"Girls should not be ashamed of being girls" - anger as school bans skirts and forces girls to wear trousers

A rule change this term by The Hayling College, Church Road, has “destroyed girls’ confidence” with them no longer able to wear skirts as part of the secondary school’s policy to “simplify and standardise” uniforms for all pupils.

The decision led to some girls being told to change out of their skirts and into trousers or shorts when they arrived for the start of term at the mixed school. Furious mum Claire Day said her daughter initially refused and was “threatened” with being put into detention before reluctantly walking home to change.

The 41-year-old parent said: “Upon arriving at school all children were asked to change from their skirts to trousers the school would provide. My daughter refused and was threatened with being put in detention all day. This went on for a while until she reluctantly agreed she would walk home in the pouring rain to get changed into leggings, which is still the incorrect uniform.

“It's 2024. Girls should be allowed to continue to identify as girls and wear skirts; they shouldn't be made to feel ashamed of being a girl. This school has absolutely destroyed girls' confidence in being girls even after having numerous parents complaining about the uniform they still went ahead and changed it.”

Ms Day said the new uniform “does not follow the school’s new uniform policy” on the school website with parents taking advice from a human rights solicitor. “He has advised us that they are breaking the human rights act, one of them being the Equality Act 2010 section 4 amongst many other acts that he has named,” she said.

“This has had a massive emotional impact on many students and this has not been helped by how the staff have dealt with the situation. I know of one girl being made to change behind a curtain in a drama room because she didn't have the correct uniform on - she did refuse. 

“The staff have not dealt with the situation very well at all and have made our girls feel embarrassed and nervous about being at school. The teachers refused to let girls in class if they didn't have the correct trousers on which has affected their learning and they have refused their right to education. We live in 2024 girls should not be ashamed of being girls.”

The Hayling College said in a statement: “Further to government guidance regarding the affordability of school uniform, the school’s governing body took the decision to simplify and standardise our uniform for all pupils, to ensure greater consistency, comfort and help reduce the associated costs for parents. This followed consultation with parents, children and staff and was based on the feedback received during this process.”

However, Ms Day said questions have been raised over the consultation process. She said: “It was sent out for a vote with students and parents on July 7. My daughter said her and her friends couldn't get on to vote and I know of at least six other parents that couldn't vote as well.

“I've been told by a member of staff the results were very close but we as parents have asked to see the official results but the governors won't share these with us. The school didn't let any parents know about the official change of uniform until July 17 which didn't leave parents long to buy new uniforms.

“It has put extra strain on people financially during an already difficult time we live in with the cost of living affecting everyone, this was including the new Year 7 intake. A lot of the parents I have spoken to have said they weren’t going to buy new uniforms as what they already had was good enough for another year.”