A mother has complained after her daughter was sent home from school for having the wrong-coloured stitching on her shoes.

Stacey Pearson had to go and get changed for having pink stitching on black shoes in a new uniform purge by Ashford Christ Church school.

Her mother Tracey Ring said: “This is so petty. It is absolutely disgusting that pupils should be sent home and miss an afternoon of schooling for wearing the wrong shoes.

“How does what they wear make any difference to the way they are taught?”

Form tutor

Year 9 pupil Stacey, of Jupiter Lane, Kingsnorth, returned home on Monday , with a letter from her form tutor, even though she has been using the same £60 shoes at the Millbank Road school since the start of the year in September.

But the 13-year-old’s family received notification in a newsletter of stricter policy received at the start of last week’s holiday.

The message, from head teacher Catherine Barber, said: “After half term we will be monitoring closely the standard of uniform and reserve the right to send students home to change into correct uniform or apply other sanctions.”

She said these included detentions for those who continued not to dress properly.

The newsletter reiterates the demand for pupils to were a purple school T-shirt, grey school jumper, grey/black trousers or skirt and black footwear.

Miss Ring, 37, went with Stacey back to the school that Monday to discuss the matter. She said it then decided they were acceptable and allowed her to return next day.

Head teacher Catherine Barber said: “In September we unveiled a number of initiatives to further improve standards at the school. One of these is ensuring students wear the correct school uniform.

“The numbers wearing the correct school uniform has improved greatly but to bring a minority into line, we have been closely monitoring the dress code since students returned from the February holiday.

“We advised students before the end of term and posted letters to parents about what we expected and that we reserved the right to send students home to change into correct uniform or apply other sanctions, such as detentions, for those students who continued not to wear the correct uniform.

“On the whole this week it’s been reminders to a minority about removing jewellery, looking smart etc. but some students have been sent home to change items of clothing.

“Yes, it’s back-to-basics stuff but I am a strong believer in the benefits of school uniform.

“It’s a fair and practical policy and as always, my team and I are more than happy to speak to individual families about any particular issues.

“Overall, like the other initiatives, the vast majority are backing the steps we’re taking to raise standards and ultimately achievement.”