Banished, the schoolgirl, 8, told to sit outside class by teacher 'allergic to her fabric softener'

Hope Nichols was made to work in a corridor because her class tutor kept developing a blocked-up nose and watering eyes.

The school asked Hope's mother to change the fabric softener she uses - but she refused as Lenor is the only brand that does not irritate the girl's eczema and dermatitis.

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Sarahjane Nichols was also asked to consider moving her daughter to a different school, she said.

As the problem has not been resolved, Hope often has to sit at the back of the class.

Her teacher takes breaks when she begins to develop a reaction, during which a classroom assistant takes over.

Mrs Nichols, 39, said: "My daughter's allergy means she ends up literally scratching her skin off.

"She gets it on her face, arms, stomach and back.

"I am very sympathetic about the teacher's problem but Hope should not have been taken out of the classroom.

"It was terrible for my little girl. All the other children think is that Hope has been asked to sit outside because she smells funny."

Hope joined Howard Junior School in Gaywood, near King's Lynn, Norfolk, in September.

But last month Mrs Nichols was approached by her teacher.

"She asked me to stop Hope spraying perfume on herself because it was upsetting her allergy," she said.

"I thought it was a joke at first. I told her she doesn't use perfume. I just use washing powder and fabric conditioner like anyone else.

"I went home and didn't think too much more about it because it seemed so strange.

"But a few days later I got a letter from Gregory Hill, the head, saying I must change my washing powder and conditioner or reduce the amount.

"I wrote back explaining that she had dermatitis and eczema and it would upset her allergy if it was changed.

"The head then wrote to me and asked for a doctor's note to prove what I was saying.

"Hope uses creams and antihistamines so I got a doctor's note. Then the head asked me to come into the school for a discussion about how to resolve the situation.

"But in the days before the meeting, Hope told me she had been put in the corridor and made to do her work from there sitting at a desk on three occasions."

Mrs Nichols, who is divorced and also has a 13-year- old daughter, added: "When I had the meeting with Mr Hill he asked if I would be offended if I was asked to move Hope to a different school.

"But we live just a short distance away and the next nearest place is 20-minute walk away and I don't drive."

The school said that Hope had only been asked to leave the classroom on one occasion and this was "for a very short period".

Mr Hill said: "This is an extremely unusual situation and one that we are working closely with Hope's mother to try to resolve.

"Hope is a valued pupil at the school and is well liked."

Lenor has been made by Proctor & Gamble since the Sixties.

Spokesman John Bailey said: "You can never say the chances of getting an allergic reaction are zero but they are negligible.

"Some people do have a sensitivity to certain smells but this is not an allergy.

"It can produce an emotional reaction and from the sounds of it in this case, a physical reaction."

Using Lenor with a different fragrance might solve the problem, he added.