Year 11 pupils everywhere are dreaming of their end-of-year proms after the hard slog of sitting exams.

But for one Teddington School student, the chance for a final celebration with friends has been snatched away as punishment for wearing trainers to school.

Laura Harris, 16, said she had worn the shoes for the past six months but teachers took exception with her choice of footwear on Tuesday, June 4, and banned her from the school prom.

As further punishment, Laura, who lives in Addison Road with her mother, Debbie Harris, has been made to sit her GCSE exams in isolation.

On top of that, the school demanded the schoolgirl is escorted to and from the school gates by her mother.

The dispute was exacerbated when Laura attempted to enter the school via a side entrance, fearing she would be late for an exam yesterday.

Laura said: “I have got my prom dress and everything and the teachers are saying I am not allowed to go.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to my school prom so it’s gutting to not be able to go.

“As soon as I went through the gate, they were trying to make us go round but I said ‘I’ve got to have my exam or I will be late’.

“I think I have done nothing wrong because I haven’t - apparently I was rude but I never said anything rude.

“My mum can’t take me to school every day, we have just got a new dog and it can't be left with the other dogs.

“They said ‘what’s more important, dogs or exams?’ and I said exams obviously but I’d rather not come home to a dead dog.”

Mrs Harris said she and her daughter had been given various reasons for the punishment, including wearing trainers, entering via the side gate and not wearing her school jumper.

She said: “We were supposed to have been told they can’t use the side gate when the new head was taken on but I had no notification of that.

“She had to sit in reception waiting for me to pick her up, I told the school she is 16 and that is wrong.

“It’s not like she has taken drugs or done criminal damage.

“They know they have made a bit of a boo-boo and keep coming up with all sorts of different reasons.”

Headteacher John Wilkinson said: “It would be inappropriate for the school to discuss a pupil's disciplinary record.”