Parents have been left stunned after a school barred their children from lessons for a whole day because they were missing items of uniform.

Students at Wilmington Enterprise College were either sent home or kept in classrooms away from other youngsters when staff discovered they were missing school jumpers or were wearing the incorrect clothing.

One pupil said at one point more than 50 youngsters at the Common Lane school had been moved into “isolation rooms” for infringements of new school rules, which came into force on Monday.

The school has not confirmed how many pupils were affected by the crackdown.

The school sent letters to all parents and carers last month warning pupils would be taken out of lessons if they did not have the correct uniform from Monday and the start of the new term.

Acting headteacher, Belinda Langley-Bliss, said: “At the end of term four, we unveiled a number of initiatives to further improve standards at the college. One of these is to ensure all students wear the correct college uniform.

“We advised students before the end of term through assemblies and posted letters to parents about what we expected. On the first day back, there were reminders to a minority of students about removing jewellery and looking smart, but some students have been sent home to change items of clothing.”