A STUDENT missed his first GCSE exam because his footwear did not meet his school's dress code.

Adam Gevaux was sent home from Temple School in Strood, minutes before the start of the English exam, when staff objected to his black Lacoste trainers.

The 16-year-old, of Kingswear Gardens, Strood, said he had been wearing the Velcro-strapped shoes to school since April without any comment from teachers.

The school said it gave him the option of wearing shoes from lost property or going home to change but Adam didn't return for the exam last Wednesday morning.

Adam said he was told by a senior teacher to go home and change in time for his afternoon GCSE. He believes he was one of four boys to miss the English exam because of the crackdown.

His mother, Liz, said: "Adam has spent two years preparing for this exam so to be turned away for what he was wearing on his feet is ridiculous.

"Adam has wide feet and finds most school shoes tight. We did our best to find shoes we thought were suitable and which did not hurt his feet.

"I am not sure when he will be able to take the exam. At the moment he is wearing the black shoes to school and swapping them for the exam."

A Temple School spokesman said: “Teachers on duty at the exam felt Adam’s shoes were inappropriate and did not meet the dress code. He was asked to change into suitable footwear, either from the school’s lost property or his home.

“Adam chose to leave the school and didn’t return, missing the exam.

“The school wasn’t aware Adam had a problem in getting the right footwear. The situation could have been avoided if it had been told.

“As part of its efforts to maintain and improve standards Temple School has a dress code and parents have been sent a dress code handbook.”

Adam's mother also expressed her views in an interview with kmfm...