Parents 'angry' after children given detentions for breaking 'strict and sexist' uniform rules

Parents have said they are "fuming" after their children were given detentions for breaking "ridiculously strict and sexist" uniform rules at a secondary school in Wales.

Pencoed Comprehensive had sent a letter to parents before half term saying they would be checking pupils’ uniform met the school’s policy for what was acceptable.

However, parents claim that most of the pupils who were given detentions were girls who were told their skirts were too short.

The Bridgend school confirmed that about 20 pupils had been taken to the school hall and spoken to, but denied skirts had been measured and did not confirm how many had been given detentions. The school's rules state that skirts should be no shorter than 5cm above the knee.

"No measuring took place or was carried out by staff at any time," the school said.

However, some parents claim that their children's skirts were measured and have written to the school to complain.

One mother, who said her daughter was given a detention as her skirt was judged to be too short, claimed so many children were given detentions that they had to be sent to the school canteen. 

Parents said they felt the school was unfairly targeting girls and going against Welsh Government guidance by insisting on tops with logos and shorts bought from a uniform supplier.

A letter from acting assistant headteacher Matthew Thompson, sent to parents and seen by WalesOnline, said: “Unfortunately, after a period of monitoring we have identified that our high uniform standards are not being met by an increasing number of students.

"Due to this, we will be implementing a non-negotiable, robust approach to ensure we meet our high standards. After half term, we will increase the monitoring and identification of where the uniform policy is not being met.

"As per our policy, student’s presence during break times and lunch times will be reduced where they are not meeting the expectations. In these circumstances, parents will be contacted and requested to bring in the correct uniform.

"Should the issues continue, your child may be asked to go home and change.In preparation for September please ensure that any items purchased adhere to our school uniform policy."

A mother who has two daughters at the school, said: “My younger daughter was part of a group yesterday who were lined up and told that they were checking skirt lengths. They were told 'its OK, it won't be a male teacher.'

"Then the male teacher asked them all to turn around and visually checked all the skirt lengths. It was at this point that my daughter refused to participate, had a panic attack and was sent to pupil reception.

"As a parent I am absolutely fuming. I try to raise my children as aware of women’s rights and gender inequality and this is not the message I want them to learn, it is totally against my (and our family’s) beliefs."

The mother of a year seven pupil said she felt "very angry" and had a letter of complaint to the head. She said: "This is 2023 and to have their clothes inspected in this way is not right."

"This only seems to be an issue with girls. No one is checking boys’ trousers to check if they are too tight. I think it is sexist. It is inappropriate."A spokesperson for Pencoed Comprehensive said: "Due to concerns regarding school uniform standards, the school recently write to parents, carers and guardians of all 917 pupils to advise them that after the half term break, we would be checking compliance with the school's expectations on uniform.

"This was in reaction to a noted increase in the number of pupils who had started to wear hoodies, inappropriate footwear and other non-uniform items.

"As a result, around 20 pupils were recently asked to gather in the school hall on Monday and Tuesday for a brief reminder about uniform expectations.

"While appropriate skirt lengths were discussed as part of this 15 minute conversation, no measuring took place or was carried out by staff at any time.

"Maintaining a consistent school uniform remains an important part of our efforts to raise aspirations and standards among our pupils and the school will be carrying out further work to support this."

The school's website says the graduated response to uniform breaches includes restricting pupils' movement on the school site, asking them to go home and change and, ultimately, exclusion.

It warns: "Where breaches of the uniform expectations are persistent and in open defiance of the school’s uniform or appearance policy, and where all other avenues for resolving the uniform dispute have been exhausted, then the school may consider exclusion as a last resort depending on the circumstances of the case."