PARENTS have expressed their anger after a Southampton school that promised a leavers prom next year has cancelled the plans.

Parents of year 11 students at Oasis Academy Sholing received an email on July 17 regarding the cancellation of the year 11 leavers prom after students were "promised a prom in 2021".

The letter stated that the school had cancelled the prom following "advice" from Southampton City Council and Public Health England saying that they "should not hold a leavers prom".

One parent of a year 11 student at the prom told the Daily Echo: "They were promised they would have the prom even if it is arranged next year in 2021, but now Oasis Sholing have decided to cancel it.

"We know of other Southampton senior schools that are still going ahead with their prom even if it is in 2021.

"We understand that they can't have it now because of Covid-19 but why can't they arrange it for next year like other schools?

"It's bad enough for them that they couldn't sit their exams and have to have predicted grades - and now this.

"It's a kick in the teeth for them, it's so unfair."

She added that many parents had already forked out expenses for prom dresses and suits.

Cllr Darren Paffey said: "School pupils have dealt with so much disruption over the last few months, and I know how disappointing it will be to them that there are also changes to planned leaver events.

"It is for schools to decide whether or not they wish to hold events under the conditions that Public Health England has set out.

"The council has provided schools with that guidance which sets out the conditions under which school leaver events should be held in order to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, such as maintaining current pupil bubbles where these are in place and restricting attendance to school staff and pupils only."

A spokesperson from Oasis Academy Sholing said that they were now planning a "celebratory event", should government guidance allow, next year - but made no further mention of a prom. Parents are expected to receive letters regarding this soon.

They said: “In light of the current coronavirus pandemic we unfortunately had to make the difficult decision of postponing this year’s Oasis Academy Sholing Prom.

"We do apologise to Year 11 students and parents for the late arrangement of this, and we will be contacting you via letter during the summer break about a proposed re-arranged celebratory event in 2021 as long as government guidelines allow."