DOZENS of pupils were sent home to change their clothes after new uniform policies came into force at south Essex schools.

Parents were called after at least 16 pupils from Eastwood Academy and 47 from Belfairs High School , Leigh , arrived for the start of the autumn term in the wrong trousers and shoes respectively.

Staff at Belfairs sent a letter to parents in July saying students must wear black, relatively flat, fully enclosed shoes, suitable for bad weather.

Most pupils sent home were girls wearing flat, black pumps.

Sarah Hince, whose 15-year-old daughter Kara was sent home from Belfairs, said: “They sent about 50 pupils in Year 11 home on the first day of their GCSE year.

“It’s about supporting the school and understanding the policy, but at the same time understanding they are in their GCSE year.”

Parents said they were confused over what shoes met the standards. Bev Williams, the newly-appointed principal of Belfairs, said: “They were mainly girls with shoes that didn’t come up to the standards of the uniform policy. Parents were rung and in the majority of cases they were brilliant and very supportive.

“They agreed and buy into the driving the school forward.”

Eastwood confirmed it sent home about 15 pupils on Tuesday and one yesterday, for failing to wear black trousers without distinctive styling or fashioning, including conspicuous belts, buttons or buckles.

Parents received letters advising them to buy the trousers from shop Schoolwear, or comparable alternatives in July.

Carrie-Ann Davies, of Brendon Way, Eastwood, said her 5ft 7ins daughter Danielle, 15, was too tall and slim for the sizes available from the school shop in Hamlet Court Road and other shops were too expensive.

Instead Carrie-Ann wore slim, straight-legged black trousers, which she believed would be suitable.

She said: “They have just gone a little too far with the power and worrying less about the education.”

Eastwood headteacher Neil Houchen said: “I cannot speak about the case in question, only that Schoolwear provide the approved trousers in all shapes and sizes. Where parents had already purchased trousers before being made aware of the outsourcing to Schoolwear, the academy has assisted financially and fully compensated them.”