Angry parents claim a schoolgirls had the length of their skirts measured in "sexist" uniform rules and given detentions for them being too short as the country basks in a heatwave.
A mum alleged her daughter had to stand in front of a male teacher who visibly checked her skirt and said she was "fuming" that the girl's rights had been "undermined and ignored".
A letter was sent out to parents before half term at Pencoed Comprehensive, Bridgend, stating it would be checking pupils’ uniform met the school’s policy for what was acceptable.
The school, whose rules say skirts should be no shorter than five centimetres above the knee, confirmed around 20 pupils had been taken to the school hall and spoken to, but denied skirts had been measured and did not say how many had been given detentions.
"No measuring took place or was carried out by staff at any time," the school insisted.
But some parents said their children's skirt lengths were measured.
One mother, who said her daughter got lunchtime detention because her skirt was judged too short, claimed so many children were given detentions that they had to be sent to the school canteen.
Some parents have now written to the school to complain, saying they are not opposed to uniforms but the school was taking the policy too far.
They said they felt school was unfairly targeting girls and also going against Welsh Government guidance by insisting on tops with logos and shorts bought from a uniform supplier.
Some are refusing to buy new uniforms before the end of this term and challenged the school to continue putting their children in detention.
A letter from acting assistant headteacher Matthew Thompson to parents 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.”
The letter adds that “the only shorts permitted are formal chino style shorts that are available to be purchased at a reasonable cost at the uniform shop” and says some of the uniform breaches include non-school hoodies, jumpers, shorts skirts of a tight material, leggings and trainers.
A mother of 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.
“I don’t want my children to grow up in a world that has perpetuated discrimination and harassment that society has spent decades trying to change. I also don’t want to send my children to a school that damages their mental health as it has done this week.
“We have discussed changing schools or home schooling as potential alternatives. My daughters are livid.
“They are missing school and lacking concentration because they feel their rights and feelings have been undermined and ignored. As I said, one of them will ultimately stop going altogether if it continues.”
The mother of a year seven pupil said she was stunned at the “heavy handed” way the school has dealt with the situation. She said she was not opposed to uniform but the school’s policy and way it is being implemented went too far.
“I feel very angry. I have sent a letter of complaint to the head,” she said, “This is 2023 and to have their clothes inspected in this way is not right.
"I was told a year seven maths class was ordered out and the girls were asked to twirl to check the length of their skirts. My daughter got a detention because her skirt was too short, she had to stay in at lunch for 20 minutes.
“All this week the canteen has been full of detentions because there were so many of them. I have sent my daughter in, but with a letter saying she won’t be attending detentions.
“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.”
One parent said: “Why do shorts have to be from the uniform shop? This is when the Welsh Government are saying uniform should be bought cheaper.
“I am not against uniform. I don’t disagree that school uniform is important, but this is going too far.”
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."
