Yate Academy uniform row: School calls eleventh hour meeting with students to postpone second protest

It comes as more parents tell of their children's experiences - with one mum dubbing the treatment of her daughter as "barbaric"

A South Gloucestershire school has called a meeting with students in an attempt to stop another morning protest outside its gates. Yate Academy was faced with a protest of around 100 people - including students and parents - yesterday morning (Monday, January 9).

The protest revolved around an ongoing row over the way school uniform rules at the Academy are regulated. Students who opt to wear the school's red and navy tartan skirts as part of their official uniform, claim they have been 'objectified', removed from classes over skirt length and even made to line up separately for a 'skirt inspection'.

Speaking with parents on Tuesday morning (January 9), one mum told Bristol Live that her child and several other students had been asked to attend a meeting with senior staff members later today, to discuss the issue. Because of this, she said, students who had planned to protest for a second day have now postponed Tuesday's protest, with a plan said to be in place for Wednesday morning, in the case that no meeting takes place.

Read more: Yate Academy uniform row: Mum's fury after girls 'removed from class' over skirts

Read more: Students protest Yate school's 'sexist and unnecessary' uniform skirt policy

The argument over skirts was detailed in an online petition last week, which at time of writing has received more than 1,000 signatures. The petition was created by two students at the school who claimed that restrictions to skirt length has "disrupted learning" and resulted in "undue stress and agitation among the student body".

One mum in attendance at the protest on Monday morning told how last week was supposed to have been her daughter's first week back in school. She said: "But she hasn't had a full day. Not a single one. Because of this skirt rule."

Since then, more parents have come forward to describe similar experiences their children have faced while in school, because of these regulations on skirt lengths. Writing in to the Bristol Post, another mum said: "I am a parent of a Year 8 pupil, a girl who missed out on 5+ hours of education in her first week back from the Christmas Break as Yate Academy deemed that her skirt was too short.

"In the below picture, you will see that the skirt is 1.8 cm from the bottom of my daughter's knee and each day last week she spent time in isolation after “failing in the multiple daily line ups she has to endure” whilst her skirt was measured and a decision made on whether her skirt, an official school skirt purchased in Sept 2023 from the uniform supplier, was too short for her to attend lessons.

"On two days, after missing out on lesson time/education, the school decided my daughter's skirt was borderline OK and last Friday, again after being sent to isolation, she was told her skirt was too short and she would need to change into school-issued trousers, which my daughter was unable to pull up over her thighs/buttocks."

The mum went on to say that she contacted the school on Thursday to express her "dissatisfaction" and told staff that the situation has 'created anxiety' for her daughter. She added that staff were "being unreasonable as her skirt is clearly knee-length as shown in the picture".

"I cannot afford, directly after Christmas, to purchase a new skirt/trousers", she went on to say, "and the fact my daughter attends school with a willingness to learn and always is smartly represented in official school uniform, she should not be denied lesson time over her skirt.

"I subsequently withdrew my daughter from School on Friday afternoon as she was again extremely upset at this barbaric treatment of having to line up multiple times a day for inspection/being put into isolation over her skirt length and, as a parent, I am outraged that her school are prioritising 1-2 cm of skirt length over education. Their principles are completely wrong and whilst I will always enforce rules, discipline, good manners, the importance of attending school looking smart and in correct uniform, I cannot phathom why Yate Academy think this treatment of my daughter and others is ok, when it is clearly shown in the picture that her skirt is at knee length.

"I have lodged a formal complain to the school and am waiting to hear back. I could absolutely understand if I had purchased a non-standard/unofficial school skirt off the shelf that was shorter than the knee and/or showing thigh, but this is the skirt length we are talking about and it’s ridiculous that this is more important than education.

"The rule is being enforced with undue severity and my daughter and others are missing out on valuable education."

What Yate Academy's uniform policy says

According to Yate Academy's website, the school's uniform supplier is listed as Monkhouse and a document titled 'Yate Academy Uniform Expectations 2023-2024 Final' gives instructions for each individual piece of uniform required by students. Under the category of 'skirts', the document describes them as an 'optional item', red and navy tartan and says they are available in 22 or 24 inch lengths, confirming that they must be 'on or below the knee... Not be rolled up or shortened'.

Under the heading 'why do we have a uniform policy?' the school says: "Yate Academy has a uniform policy which all students are expected to follow. Our policy expects students to take pride in their appearance and emphasises that students dress in a professional manner, ensuring that students are able focus fully on their learning.

"Like many other schools, we have a uniform policy which has very clear boundaries. We expect uniform to be consistent because we know that this reduces the chance of social exclusion based on what students are wearing, reducing peer pressure and increasing students’ self-esteem."

The policy adds: "Uniform is checked at the front door as students arrive to school. If students are wearing an incorrect item of uniform they will be taken aside by a member of staff and it will be explained what needs to be corrected.

"If a student is missing an item of uniform they will be loaned this for the day and will be expected in return to hand over their mobile phone in exchange; they will then receive this back at the end of the day." Bristol Live has approached Yate Academy for comment.