Parents have criticised the decision to move to a trousers-only policy for girls and boys at Newhouse Academy in Heywood
Newhouse Academy in Heywood is adopting a trousers-only policy from September(Image: Google Maps)
A school says it is ploughing ahead with its decision to bring in a trousers-only policy despite objections.
We reported earlier this year how some parents reacted angrily towards the plan to ban skirts at Newhouse Academy in Heywood.
The school told families that from September, both ‘boys and girls will be expected to wear plain black school trousers’ as it intends to ‘move away from skirts being a part of the girl’s uniform’.
After a number of parents shared their concerns over the proposal – with one mum telling the Manchester Evening News she ‘would never have considered this school’ for her daughter starting in September had she known about the change – it decided to pause the plan to allow for further consultation.
For the best ideas on days out, shopping and parenting issues, get the Manchester Family newsletter here
But now it’s all systems go, with the school telling parents the trousers-only policy has ‘significant support’ and ‘has worked well at other schools’.
Parents who objected say they are angry about the decision to push ahead with the plan and insist there has been no thorough consultation.
One mum told us: “Parents should challenge this ruling. This ban disregards the female students and their right to express their femininity.
“School girls as young as 11 forced to wear trousers and look like a boy is not embracing the two genders equally.”
The letter that parents received about the uniform change(Image: Newhouse Academy)
Newhouse Academy said in a statement: “Our school is committed to working in partnership with our parents and community about important decisions that impact our young people.
“While there is no legal demand for us to consult on uniform changes, we wholly recognise that it is important that any such decisions are not made in isolation.
“That is why we have been working with, and listening to, our community for months on this issue. We had a formal listening period that anyone was able to respond to. We have worked closely with the Student Council, staff have been given an opportunity to have their say and it has been discussed at the relevant levels in our governance structure.
“We even extended our original listening period to allow more parents to share their views.
Join our Family WhatsApp group HERE
“In fact, the type of trousers that students will wear has also been decided by the students themselves.
“We have done more than is required of us because we feel it is right to do so. We are sorry that a small number of people do not agree with this uniform change, but it is a decision that we have had significant support for. It is also something that has worked well at other schools.
“We will continue with our plans to bring in trousers for all pupils from September, and would like to thank all of those people who have shared their view so far.”
Newhouse Academy (Image: Google)
The move towards trousers – or tights with skirts instead of socks – is one that a number of other secondary schools are taking.
We reported previously how girls at Buile Hill Academy in Salford can no longer wear socks with their skirts. The change has also been introduced at both Moorside High School in Swinton and Ellesmere Park High School in Eccles.
Philips High in Whitefield, Bury, has already moved to a trousers-only policy, with Fred Longworth High School, in Tyldesley, Wigan, and Canon Slade School in Bolton, doing to same from this September.
What do you think about schools ditching skirts and having a trousers-only policy for all pupils? Is your child’s school making a similar uniform change? Let us know in the comments here.