent was left 'disgusted' with staff after his eight-year-old grandson was isolated in a reflection room for having one tramline shaved in his hair.

He said: 'The head teacher made an example of him and put him in a reflection room to do his work by himself and one teacher for the whole day.

'They told his mum he had to shave his whole head or wait for the bit to grow back before he returned to school.

'His mum is disgusted and so am I, How can he be treated like that?'

French international Giroud has become a fans favourite since joining the Gunners in 2012 and was on the score sheet as they beat Manchester City 2-0 on Sunday.