A SCHOOL has outraged parents by making children switch between indoor and outdoor shoes – to protect their new carpets.

Some 200 primary school pupils are having to put shoes on and take them off up to eight times a day and those who forget them must wear plastic bags on their feet inside.

A Facebook group has been set up in protest and parents have sent letters to headteacher Sue Ryall calling for her to scrap the policy.

The head introduced the rule at the brand new £3m Milldown Primary School in Blandford, which only opened last week.

Claire Michie, who has two children at the school, said: “Who on earth builds a school and then expects it to be kept in pristine condition?

“Let kids be kids and buy a carpet cleaner. A messy child is a happy child.”

Mum Natalia Miller said: “It is ridiculous to expect the school to stay nice forever.

“What happens when there is a fire, or even a practice alarm?”

Zinny Perryman said: “I have three children at Milldown and I have had to buy three sets of trainers.”

Plastic over-covers are provided for children or staff who don’t have indoor shoes or who have forgotten them.

Caroline White, 30, has a 10-year-old son at the school and picks up younger pupils as a childminder.

She said: “Having 27 five-year-olds trying to find their shoes and put them on the right feet several times a day is just chaos.

“We were told about this new rule two weeks before the start of the new term. There was no consultation.”

Mrs Ryall said in a statement: “We are very proud of our new school.

“We want the philosophy of the new school to reflect our commitment to caring for the learning environment and have introduced a shoe policy to reflect the distinction between indoors and outdoors.

“This has already impacted positively throughout the school where the children are even more focused and calm.

“So far we have received a positive response from visitors, who have included a rector and police officer."

However, Mrs Ryall has now agreed to meet parents to address their concerns after conceding that they were not consulted.