Outwood Academy City: Sheffield school loses girl's irreplaceable bracelet from late dad after confiscating it

But when asked by The Star how the precious item could have gone missing when it was supposed to be in the school’s safe, Outwood Academy City could only say - she shouldn’t haven’t brought it in in the first place.

Now, the mum - who asked not to be named for her daughter’s sake - says the school has acted “disgustingly” and accused it of a cover-up.

The mum said: “I’m annoyed and frustrated and my daughter is so upset.

“It was a sentimental gift that couldn’t be replaced, which they took and has now vanished with no explanation, and they want to act like it’s her fault for bringing it in.”

The silver coloured Nomination bracelet, with a charm that read ‘Dad’, was a present from the girl’s father before he passed away in 2019, which her mum called “irreplaceable.”

Although jewellery is against the uniform policy, the student was wearing the bracelet as she went to Outwood Academy City on September 9, where she went to take it off her wrist and put it in her bag. But it was then it was reportedly confiscated.

The school’s policy was that the bracelet should have been bagged, labelled and placed in the school office’s safe.

However, this was the last time the precious keepsake was seen.

Over the next three weeks, the school office exchanged emails with the girl’s mum saying all staff members had been emailed with its description.

But on September 27 he was finally told it could not be found.

The school then offered to “look to reimburse for this for you” if the mum brought in a receipt for a new one.

A school spokesperson added: “I really do apologise for the inconvenience and frustration caused, we really do encourage our students not to bring any jewellery and would ask that our parents support us with this.”

“I’m disgusted and it’s outrageous,” the mum told The Star.

“Schools confiscate items from pupils all the time - fair enough. But you put your trust in them as professionals to give that item back. And now it’s vanished.

“I was told it was bagged and placed in a safe, so how could it have gone missing?

“I think they do know what happened and just don’t want to admit it.”

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The Star contact Outwood Academy City to ask if it knew when the bracelet was lost, and when did it intend to return it originally.

The school was also asked if there could have been any reason it wasn’t placed in the safe to begin with, if it could rule out whether the bracelet was stolen, and how can it offer assurances other confiscated items wouldn’t also go missing.

The school’s reply in full was: “The uniform policy for Outwood Grange Academies Trust clearly states that jewellery is not permitted in school.”

“I will not let them push the blame for this onto my daughter,” said the mum in response.

“What happens when a pupil’s phone is confiscated next or anything else that’s theirs? Will that go missing too.”

The school’s policy makes no mention of whether it is liable for any items damaged or lost if its staff confiscate them.

Outwood Grange Academies Trust also operates the ‘Carlton’, ‘Darfield’, ’Littleworth Grange’ and ‘Shafton’ schools in Barnsley, as well as the ‘Adwick’, ‘Woodlands’ and ‘Danum’ schools in Doncaster.