Pupils ordered to “line up at start of day” to have school skirt lengths measured amid parents anger

Parents say new rules at Sir Thomas Wharton Academy in Edlington dictate that pupils must wear skirts below the knee and only shoes, bags and hair accessories within the school’s policy are allowed.

Multiple parents have said that pupils have been ordered to line up at the start of each day to have their school skirt lengths measured.

Concerns have also been raised over the introduction of locks on toilet facilities meaning they are not accessible at all times.

Parents have now come together to form a ‘parents against Sir Thomas Wharton’ Facebook group to discuss the issues.

Some mums and dads have detailed how the school uniform provider Pinders could not provide skirts that adhered to dress code due to the school’s last-minute change in policy.

When speaking to the Free Press, one parent of a pupil described how teachers cut her daughter’s skirt at the hem in order to allow it to go past the knees. The skirt had been purchased only two days prior.

She also described how her daughter was unable to use the bathroom and says she was denied access to the keys needed to unlock it.

She said: “It’s anything from school shoes to hair bobbles that they’re controlling. My daughter hates going to school, it’s like a prison.

"My other daughter is due to go soon and doesn’t want to, she’s afraid of going there.”

She says her daughter remains suspended from lessons in ‘isolation’ due to her skirt length.

Another parent claimed that teachers tried to force her daughter to wear clothes provided by the school that were too big for her and “antagonised” her when she refused.

She also says that when she tried to collect her daughter from school because of the row, teachers kept the doors locked for several minutes and would not allow her to leave.

Another said: “My daughter has just told me they pulled her to one side today and said her shoes are not acceptable … they are the same shoes that are on the school website saying they are.

Another said: “Mine has spent another day in isolation because of her shoes - today they said they are too rubbery!”

Another said: “Last year they made her miss her actual exam to exclude her for her uniform. Tried telling us she could resit but forgot to mention the fact that it was over £100 from our pocket for her to do so.”

Another posted: “Had to pick my daughter up in floods of tears today due to make up, she wears minimal makeup for school and was made to scrub it all off, then when she did she was accused and shouted at for not wiping it all off.”

When contacted by the Free Press, the headteacher at Sir Thomas Wharton chose not to comment on the claims.