Parents’ fury after school issues warning to pupils for wearing ‘unacceptably short’ skirts – even though they are the largest size available
- Cowes Enterprise College on the Isle of Wight has come under fire from parents
- At least two parents were sent message from the school about their child’s skirt
- One parent said skirt deemed short on child despite being largest size available
A college has come under fire from angered parents after it issued warnings to students for wearing skirts that were too short- even though they were the largest size available.
Parents slammed Cowes Enterprise College on the Isle of Wight after it penalised pupils falling foul of the school’s uniform policy.
The parents of at least two students said they were sent text messages from the school about their child’s skirt being short but argued there was no option to choose a different length skirt that fit the correct waist size.
One mother, whose daughter is in Year 10, said that the price of the kilt-style skirts, which range between £34.95 and £40.95, has also caused a problem and the only alternative were ‘regulation trousers’.
One parent took fire at Cowes Enterprise College on the Isle of Wight after her child was issued with a warning for wearing a skirt that was ‘too short’ despite wearing the largest size available
The parent explained that her daughter was tall and they had purchased the largest size available
The parent said: ‘I like the uniforms, they look smart, but the price and absolute necessity the school places on young children and parents is beyond shameful.
‘I was sent a text about my daughter’s skirt being too short. We have no spare money and bought her uniform on my overdraft.
‘I’m disgusted that during a pandemic, at a time when everyone is skint and emotions are high, uniform is still such a high priority and worth penalising people over.
‘My daughter has the largest size skirt, worn correctly. She is tall and wide, the skirt is not.
‘Last year we tried trousers and she was placed in isolation because they were too tight. They aren’t allowed elasticated waists either, it has to be button and zip.’
Another parent said her daughter had the opposite problem, as she was of slim build and any longer skirts would ‘swamp her’.
She went on to describe how her daughter was given a detention due to her kilt being too short.
The mother explained: ‘She came home after the first day back with a detention due to her kilt being too short.
The parent received a message from the school telling them their child’s kilt skirt was ‘too short’
The college said it was not imposing sanctions but giving parents time to address any issues with their child’s uniform
‘They only come in one length size, and I don’t think it looks too short, it’s just above her knee. It’s not fair that just because she’s tall she gets in trouble for it.
‘If I got the bigger waist size it would swamp her as she’s very slim, but around 5ft 8ins tall.’
Cowes Enterprise College is a mixed secondary school and sixth form for children aged 11 to 19 with academy status.
A spokesperson for the academy said the college was not imposing sanctions but giving parents time to address any issues.
They said: ‘We have not imposed any sanctions on students who do not have the right uniform, instead providing support to parents and giving them time to address any issues.
‘We have also provided financial support where parents can demonstrate they are in need.
‘It is only where students have been flouting the rules, such as rolling up skirts to make them shorter, where we have given detentions.
‘It is not correct that the right lengths and sizes of skirt are not being sold. Girls are also allowed to wear trousers if they prefer.’