Some offending youngsters at New College in Leicester were told to colour in the white logos on their black trainers with marker pen.

But some parents of children at the school say the strict policy is ridiculous.

Jackie Dickens said her 12-year-old grandson Nathan was sent home from the school because his black trainers had a white logo on the side.

No warning

Mrs Dickens said the policy was ridiculous, adding that children should be educated "regardless of their footwear".

Nathan's father John said: "It's not fair on people who cannot afford to buy new clothes and shoes."

I wrote personally to every single parent over the school holidays to tell them children would be sent home if they were not wearing the school uniform

Jim Collins New College head teacher

The grandmother of another student said her granddaughter was sent home with no warning.

"She phoned me and said she was coming home, but she never arrived - I was quite worried about it."

But the school's principal Jim Collins says pupils and parents were given plenty of warning of the school policy on uniforms.

"Before the end of term we had several assemblies where students were told that the governors' existing uniform policy would be enforced this term.

"I also wrote personally to every single parent over the school holidays to tell them that children would be sent home if they were not wearing the school uniform."

He said the majority of parents, including 300 at a parents' evening, burst into applause when they heard that the policy was to be enforced.

Raising standards

The uniform is any style of black trousers, a white shirt or polo shirt and a school sweat top, and black footwear.

The school has had the uniform policy since it opened in 1998.

The new principal and the LEA have pledged to raise standards at the school which received a very positive Ofsted report last term.

Mr Collins said minibuses were available at the school to return pupils who had come to school in an improper uniform.