A parent has been left fuming after his son was reportedly told he couldn't wear his Clarks shoes to school. The headteacher has been accused of turning the school into a "military" camp.
StokeonTrentLive reports that the uniform crackdown has escalated to the point that "every isolation classroom and the hall" was full last week with children who had broken the rules. It reports that the crackdown at Moorside High School in Werrington has focused in particular on footwear.
Nike Air Forces and Hush Puppies are on the banned list. Last week one girl was accused of wearing make-up and another fell foul due to her skirt being made of the wrong material. Now, one parent has said her Year 8 son was told he could wear his Clarks shoes that share a resemblance to Nike Air Forces. But the footwear has now been banned and her son has been put in isolation.
The 36-year-old mum, from 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."
Moorside High School has repeated its earlier statement to StokeonTrentLive regarding the uniform crackdown.
Headteacher Darryn Robinson said: "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."
