Mum furious after daughter is sent home from school for wearing £100 Vivienne Westwood shoes

A girl's first day of secondary school started with her being sent home because of her shoes.

Students attended Grace College in Gateshead on Tuesday (5 September), for the start of their new school year, but Layla Thomson, 11, was quickly sent home for wearing her £100 Vivienne Westwood school shoes.

Melissa Pope, Layla's mum, has since slammed the school and labelled their rules over school shoes as 'ridiculous'.

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She said: "My daughter has had her first day at secondary school. She's been sitting in a room not learning anything at all and not wanting to go back.

"They've said she can't wear them for health and safety because the shoe doesn't cover the top of the foot. I asked if I could get her a loafer and they said that still wasn't acceptable, it had to be a brogue type of shoe.

"I just don't see why, I don't understand it."

Melissa said Layla 'didn't have any problems' when wearing the shoes for the last two years of primary school, adding: "I think it's just a power thing. There were so many girls sent home today.

"It's a school, it's not a camp. They're getting treated like they're in the Army and they have got to do this and that and wear this and that."

Melissa continued: "The only thing it's done today is disrupt a whole school. She hasn't done anything or had any lessons. "She doesn't know what the school is like. She's just been stuck in a room."

The mum has refused to buy Layla new shoes and plans on trying to get her 11-year-old into a different school instead.

According to the parent of a anonymous year nine student at the school, a 'large proportion' of girls had also been sent home for wearing the same shoes.

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A spokesperson for Grace College said: "Grace College is proud of its uniform for the professional image it portrays, and we expect students to wear it with pride.

"We aim for high standards at all times and wearing the correct uniform in the correct way is a significant and important starting point in setting and maintaining these standards. Our uniform policy is designed to be fair, equal and affordable to all students, which is especially important during a cost of living crisis.

"Our uniform is smart, practical and good value and clear guidance on it is provided to families prior to their children joining the college; the policy can also be found within three clicks on our website.

"All families are aware that school shoes should be plain black and polishable, and devoid of fashion logos. Our website offers guidance on eight different styles and we name recommended suppliers.

"This is to ensure consistency across the college, to ensure safety, to protect students from pressure to follow trends, to prevent bullying and to keep costs as low as possible.

"Our policy is always to ask students to correct their uniform where they can. We have a small supply of uniform in college to support students to do this straightaway.

"Where it is not possible to rectify a uniform issue, we always contact parents and seek to work with them to put things right. We have had to do this with a number of students today."