Furious parents have said that children at a school are subject to "military army inspections" due to new strict uniform rules and have to wear "plastic, cheap s***" shoes as they are the only ones available without a brand name on them.
The footwear policy at Moorside High School, in Werrington, has sparked frustration with many styles outlawed including trainers, slip-ons and ankle boots, while brands such as Hush Puppies or Kickers have also been ruled out.
A diagram of all the shoes and skirts that are banned was circulated ahead of the new academic year and parents say their kids were "ambushed in reception" before being made to sit in a portable building and wait for "appropriate uniforms" to be dropped off.
One parent, ex-police worker Tracey Turley, told StokeonTrentLive that her daughter had her first day at school on Wednesday but footwear rules left her only able to buy a £10 pair of shoes from Primark - which left her child's feet in agony.
Tracey said they are not suitable for children to wear on their way to school each day, and she would prefer her to have footwear which are more comfortable and offer more support.
“I’ve gone and bought the only thing I could find that matches the requirements," she said.
“That is, no silver, no patent, it’s really narrows it down on what you can get. I’ve had to go to Primark to buy plastic shoes for £10 as that’s the only thing I can find that fits with what they’re asking.
“They’re going to be uncomfortable, my child says she’s already got blisters and has asked for plasters. They’re going to be uncomfortable while she's trying to learn.
“I understand that a uniform is a uniform, I used to work for the police. I agree with the shoe requirements, I can visualise them. But if you try to go out and find them, they’re just not available.
“The rules are that it can't look like a trainer, it must have no embellishment. You can’t have names like Hush Puppies or Kickers so you’re talking supermarket shoes, plastic cheap s***.
“Surely I have a choice to put my children in something I feel is in their best interest at heart. Her uniform is totally spot on but she’s sitting in agony because her shoes are rubbish.”
Tracey’s daughter got the shoe policy correct but landed herself in isolation because of the material of her skirt.
Tracy continued: “There are children not allowed to go to their lessons because of the style of skirt. They’ve rounded the students up, like a military army inspection and anyone who hasn’t conformed is sitting and waiting in a room for the parents to be called, missing classes!
“There are probably about 300 parents, if not more, in Werrington who are as frustrated as I am. They’re just sitting in an isolation room.”
Tracy says her daughter was expected to stay in isolation for the day - despite having missed out on a lot of education recently when she had to spend time in hospital.
She added: “They said every child has a right to education but my daughter doesn’t have a right because her skirt is the wrong material. How is this preparing them for adulthood?
“Twelve months ago, I would have recommended that school to anyone but right now I could drive up there and take my kids out. If you go onto their website, their mission statement is a safe and healthy environment to learn.
“I’m passionate about uniform and rules, I'm ex-police and my brother has an MBE in the military. I feel like I’ve been cornered into finding a voice. Children are missing out on education, that’s my problem."
All Things Werrington, a community Facebook group, has seen numerous posts of parents checking the school footwear policy.
Headteacher Darryn Robinson told the Mirror: "Our uniform creates a sense of identity and community for our pupils. These changes represent a wider part in raising standards within the academy as well as continuing to create a source of pride.
"The academy communicated and worked with parents, guardians and pupils from June last year to prepare for this September. Changes were made in June, with further changes made this September to avoid additional cost implications for families
"We have worked closely with families to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible. All students in school are provided with appropriate work, linked to their curriculum at all times.
"We had parent consultations last term with parents invited in to discuss any issues with the headteacher and responded to feedback in those meetings.
"We continue to work closely with families to ensure the highest expectations and outcomes for our learners."