Skirts ban at Wisbech academy after pupils ‘wore them like belts’

A mixed secondary school and sixth form has banned its pupils from wearing school skirts and has asked all students to wear plain black trousers instead.

Thomas Clarkson Academy in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, said it wanted to make it easier for students to “consistently get it right”, and ensure the uniform remained affordable.

Different styles of skirt which did not meet uniform expectations were being worn at the school.

Rather than introduce a single skirt through a uniform supplier, the school opted for the trousers-only policy.

Helen, 45, the mother of a pupil at the school, welcomed the idea but said she was worried it would be hard to enforce and could impact some children with additional or sensory-sensitive needs.

“My eldest wore a skirt and we’d argue about the length,” she said.

“I think they should bring out a skirt that could be worn instead of trousers, but it has to be below the knee.

“When I go to the school, the girl’s skirts… they’re not even skirts, they’re like belts. I don’t find anything wrong with women wearing short skirts but for school they should wear something that looks and represents the academy in a positive way.”

Richard Scott, executive principal at the academy, said the school had also changed its shoes guidelines last year.

“Over the last few years we have been reviewing our uniform expectations to make it easier for students to consistently get it right, at the same time as making sure our uniform remains affordable for our parents,” he said.

“Through listening to our parents, we know that many found it increasingly difficult to buy [a skirt] confidently knowing that it would meet our uniform expectations.

“Therefore, to remove this uncertainty and instead of introducing a single skirt through a uniform supplier, which would have been more expensive, we have taken the decision to ask all students to wear plain black trousers instead.”