TEACHERS kept more than 30 children out of classes on the first two days of school because they were wearing the wrong type of shoes.
Staff at the National Church of England Academy in Hucknall (pictured) enforced the crackdown when pupils returned from their summer break on Wednesday.
Those not wearing smart shoes were stopped at the school gates in Annesley Road and put in isolation until new footwear could be found. "A handful" of pupils went home.
Principal Simon Jones said parents were warned last term that the school's dress code would be enforced.
But one dad whose son returned home following the crackdown called the action "ridiculous" And Nottinghamshire National Union of Teachers said it thought the action was "unreasonable".
The school, which has 1,150 pupils aged 11-19, wants them to wear leather or leather-style smart shoes.
Defending his stance, Mr Jones said: "We have really high standards. Our results are up and our expectation of students is also high.
"I informed parents in July that we would be enforcing the school's dress code.
"Initially, we had 20 in a room while their shoes were sorted out and a handful went home. Yesterday, 12 were stopped and six went home.
"A couple of parents have grumbled about it. We offered to lend shoes but some refused to wear them. Most of those kept in a room had their shoes sorted out in half-an-hour.
"This has affected around one per cent of the school and we did not say they couldn't come to school."
Ivan Wels, chairman of Nottinghamshire NUT, said: "It seems a bit unreasonable but some of the academies are trying to improve standards.
"Some of the things that are done fly under the radar but I think this is a little excessive. I have not heard of anything like this before."
A parent who did not wish to be identified said the teachers had gone too far.
"Having 30 children put in isolation for having the wrong shoes is ridiculous.
"It makes a mockery of trying to keep children in school and charging parents when they have a day off for holiday.
"They are putting school uniform before education."
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