An angry dad has slammed his daughter's high school after claiming the teenager was made to wear shoes too small for her, causing her toes to blister.
The teenager returned to Grace College in Gateshead for her first day of Year 11 on Tuesday (5 September) when she was allegedly told by staff that her black ballet-style shoes, which did not cover the top of her feet, were unsuitable.
Her dad claims the school offered her the opportunity to wear some size seven brogue-style shoes or be sent home —despite explaining she was a size eight.
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The 43-year-old, who lives in the Bensham area of Gateshead, said his daughter wore the smaller shoes as she didn't want to be sent home, and was left with blisters on both feet.
On Wednesday, she attended the school in the same ballet-style shoes and was sent home.
Her dad told ChronicleLive: "We have ordered her some shoes but they haven't come. She wore a pair of shoes that she already had. They were an open shoe and [staff at the school] were saying they had to be closed.
"The teacher asked what size she was and gave her a size seven. They must have found some in the lost property. They said 'If you don't wear them you will be sent home'.
"She said 'I'm an 8, not a size 7'. They said 'That's all we have got, put them on'. She put them on as she thought she would get wrong off myself, and my wife, for being sent home.
"Both her little toes are now blistered up."
The unnamed dad went on to accuse the school of 'looking for reasons to send [pupils] home', despite schools having just reopened after the summer holidays.
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"They should be educating them, not trying their best to send them home," he fumed.
"They think more about what they're wearing than their education.
"I just think it's getting beyond a joke. I accept they have to have rules but they just seem to be coming out with more. It's like being in the army the way they go on, it's unreal."
The man is the second parent of late to complain about the school's uniform policy after another schoolgirl from Grace College was sent home for having £100 Vivienne Westwood pumps.
Apparently the school's policy for shoes is for them to be plain black and devoid of fashion logos to ensure consistency across the college, ensure safety and protect students from pressure to follow trends.
The parent of the 15-year-old who was made to wear size seven shoes has since sent an email to complain, and is currently waiting on a response.
Grace College has since issued a statement addressing the matter.
It reads: "Our students and staff are enjoying a productive first week back at college and integrating into school life as we would expect. However, at the beginning of the new term there may be a small number of issues to address in any school.
"We reiterate the importance of applying our rules consistently on issues like uniform, not least for the vast majority of families who have sent children to school properly attired this week, and to ensure that all students feel welcome, safe and free from any pressures.
"When students need to put a uniform issue right, they are given an opportunity to do so. We have a supply of high quality new and nearly new uniform in college that we can share with students to support them to put this right."
The college added that it 'does not comment on individual cases publicly' and deals with matters such as these 'in line with its complaints policy where issues can be dealt with fairly and with appropriate privacy'.
Niamh Shackleton