A Mum of four has set up a Facebook page to discuss issues at Thomas Clarkson Academy in Wisbech after one of her children was put in isolation for counting on their fingers during a maths lesson.

Amanda Pinder, who runs Fenland Equestrian Centre, said she set up the page to encourage other parents to post their views in a bid to encourage school leaders to take notice.

Mrs Pinder said: “I whole heartedly support the school and the teachers in the work that they do. I agree that uniform is an important issue and that children need to learn respect and discipline but it concerns me that things like tiny logos on socks are taking priority over a child’s education.

“They should be concentrating on education not putting children going into isolation because ties are not quite long enough or are a bit too short or have counted on their fingers.

“Some children are missing dinner and going all day without food because dinner queues are badly organised and dinner time too short, until recently children were not allowed out during break time and until recently isolation was going into a room that was blacked out to give children time to reflect.

“One of my children ripped off the sole of a shoe late on a Thursday night and the next day I had to send him in trainers but wrote a note to explain, he missed all his lessons until 1.30pm as the staff spent all morning trying to find a pair of plimsolls he could wear that fit, what was the point of that?

“Children are not allowed to go to the toilet even in times of desperation, my children have come home and said that even the good kids are now going into isolation for petty things, surely this is wrong.

“I hope the group encourages constructive discussion.”

Another parent who joined the group, called Thomas Clarkson Issues, said his daughter left sixth form after facing what he felt were petty rules.

John Nicholson said: “My message to Mrs Claxton is perhaps she could devote her energies to combat bullying, vandalism which I’m led to believe cost more than £20,000 last year, teachers where there is hardly the two same teachers in consecutive terms, which result in “disappointing” GCSE results this year.

“Also congratulations Mrs Claxton you have the smartest collection of under-achieving students in Cambridgeshire.”

He said his daughter left sixth form over attire as, although there was no fixed uniform, just smart, businesslike attire, teachers were making issues of chinos and a sweatshirt with a tiger motif on regardless of how smart she looked.

“The whole sixth form experience left my daughter coming home in tears most days,” he said.

Principal Clare Claxton said she was aware of the Facebook page.