A schoolgirl left bedbound by a long-standing illness was reduced to tears after being "banned" from her prom.
Alisha Hoy, 16, was excited to celebrate her final year with friends but was told her poor attendance didn't warrant her being allowed to attend.
The Year 11 student at Airedale Academy in Castleford, West Yorkshire, has suffered with a bowel illness since she was a child and had to miss many of her lessons.
However, thanks to her steely determination, she was still able to sit her GCSE exams.
She spent much of the year in pain and in bed so would stay at home to rest, YorkshireLive reports.
Her mum Marian Fitchett said: "Because she wasn't able to go to classes I told the school to send her work home so she could keep up but they never did."
Marian claims that Alisha, who lives in Selby, North Yorkshire, was due to attend her prom this Thursday but was told "under no circumstances" could she attend.
Marian said the family got a letter from the academy a week before the prom explaining Alisha couldn't go.
She added that she has been trying to get in touch with the school since but has "not been able to get a response".
Alisha was reduced to tears when pictures were shared across social media of Airedale Academy students wearing posh frocks, suits, and walking down a red carpet without her.
Her mum had saved up money to buy her a dress for the event, but Airedale Academy said her bad attendance didn't warrant enjoying the celebration.
Mum Marian, who also has a son and a set of twins at home, said: "My daughter is very upset and I feel the school are discriminating against her for being ill. She has had an illness since she was a child.
"She doesn't really like to talk about it or share too much but she had to have time off school and was in bed. She was banned from her prom this week.
"The school are saying she had too much time off school but I provided medical records. It's disgusting.
"We got a letter from them last week [the week before the prom] saying she could not go and I have been ringing the school this week. The school never helped us through the years with her illness and would never provide work to do at home etc. And now, to do this to a child is disgusting."
The furious mum-of-four added: "She was crying last night [July 7], in fact we were both crying. Children who have illnesses already have so much going on in their life this is the last thing she needed.
"This is something she has always looked forward. Things need to change if that is the rules for academy."
After complaining to Airedale Academy, Marian received a reply which read: "Thank you for your email. I will post out first class to you the letters that were previously circulated regarding prom and the explanations of points.
"Please do get in touch should you require anything further."
The "banning" comes after parents at another West Yorkshire school were left furious about their children being "banned" from their prom too. Some Year 11 students were unable to attend their prom at Honley High School and watched other classmates dress up for the final year celebration without them.
The prom was held at Cedar Court Hotel on Thursday, June 30, and although hundreds attended, many were left sat at home.
A spokesman for the school said" "children who have consistently made a positive contribution throughout Year 11 were invited to attend" the prom. This meant a number were left out, sparking outrage among parents and pupils alike.
Referencing the incident at Honley, Marian added: "Exactly, it is just not fair. I will absolutely not be sending my other children to Airedale Academy.
"It has been the whole time she [Alisha] has been there."
A statement from Northern Ambition Academies Trust which operates Airedale Academy said: "It is government policy that schools are required to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. In common with many other schools, Airedale Academy requires students to meet certain criteria to be allowed to attend the prom.
"During Year 11, students have the opportunity to earn points for regular attendance at school, attendance at revision sessions and good behaviour. Those with sufficient points are eligible for a prom ticket.
"Students are made aware of this requirement from the start of Y11, to highlight the importance of regular attendance during a vital exam year.
"Any student not eligible for a ticket was notified around eight weeks before the prom.
"In circumstances such as this, where the student had failed to achieve the required points due to poor attendance, parents were invited to engage in discussion with the school about the reasons for their child’s non-attendance, so a decision could be taken about whether there were any extenuating circumstances.
"Sadly Miss Blythe did not contact us following receipt of this letter until six days before the prom was due to take place.
"We have every sympathy for Miss Hoy and her bowel problems. We have other students in school with similar issues and we have supported these students with a range of adjustments to enable them to maintain regular attendance.
"These include: toilet passes and door access cards, allowing students to access toilet facilities whenever required; implementation of a partial timetable to allow the student to be in school for as long as they feel able; applying for special arrangements in examinations, such as taking exams in a room with toilet facilities close by; and exploring – in discussion with the student’s medical consultant – whether the student should access the hospital school during periods of extended absence.
"Unfortunately, Miss Hoy and her family chose not to engage with the range of support we could offer.
"The school takes a reasonable approach to these situations. Where students and families work with us so we can support the student to attend school as much as possible given their medical needs, this is taken into consideration when deciding whether to allow students to attend the prom.
"Where students and families do not engage with the support we are offering, and do not provide good reason for the student’s continued absence in the form of medical evidence, we do not feel that it is appropriate for those students to attend the prom."
