Wallsend mam slams secondary school for stopping her daughter, 15, and other pupils from attending prom

Kayla Massey with her 15-year-old daughter Faith
Kayla Massey with her 15-year-old daughter Faith -Credit:Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle


A mam has slammed a secondary school for refusing to allow her 15-year-old daughter and other pupils from attending their prom.

Churchill Community College in Wallsend, North Tyneside, has told all year 11 pupils who have been suspended since November last year that they are not eligible to attend the event.

Kayla Massey was left devastated after discovering that her daughter Faith Robson was one of the students who cannot attend the celebration at St James' Park in Newcastle on July 5.

The 39-year-old, from Holy Cross, Wallsend, believes that all children, no matter what problems they have had, should all be allowed to celebrate their prom.

However, the school's head teacher has said the behaviour expected from pupils to ensure a prom place were "clearly communicated".

Kayla said: "Throughout the school term, if they've been given a punishment they have already done that punishment. Now they've been re-punished by taking away their prom. They only get one prom, it's a celebration of their graduation from school. They can't get that opportunity back. I think it's wrong.

"I think if they had been permanently excluded from the school that's understandable because they didn't complete school. But anyone who completed school, whatever problems they had through the school journey, should be entitled to prom.

"She really wants to go to prom, I think all of them do. There's so many kids with different problems and so many parents that are upset. I feel my daughter, and everyone else, has worked hard to graduate school and they've taken it away from them.

"It's been a negative rather than a positive before their exams. They could have boosted them all and gave them something to look forward to!"

Faith Robson, 15, has been banned from attending her school prom
Faith Robson, 15, has been banned from attending her school prom -Credit:Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle

Kayla said Faith was suspended by Churchill Community College for three days in November, following an argument with a teacher. She said her daughter was unwell at the time but was told that she was not allowed to go home.

Kayla, who is also mam to Deacon, 13, said: "Just after her mock exams she had a bad day. She had a panic attack and got upset. She had an argument, with a raised voice, with a teacher.

"It was the first time she'd ever had an argument with a teacher. She'd just lost her nana and her best friend around that time. She was struggling.

"I think it was the pressure of her mocks and losing her best friend and her nana that's been the trigger. She's been upset and the teachers have not let her go home to rest up."

Kayla said it was the first time that Faith had ever been suspended from school. She feels that the losses, which she suffered around that time, were not taken into consideration.

She said: "They wanted to keep her in school. She would have missed two lessons of dance and photography (if she had gone home). The argument resulted in her missing the rest of the week of education on suspension. She was off for the rest of the school week - three days."

Faith Robson (left) has been told she can't attend her school prom. Pictured with her mum Kayla Massey
Faith Robson (left) has been told she can't attend her school prom. Pictured with her mum Kayla Massey -Credit:Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle

Faith is in Army Cadets and hopes go to Newcastle College to study photography.

Kayla said that she had been looking forward to prom and already has a dress for the event. She said she now has to watch her friends attend the event, knowing she cannot go herself.

The mother-of-two said: "If her behaviour had been bad throughout the time and she's had bad grades I could maybe get my head around it. But I still think whatever the kids have achieved they've tried their best.

"We have got a dress that we have paid for. We have shopped for it over the last 12 months. She's been looking forward to it. She's got her hair all planned out and it's devastating for her.

"They're not backing down. They don't care if dresses have been paid for or people have been saving for a long period of time."

Kayla Massey (left) is upset by Churchill Community College's decision ban her daughter Faith (right) from attending prom
Kayla Massey (left) is upset by Churchill Community College's decision ban her daughter Faith (right) from attending prom -Credit:Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle

Kayla said she has asked the school how many children are not allowed to attend the prom but they would not give her the information. She added: "I really think it's due to numbers because of where it's being held - St James' Park. They've been brutal in how they have cut kids.

"The Barking Dog pub has actually said we could use a room there for the kids not invited to the prom to have a different prom. But I still feel it will divide the kids. They should be able to attend the prom all together."

Kayla said she found out her daughter wasn't able to go to prom in a letter sent out by the school last month. She said she did not recall receiving a previous letter, sent out in November, which explained prom eligibility.

Paul Johnson, head teacher at Churchill Community College, said: "Our annual Year 11 Prom is an evening to celebrate and reward pupils for their hard work, behaviour, and achievements at Churchill.

"As is common practice across many other secondary schools, the behaviour of students has an impact on whether they attend prom.

"The rules around attending prom, and the behaviour expected from pupils in order to attend, were clearly communicated to all parents and carers in November and have been reinforced throughout the academic year."