Parents of children banned from their secondary school's official end-of-year prom because of poor behaviour or attendance have organised a rival event.
Bodmin College in Cornwall excluded some Year 11 pupils from the prom which is set to involve 160 students who have hit an attendance rate of at least 92 per cent.
But parents of barred pupils were left furious at the decision and set up a so-called 'Rebel Prom' on the same day, with about 150 people expected to attend.
Some claimed their children had been unfairly penalised for trivial reasons such as 'forgetting their PE kit' or because they were ill or acting as a carer for a relative.
But the school insisted the prom was 'a privilege dependent on good attendance and behaviour', with parents and carers warned about this back in March.
Among those banned from the main prom was 16-year-old Mikaela, who said her attendance had dropped because she was suffering from stomach problems and looking after her mother
Megan, 16, who was also uninvited, said: 'I did everything they wanted and I just thought what was the point if they were just going to turn around and say you can't go anyway'
Among those banned from the main prom was 16-year-old Mikaela, who said her attendance had dropped because she was suffering from stomach problems and looking after her mother who was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder.
She told BBC local news programme Spotlight: 'Mum had an email a couple of weeks ago saying I wasn't allowed to go because my attendance had dropped.
'I went in and I was talking to the teacher and I was like 'how can you give someone a prom ticket although I've been poorly and I am a young carer for my mum?''
Another banned student, Fin, claimed the issue had been affecting students' mental health, saying: 'It's just been making everyone like really confused and anxious and worried and stressed out.'
Megan, 16, who was also uninvited, told BBC News: 'I did everything they wanted and I just thought what was the point if they were just going to turn around and say you can't go anyway.'
A banned student, Fin, claimed the issue had been affecting students' mental health, saying: 'It's just been making everyone like really confused and anxious and worried and stressed out'
Parents are organising the Rebel Prom with the youth charity Kick Back Street Kids (KBSK)
Sam, the mother of a banned child, said: 'She got a letter saying that she wasn't invited to the prom. She was helping on the prom committee, she was learning the prom school dance'
And Sam, the mother of a banned child, said: 'She got a letter saying that she wasn't invited to the prom. She was helping on the prom committee, she was learning the prom school dance, we had her dress, everything.'
Sam added that her daughter had 'behaviour points which counted over 10 for things, such as forgetting her equipment, forgetting her PE kit'.
She has joined forces with other parents to organise the Rebel Prom with the youth charity Kick Back Street Kids (KBSK), which helps children from underprivileged families.
Adie Dove from the organisation said: 'It's been incredible to see how the whole community of Bodmin and businesses have come together to support our young people.
'We've been donated balloon arches, prom dresses, food. We've been given a venue by a holiday park, and a band and DJs have offered to play for free.'
Bodmin College in Cornwallinsisted the prom was 'a privilege dependent on good attendance and behaviour', with parents and carers warned about this back in March
A crowdfunding campaign for the event was set up by parent Samantha Church on JustGiving with a target of raising £500, but it has now raised £860.
The page states: 'We want to throw an inclusive Prom celebration for the teenagers currently undergoing their GCSEs from Bodmin College.
'They all deserve to be celebrated for their achievements and any money kindly donated will go towards any additional extras that we have not been donated by the community.'
Bodmin College is part of the multi-academy Cornwall Education Learning Trust.
A spokesman for the trust told MailOnline: 'As is usual practice in secondary schools, the school prom is a privilege dependent on good attendance and behaviour.
'The vast majority of our pupils have met these requirements and will be attending the event later this month.
Parents of children banned from their school’s official end-of-year prom set up the rival event
'However, there are a small number of pupils whose behaviour or attendance was not in line with the expectations set and therefore will not be permitted to join the occasion.'
The trust said Year 11 pupils, parents and carers were warned about the measures by letter on March 4.
The spokesman added: 'While we understand this may be upsetting for some families, we continue to follow school policies and celebrate the hard work and achievements of pupils who have upheld our high standards and expectations.'
Bodmin College is perhaps most well-known for its team of A-level students who won the first series of the BBC series Robot Wars with 'Roadblock' in 1998.
The school's most recent Ofsted visit in May last year determined that it 'continues to require improvement', having originally been given that status in 2017.
In its most recent inspection in 2021, Ofsted said that ‘some curriculum plans are not ambitious enough’ and ‘the behaviour policy is inconsistently applied’.
