Furious mum says girl among group of schoolgirls locked in classroom for wearing wrong shoes

An angry mum says a group of schoolgirls were locked in a classroom for hours on the first day of school – because they were wearing the wrong shoes.

Charlotte Byers, 39, claims her daughter Lillyanne, 13, was forced to miss school because her shoes had a gold and black bow on the front.

She says Lillyanne, a ninth-grader, has been wearing the same $26 pair of shoes for the past two years at Outwood Academy Danum in Doncaster, South Yorks.

She claims she was forced to stay in her room on the first day of school and was only allowed to go to her lessons when she changed into a pair of shoes the school bought.

Charlotte says other students who refused to wear different school shoes were left in the room for four hours without a toilet break.

The school denied anyone was locked in classrooms and said its uniform policy remained unchanged from last year.

Charlotte said: “The school, which apparently has no funds, went out and bought a load of shoes.

“They made the girls wear shoes that were either too small or uncomfortable.

“Those who wouldn’t wear a pair of shoes because they didn’t fit were then punished and locked in a room for four hours without toilet breaks and without food or drink.

“They had to queue for miles to get in, they were looking for them like dogs.

“It was the first day of school for some people, year seven is a massive transition.

“Imagine turning up on the first day, already full of nerves, and then being sent to a class – I don’t think that’s acceptable.”

Charlotte says she was informed of a new uniform policy, where students cannot have any details on their shoes, the night before the first day of the course.

She said: “I told the school and they said something must have gone wrong on their end because over 80 girls had come to school in the wrong shoes.

“They obviously only sent the information to some parents or they didn’t send it to them in enough time.

“I asked her if she can wear the shoes for the rest of the year and they are not allowed.

“She would be forced to wear other people’s shoes or put into solitary confinement.”

Charlotte has now bought Lillyanne a new pair of shoes, but says other parents may not be able to afford more.

She said: “My daughter found some shoes for $13 on Amazon so we got them.

“But not everyone is able to do that.

“They have to hold their hands up and say they’re sorry and they know there’s a cost of living crisis, which is quite stressful.

“They have to let it go for the school year and then do it the next year without an exception — how hard is that?”

A spokesperson for Outwood Danum Academy said: “We ask that all students wear their uniform as described in the uniform policy and wear it with pride.

“The policy has not changed in any way and has been available for all parents and carers to consult over the summer, with an additional reminder of the policy to be sent to all parents and carers in July.

“It is designed to be fair, equitable and affordable for all families.

“Students who come to school with incorrect uniforms will be supported by borrowing items from the school.

“Parents will be informed that this has happened so that they can help ensure that the uniform is worn appropriately in the future.”