Wrong shoes school row

Breaking the rules... Coldhurst mum Claire Dann thinks daughter Rebekka Ryan should have been allowed to stay at school in her black pumps

AN angry mum has hit out at Radclyffe School after her daughter was sent home for wearing the wrong shoes.

Year nine pupil Rebekka Ryan (14) was lumped with the troublemakers when she forgot her school shoes.

Mum Claire Dann (33), of Hallroyd Brow, Coldhurst, was called by the school and told her daughter would be placed in the focus room — reserved for a handful of children.

She said: “Rebekka was treated as though she was misbehaving, when for months she has been exceeding targets and being praised for how well she has worked.

“I am angry with the school. They said she could go home to get them but by the time she would have got back it would have been nearly the end of the day.

“I said there was no way she was being moved into the focus room.”

The misunderstanding came about when Rebekka, who usually changes from black lace-up pumps to her school shoes at the gates, realised she had left her shoes at home.

Headteacher Hardial Hayer said the rules are in place for a reason and that no child would be sent home to change without permission of the parent.

He said: “The school policy is clear and for us it is absolutely critical to have a smart uniform to set the tone of our school.

“We are preparing students for the future of having to adhere to dress codes.

“Usually the right shoes would be brought to school or the pupil would be able to wear plimsolls supplied by us for the day.

“We cannot have children wandering without the correct uniform.

“If we allow that standards would slip and we wouldn’t have the high standards people expect from us today.”

Mum Claire said: “I know it goes against the uniform code but this was a one-off and they were black shoes.”