Girl, 8, sent home from school 'over her boots'

A father has said his eight-year-old daughter was left "heartbroken" after being sent home from her primary school because her fur-topped boots did not comply with a uniform policy.

Duaine Davies said his daughter Amaya was told to leave St Paul's Church of England Primary in Salford after new rules came in, despite saying she was granted special permission.

The 40-year-old said he was "fighting the decision" for his daughter, who is currently undergoing an autistic spectrum disorder assessment and has struggled to attend school due to bullying.

Neither the school nor Vantage Academy Trust, which runs it, has responded to requests for comment.

"This has broken her heart. Footwear does not affect education," Duaine said.

He said a change in footwear would be "distressing" and "upsetting" for his daughter.

The father, who was a pupil at St Paul's himself, along with his siblings, mother and eldest child, said the uniform rules at the school had "never been a problem" until a recent newsletter, seen by the BBC, was sent to parents in March 2026, informing them of changes to the policy.

He said Amaya's mother contacted the school to arrange that Amaya would still be able to wear her boots.

But despite receiving confirmation, Duaine claimed his daughter was turned away at the school gates on both Monday and Tuesday morning after an inspection by three staff members.

"They stood the pupils by the gates, lining them up like the army," he told BBC Radio Manchester.

"'My daughter was wearing black leather boots - not un-smart shoes.

"It upsets me because Amaya has been crying her eyes out for the last two days.

"To me she should be classed as having a disability and they're not listening to this child's needs.

"They have no understanding. All she needs from the school is to be able to wear shoes that she's comfortable in."

Duaine added that the school had since said Amaya could come back into school if she wore trainers, rather than her boots.

Duaine said: "We have been offered a voucher to buy new shoes but for us it isn't about the cost of the shoes, it is about discomfort and anxiety."

Contrary to the recent newsletter informing parents about changes, the school's website still shows a policy which states only that pupils must wear "sensible black shoes or black trainers".

It says that in cases of non-compliance, "the principle will be permitted to remind pupils of expectations for uniform and where relevant, contact made with parents/carers".

The school's uniform policy was approved by the trust's education committee in July 2025 and will be subject to review in July 2028.

Duaine said he now plans to demonstrate against the new rules with other parents at the school, and hopes it will "get the school to listen".

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