to ask school how strictly they'll enforce the new uniform policy...

[shesparkles]

DD is 15 and at our local secondary. Predominantly "middle class" area, in what's seen as a "better off" area of town, to give the background.

The uniform is standard black, with school shirt and tie.
DD, like the majority of her friends, and indeed most of the girls at school, wears the obligatory bum skimming black stretchy skirt.
I would FAR rather the skirt was at least 6" longer, however, the context in which it's worn, ie with opaque black tights and flat black lacing shoes, as opposed to sheer seamed stockings and stilettoes, means I put up and shut up!

The most recent newsletter from the new head mentions a new approach to uniform, to promote pride in the school aka "here's the supplier, it's the only place you can buy it" and mentions skirts of "an acceptable length". DD informs me that this is a 20" long pencil skirt.

Now I'm all in favour of uniform, and would back school ALL the way IF I know they're going to back the parents whose girls do comply, in the enforcement of this 20" skirt rule ie sending girls home with the instruction that they wear the 20" skirt, or they wear trousers.

However, if I'm going to be mean mum and make her wear the 20" skirt, whilst very few others do, there are obviously going to be battles ahead.

AIBU to decide that this is one battle I'm not prepared to have with dd if the school don't enforce the 20" skirt rigidly, and allow her to keep wearing her belt current skirt?

Is it expensive? Personally I would say parents do have a responsibility to ensure children comply with school rules as far as possible, but completely agree that it is not your job to have the daily battle!

I would buy the skirt, tell DD she must wear it as per the letter but if she choses not to put it on the morning then that is for school to deal with. 15 I think is old enough that providing the skirt and supporting the school in any punishments they hand out is as far as you need go.

DS's school have just done similar, all trousers and skirts must be logo'd and can only be obtained from one supplier! I am seething because the trousers are £22 per pair.

That's a tough one regarding your DD. Not sure what I'd do.

We had that re logo. £18 for the ugliest skirt ever. Or £12 for trousers. Guess which dd1 has!

Is there a changeover period where old/new are both ok?

My DD's school has done similar.

She has the regulation skirt but either

• wears the one from last year which is far too short

• kacks herself if they announce uniform inspections and digs out the regulation length one and then rolls it up at the waist apart from when they're checking

FWIW DS's school trousers, in sixth form, were £45 a pair. Only one supplier. And I'm not even going to mention the blazer.

I suspect lots of schools are going to introduce a regulation skirt or simply ban skirts because this is a battle we are losing.

A school wil issue detentions, bar students from wearing skirts and ultimately withdraw from lessons if the skirt is a pelmet.

Yes, Nice and Hathor, this seems to be the point, to enforce lengths and styles.

HJMP - only £12 for trousers! Thats more like it! However DS is 5ft 11 and effectively an adult size.

Yabu for allowing the stretchy skirt they are disgusting.

However in my experience of school staff teams the men are (almost) unanimously too frightened to tell girls they are inappropriate (as it would like they has noticed inappropriatly...) and more and more women are going the same way.

It is very frustrating, I favour a combination of 'Blimey X I'm going blind, cover up please' coupled with a friendly smile so they (hopefully) get the point in a jokey way, or 'that skirt is too short, you are embarrassing yourself and other people, please change it now'. Depending on who I'm talking to. However, with REALLY tricky students I have been known to ignore them, which I know is hypocritical, but the paperwork and dodgy territory that comes with this issue is astounding.

I wish we lived in a world where EVERY adult enforced common sense rules all the time. But sadly we don't.

Reading this back I have given no practical advice, sorry, but I hope you can better understand the schools pov.

Sarcalogos, I totally get where you're coming from about the short skirts, especially re the male teachers. I've had the conversation about just that, but it falls on deaf ears.
Of her close friendship group, I could name right now those whose parents won't back the school up on this. I want to, but at what cost?
I know these stretchy skirts are horrible, but like I say, worn with the opaque tights and flat shoes, it's almost bearable.

