Parents say every isolation unit at a school, and its hall, has been left full after children were pulled out of classes for breaching uniform rules - and have accused the headteacher of running a 'military camp'. In the latest row an eight-year-old boy has been banned from wearing school shoes bought from Clarks.
The school has already banned Nike Air Forces and Hush Puppies, and one mum says her son was told he couldn't wear his new Clarks shoes because they look a bit like Nikes. One girl was last week accused of wearing make-up and another girl has fallen foul of the rules because her skirt is the wrong material.
One mum of as child at Moorside High School in Werrington said: "They are there for an education - they are not there to be treated like caged animals. They are putting them in isolation rooms and not letting them mix with their peers at lunch breaks or anything - they are eating their lunch in these rooms.
"My son has been checked four times. The head says once he has found my child with this footwear on, he will be going in isolation. I said ‘over my dead body’. He wears Clarks school shoes. There’s been a hall full of children in isolation and then the isolation classrooms have been full too. There’s quite a lot.
"If something is not broken, don’t fix it. We’ve never looked at a Moorside pupil and thought they look really scruffy."
Headteacher Darryn Robinson told StokeonTrentLive: "Our uniform creates a sense of identity and community for our pupils. These changes represent a wider part in raising standards within the school as well as continuing to create a source of pride. The uniform policy has not changed.
"The school communicated clear guidance on all aspects of the uniform and worked with parents, guardians and pupils from June last year to prepare for this September.
"Changes were made in June following consultation with parents with final adjustments made this September to avoid additional cost implications for families.
"We have worked closely with families to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible. Students in school are provided with appropriate work, linked to their curriculum at all times.
"We continue to work closely with families to ensure the highest expectations and outcomes for our learners."
