We all know how expensive school uniform can be

So should school uniform rules be relaxed?

When pupils at Djanogly City Academy, in Nottingham, returned to school yesterday, more than 100 of them were pulled out of lessons for wearing the wrong footwear!

56 pupils ended up being sent home for not wearing plain black footwear, instead opting to wear trainers or flip flops.

The remaining 44 pupils were sent back to lessons wearing shoes from the school storage cupboard. 

Furious parents have now branded the school as ‘ludicrous’ and ‘petty’ over the incident.

Headteacher Dave Hooker, who started at the school last September, said: ‘Being appropriately dressed, whether for school or work, is a lesson that will benefit all our students throughout their lives.

‘It is our duty to give them every advantage and a key part of that is understanding that personal standards are very important.

‘It is Djanogly City Academy’s responsibility to guide and support its pupils in a way that gives them the very best life chances.

‘Ensuring our uniform standards are maintained is one small way in which we do this every day.’

Year 10 student Jahmal Jones Robinson was sent home for wearing a pair of black Converse trainers.

The 14-year-old, from Basford, Nottingham, said: ‘It was the first day back and a lot of people were pulled out of class for having the wrong shoes.

‘We were put in the hall. Everyone was shocked and angry because they were being sent home because of the shoes.’

His mother Perri Jones, 33, described the situation as ‘ludicrous’.

The self-employed seamstress added: ‘I sent my son to school in plain black leather Converse. I don’t understand how they can put shoes before education.

‘We were told the uniform was going to have a shake-up and that we should provide plain black shoes, which we have.

‘I don’t have the money to buy new school shoes because I have just spent £200 on uniform.

‘They have said that my child cannot come back to school until he has new shoes and I don’t know when that will be.’

Another parent, who did not want to be named, said: ‘My son was taken out of class, because they were not black and leather. But I spent £30 on them.

‘They are smart formal shoes, it is ridiculous and petty. The school should be focusing more on educating the children than messing around with uniform policy.’

However, mother-of-two Joanne Brooks, 36, defended the policy and said: ‘The school is entirely in the right here.

‘You just cannot let pupils turn up for school wearing flip-flops or sandals. You have to make sure they take pride in their appearance.’

You can read the full story over at Daily Mail here…

You can read about our petition here to lower the cost of school uniform…