I know this is ideal world stuff, but if the school were to enforce it strictly, then they'd all be wearing them and it'd not be an issue, but I can already hear the "I've got yooman rights you know"!

I don;t think you are being unreasonable at all. I wish more parents would take this up with my school, because at the moment, there is bugger all clarity, or consistency, and therefore any rules are meaningless.

What if other parents are dithering because they also think people won't back up the school and don't want a battle?

I'd be getting the 20" skirt (not even that long really is it?) and chucking out the stretchy belts.

I would definitely buy it as it is regulation. Quite a good idea to ask the school if they will insist on it being worn. Then see what happens. If she will be a laughing stock if she wears it as no one else is, then back to the stretchy thing.

I'd buy the skirt and tell her she either wears it or chooses to live with the consequences ie. School punishments.

If you feel really strongly you could also say if you get punished at school you will also get punished at home.

Our HT is threatening to ban skirts, Personally I think this OTT since Y7-Y11 don't wear black skirts and therefore cant get the obscenely short stretchy ones.

Yes many of their skirts are too short, but no more or less than school skirts have always been.

It's the Sixth form girls, who have much laxer regulations, who look awful. Hot pant length stretch skirts, piled saggy cheap jumpers and danglely jewellery. The sixth form boys look very smart in black trousers and V necks. No doubt they just wear what their Mothers buy them and the girls get their own from primark and pocket the change.

If the head wants to improve the image of the school, she realy needs to start here, no way are the younger girls going to make an effort while they see the oldest ones getting away with looking like they do.

and don't get me started on make up, if its banned it should be banned and DD1 should not get teased because she refuses to wear it!

Skirt length at dcs school is between 2 inches above and below the knee. No trousers and skirt is regulation style.

Shesparkles I think we are on the same page.

Lots of schools have the skirt/kilt which are all the same and not just 'miscellaneous black' although they inevitably get rolled up I do think they look generally better. And it is easier to say 'roll your skirt up its bunched under your skirt' than saying 'your skirts too short I can see your pants'.

That sort of skirt is much easier to enforce Ime.

manicbmc I can assure you it's not that other mothers are dithering..if I say that one of those mothers couldn't see that there was an issue with her dd's school skirt being PVC......
I don't like the idea of banning skirts, kids need to learn to follow rules, but they won't learn till their parents learn too.

So as many of you as possible need to follow them then. If your dd sees you not bothering because other parents aren't then what message does that give her?

LeQueen that's EXACTLY what I'd like to see happening!

At DD1's school there is a regulation skirt - trutex School back vent skirt in Harrow Grey which must be knee length.
There are also regulation trousers which are the Trutex Flat fronted trousers also in Harrow Grey which must meet the shoe but not drag on the ground.

This is also the school that has devoted 3 paragraphs to acceptable footwear in it's uniform guide.
Uniform inspections are carried out weekly and it is taken very seriously as is being seen out of school in uniform but not wearing it correctly i.e not wearing tie and blazer or having shirt untucked. All of these transgressions will result in a lunchtime detention or being sent home to get changed.

My dc far too young for secondary yet, but we live next door to it so know their uniform. The skirt type is compulsory, and I think a good length. Just above the knee and kind of raa raa pleated. Quite funky really and I have yet to see a girl not in uniform.

It just sounds a shame they have gone for such a style as long pencil. Rubbish for a run around in too which the younger ones will still want to do.

What year is she in?
If its Y11 I wouldn't bother due to the expense as she'll be finishing in 6-7 weeks, unless there's a 6th form.
If its Y10 then I would stick to the rules.

The pencil skirt is a nightmare teens who are children in disguise, DD has split 3 since September.

The school I work in is a pretty bog standard comp, trading on past glories. The uniform is super strict though and it's great.

Skirts have to bejust below the knee - and yes, we check. First offence/accident is out of lessons, second offence is sent home. There are some girls with potential to be right madams, but somehow, seeing them looking more like children diffuses it.

I hate seeing the girls from other schools with micro skirts on; save it for the weekend.