AN OUTRAGED mum has criticised a school for punishing her daughter because she was wearing green socks.

Donna Sharman was shocked to receive the call from her 14-year-old daughter Ellie last Wednesday, saying she had been sent to the exclusion room at Easthampstead Park Community School for donning the footwear, which has Father, Christmas's face on them.

But the school's head insists teachers were just following school policy.

Mrs Sharman, from Halewood in Great Hollands, said: "To me, to exclude a child over a pair of socks is ridiculous."

Easthampstead Park headteacher Gordon Cunningham said: "Ellie came in on Tuesday with bright green socks on over the top of her trousers and was told to take them off - which she did. But when it happened again on Wednesday and she was told again to take them off she refused because she didn't have another pair on underneath.

"Basically, the teachers felt she was just trying it on."

He added: "The uniform is very simple here and we try to get it as cheap and plain as possible and the reason she was in trouble was for not following the uniform code."

Mrs Sharman says she was notified by the school in Ringmead, Great Hollands that Ellie was coming home - and is worried she could come to harm walking home on her own.

However, Mr Cunningham said Ellie was not "excluded" over the incident, but sent to the "exclusion room" - a place for youngsters to cool off during the day but left the site of her own accord.

"I think the most important thing is that she was given the warning the day before," he added. "We've tried to work with the uniform to make it easy and comfortable - I don't think bright socks will be coming in any time soon!"

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts? Was the school too harsh or were they right to enforce the rules?