An angry mum and dad say their teenage daughter has been treated like a prisoner after arriving at school on the first day of the new term with lilac dye in her hair.

Kadey Wood, a Year 8 pupil at Meopham School, was not allowed to sit in class with her pals on Monday and instead was made to work ‘in isolation’ in a separate room while being supervised by members of staff.

The school says it is standing by its uniform policy, which is clear that hair must be a
natural colour.

Mum Carla said her 12-year-old daughter coloured her hair along with friends at the beginning of the summer holidays and while their dye has washed out, Kadey’s is still visible.

The 29-year-old mum of three said: “She’s not even allowed out at lunch or break to see her friends – her lunch is brought to her. She can only leave to use the toilet.

"We were told if other children see her walking round the school building they might think it is OK to dye their hair.

“It’s going to affect her learning not being with each subject teacher and not socialising with her peers.

“It has upset her because she does like school and being able to see her friends.

“I feel this will be much more detrimental to her education than a lilac tint in her hair.”

Dad Chris said he was “fuming” and added: “I understand they try to enforce conformity to all the students but this is just plain ridiculous. Locking her up in solitary confinement? Like prison? It’s not acceptable to treat a child like this.”

Mrs Wood, of Park Avenue, Northfleet, said she cannot use a shop-bought product to remove the colour from Kadey’s hair as it cannot be used over her natural-looking bleach highlights and she believes a trip to the hairdresser will cost up to £60. The lilac dye cost £9 for two packs in Superdrug.

The full-time mum is keeping her eldest daughter home until she can afford to get the colour removed but says the school refused to let her take work home and is classing the time off as unauthorised absence meaning the parents could face a fine.

Suzanne Dickinson, head teacher at Meopham School, said: “We have extremely high standards at Meopham School. Our uniform policy clearly states that ‘hair must be of natural colour’.”