My daughter, 11, was sent home from first day at secondary school over her new shoes – now she doesn’t want to go back
A MUM has said her daughter was sent home from her first day at secondary school because of her new shoes.
Melissa Pope, 37, has slammed Grace College in Gateshead, Newcastle, after her 11-year-old was put in isolation for her footwear.
Branding them “ridiculous”, the furious mum-of-two said Layla Thomson didn’t learn anything on her first day of year 7 or even get to look around the site.
Pictures of the schoolgirl smiling before the big day show her wearing the correct blazer, tie and skirt with a pair of Vivienne Westwood slip-on pumps.
But when she arrived, she barely even made it through the first lesson before being told her shoes were inappropriate.
Fuming Melissa said she was taken and put into isolation until her grandma came to collect her and take her home.
The mum said Layla wasn’t the only pupil sent on that day and called the whole thing “disgusting”.
She told ChronicleLive: “My daughter has had her first day at secondary school.
“She’s been sitting in a room not learning anything at all and not wanting to go back.”
Melissa said she was told the shoes were a health and safety concern because the top of Layla’s foot wasn’t covered, and that it must be a “brogue type shoe”.
She added: “It’s a school, it’s not a camp.
“They’re getting treated like they’re in the Army and they have got to do this and that and wear this and that.
“The only thing it’s done today is disrupt a whole school. She hasn’t done anything or had any lessons.
“She doesn’t know what the school is like. She’s just been stuck in a room.”
The school said they aim for “high standards at all times” but that they also want students to be equal during the cost of living crisis.
A spokesperson for Grace College said: “Grace College is proud of its uniform for the professional image it portrays, and we expect students to wear it with pride.
“We aim for high standards at all times and wearing the correct uniform in the correct way is a significant and important starting point in setting and maintaining these standards.
“Our uniform policy is designed to be fair, equal and affordable to all students, which is especially important during a cost of living crisis.
“Our uniform is smart, practical and good value and clear guidance on it is provided to families prior to their children joining the college; the policy can also be found within three clicks on our website.
“All families are aware that school shoes should be plain black and polishable, and devoid of fashion logos.
“Our website offers guidance on eight different styles and we name recommended suppliers.
“This is to ensure consistency across the college, to ensure safety, to protect students from pressure to follow trends, to prevent bullying and to keep costs as low as possible.”
They added: “Our policy is always to ask students to correct their uniform where they can.
“We have a small supply of uniform in college to support students to do this straightaway.
“Where it is not possible to rectify a uniform issue, we always contact parents and seek to work with them to put things right.
“We have had to do this with a number of students today.”