Derbyshire school apology over '˜bikini body' classes

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Welcome to Ripley Academy.
A Derbyshire school has apologised for promoting '˜bikini body fitness classes' for students.

The after-school classes at The Ripley Academy, which were organised by a supply teacher have been met with outrage from concerned parents.

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One parent, who did not want to be named, said: “Isn’t it bad enough to have impressionable girls to already be worrying about the state of their bodies? I am all for healthy lifestyle but this is sexualising the fitness class.

“Surely this is not what the government had in mind for academy schools?”

The classes were running, without permission of principal Carey Ayres, and have now been cancelled.

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A spokesman for The Ripley Academy said: “As soon as we were made aware of these after-school classes they were cancelled as they did not reflect the values of the academy.

“We would like to sincerely apologise for any offence caused. They were organised by a supply teacher, who is covering a member of staff on maternity leave, without permission from the principal and this issue will be dealt with internally.

“At The Ripley Academy we do run a variety of extra-curricular activities aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle amongst all of our students and we would never condone any class, or after-school activity, that may put pressure on any young person in terms of their own body image.”

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