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Primary education

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Original poster

Does your kids' school allow girls to wear trousers?

33 replies

Snowbell · 10/09/2010 13:38

My DD is in year 4 at a junior school. Girls are not allowed to wear trousers, which I find incredible. Last winter she often had bear legs at school because she finds tights uncomfortable. When she started there this time last year I did ask at the office about girls and trousers and was told that people had tried to challenge it but that it was something that the headteacher felt strongly about.

Can he enforce thislegally?

OP posts:
Original poster
Snowbell · 10/09/2010 13:39

Luckily for her she doesn't have bear legs, she has bare legs!

OP posts:
memoo · 10/09/2010 13:39

our school does allow it.

Uniform is not compulsery at primary school and so the headteacher really can't enforce a no trousers for girls rule

seeker · 10/09/2010 13:40

I don't think he can. He can't actually enforce uniform at all at a primary school. Go and talk to him yourself and ask him why.

greentriangle · 10/09/2010 13:40

No, it doesn't and I think it should. Went past yesterday and from the public street saw the knickers of 3 girls on the climbing frame. Climbing in pinafore dresses - seems silly to me. I hope they have changed the policy by the time my DD goes - currently I just have DS there.

RabbitAndCo · 10/09/2010 13:40

Bear legs would be better, surely - then she wouldn't get cold!

Our school does allow it. But we have a "dress code" rather than a uniform.

edam · 10/09/2010 13:43

Any school that bans trousers for girls is acting beyond its legal capacity. State schools cannot enforce uniform anyway as people have said. Plus it's sex discrimination - I'm sure cases have been brought to court on this issue. Have a look at the equalities commission's website.

lovecheese · 10/09/2010 13:51

No, trousers are allowed.

But for some unfathomable reason shorts - sensible, smart shorts, not denim hot-pants! - are not allowed in the summer, and cullottes (SP?) are not allowed in winter.

FFS.

IndigoBell · 10/09/2010 14:34

It's actually the governors not the HT who sets the uniform policy.

Kewcumber · 10/09/2010 14:36

trousers allowed at ours here too (though no mention of boys being allowed to wear skirts which seems only fair Grin)

JustGettingByMum · 10/09/2010 14:39

Not allowed at ours Sad

pagwatch · 10/09/2010 14:39

DDs school does not allow trousers. Private school though.

I don't mind. DD can wear tights in the winter. Its fine

SauvignonBlanche · 10/09/2010 14:40

Girls weren't allowed to wear trousers when DS started at school and I was ready to start a campaign of civil disobedience for when DD started but they changed the rule just in time - I was almost disapointed, I was looking forward to a fight. Wink
Complain to the governors.

escorchio · 10/09/2010 14:40

Yes, ours can.

Actually, I think it is a disgrace that any school should be allowed to stop girls wearing trousers.

Apart from the knicker thing, not every girl is a girly girly, and I know at least two 6/7 year olds who got very upset when they thought they might have to wear skirts further up the school.

Take it up with the governors if you don't get anywhere with the head, and start a campaign with other parents.

usualsuspect · 10/09/2010 14:51

I can't believe this rule still exists Shock

cat64 · 10/09/2010 14:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Ineedsomesleep · 10/09/2010 14:52

Yes they can, but don't know about challenging it legally.

serenity · 10/09/2010 14:55

Absolutely yes, and if they said no I'd have let her wear them anyway.

StewieGriffinsMom · 10/09/2010 14:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Chaotica · 10/09/2010 15:00

Ours lets girls wear trousers. I couldn't imagine a state primary school getting away with banning them. Send your DD in trousers and see what happens...

weegiemum · 10/09/2010 15:01

Our girls can wear trousers. Great!!

Our boys can wear kilts!

Total equality!!

ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave · 10/09/2010 15:01

Yes -- there's a unisex uniform with an alternative option for girls of wearing pinafore dresses instead of shorts/trousers.

piprabbit · 10/09/2010 15:03

Ask the school to review their policy in the light of this guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Sassybeast · 10/09/2010 16:29

Ours does and I can't imagine aNY school being able to justify such a stupid, sexist rule.

magicmummy1 · 10/09/2010 16:40

Yes, girls are allowed to wear trousers at our school. Never thought that this would matter to my trouser-hating dd, but in fact, that's what she decided that she wanted to wear.

I think it's absurd to say that girls can't wear trousers!! Is the same rule enforced for female teachers?! Hmm

Octavia09 · 10/09/2010 17:42

greentriangle, exactly, very short dresses for climbing and even bending. Last year I saw a girl climbing in the park without knickers. There was a swimming pool nearby; I guess her knickers were drying somewhere on the bench. That (seeing her bare bottom and not only) scared me forever. But how silly and unthoughtful of parents.