Pupils no longer on first name terms with teachers at Milton Keynes school

Not only are there now rigid uniform rules at Stantonbury Campus, but from this term all teachers must be correctly addressed as ‘Mr’, ‘Mrs’, or ‘Miss’.

Sceptics say founder Geoff Cooksey would be horrified at the changes in the campus he designed more than 40 years ago to emulate a university.

But new head Michelle Newman is adamant that the new rules and boundaries will benefit the students. All students were warned before the end of the summer term that they would no longer be allowed to call teachers by their first names when school started again in September.

This week the school is holding regular spotchecks to ensure students are suitably dressed and all teachers are formally addressed.

Mrs Newman said she was is confident that the work she is doing with the staff team means that the best of the Stantonbury traditions are being restored and strengthened, not eroded.

She said: “Students have been widely and formally consulted about any changes.”

She added: “Stantonbury is building a great future on the proud traditions of its past.”

Many people feel uniform is the “thin end of the wedge” and students need to show they are able to follow simple instructions and boundaries.

Stantonbury’s decision to move to addressing teachers by their family name is also about setting clear boundaries and expectations.

With more than 2,000 pupils, Stantonbury Campus is one of the largest secondary schools in the UK. Last year it became part of the Griffin Schools Trust.

The campus scored three out of five starts in last year’s national ‘School Guide, which rates schools on Ofsted reports, exam results, parent satisfaction and reviews.