Hundreds sign petition as Cowes Enterprise College faces protest over 'prison-like' rules

Hundreds of pupils at Cowes Enterprise College on the Isle of Wight have joined a protest over a wide set of new school rules, calling them intimidating and prison-like. A petition circulating among students and families has gathered more than 600 signatures, with critics demanding an immediate revision of the measures that governors implemented at the start of the term.

The measures include the use of alarms and a slowed music track between classes, strict limits on lunchtime and breaks, restricted access to toilets, and escorts to lessons. Advocates say the changes were introduced without formal consultation with students or families and are contributing to anxiety and distress. They say the policies create an atmosphere of intimidation and are undermining wellbeing.

Cowes Enterprise College, run by the Ormiston Academies Trust, has defended the changes as aimed at creating a calmer, safer environment based on feedback from parents and staff. A school spokesman said new approaches can take time to embed and that the school will adjust policies where sensible refinements are needed after listening to feedback. Critics say they have not seen substantive engagement or responses to petitions and letters.

Accounts from students describe specific provisions: limited time to eat or use toilets, with some reporting breaks that feel rushed and toilets left unaccessible. One pupil recalled being told to enter a classroom before a cue stopped the music, and receiving detention for being late. Another described breaks with a strict cap on group size, and adults escorting pupils between lessons. One pupil said: "They showed us a video of a girl using a zip wire to get to school in another country. Then the principal told us we should be grateful because some kids have to go through that. We should be lucky we go to the best school on the Isle of Wight." The student added: "It is disgusting. They are gaslighting us. They told us we should be grateful and that our parents were overreacting." Another pupil likened the experience to living in a pressured game, saying she feels anxious about coming to school every day and that the changes leave little time to eat or drink.

Parents recount what they describe as a degrading approach to toilet access. One mother said the policy feels "degrading and inhumane," recounting an incident in which a boy wet himself in class because no escort was available, and noting that some girls on their periods are expected to ask male teachers for permission before leaving the room. Others described children queuing for the toilet during lunch, only to have their meal removed. "There’s no dignity, no flexibility, and no explanation," the parent said. A separate account described breaks in a walled courtyard where students are not allowed to run or gather in large groups, with some told to split up if a group reaches eight.

The petitions and testimonies come amid broader concerns that the changes were imposed without meaningful consultation. Several parents warned that blanket punishments could harm the majority and amount to collective punishment for a small number of students who misbehave. One parent said: "If a few kids were vaping in the toilets, deal with them. Don’t take toilets away from everyone." Another added: "This isn't about learning or discipline. It's control."

The Ormiston Academies Trust, which oversees the school, says the reforms were designed to create a calmer, safer environment and were based on feedback from families and staff. A spokesperson said the district knows new approaches can take time to embed and that refinements will be made as needed following feedback. Still, some parents say they have seen little engagement: no meetings, few responses to letters, and few personal replies from the school.

As the petition grows, some families say they may consider moving their children to other schools. Others insist the Cowes Enterprise College they once praised offered a healthy learning environment and worry the new rules will drive families away. The school rejects the notion that the allegations are accurate across the board and says it remains open to review, while maintaining that the policies were implemented to reduce disruption and improve wellbeing.

Protest organizers and many families are calling for an urgent, transparent review and broader consultation before further changes are made. The case at Cowes Enterprise College highlights tensions about how schools balance discipline, wellbeing, and autonomy when procedures affect intimate daily routines and student privacy.