Parents of pupils at a Welsh school claim their children have been "forced" to wear uniform during this week's high temperatures. Some mums and dads of pupils at Ysgol Cwm Brombil in Margam said they sent their children to school earlier this week in their PE kits as they felt they were cooler than the usual school shirt and trousers.
One mum told WalesOnline that pupils in Year 8 were advised on Monday that they would be sent to the school's "detention area" if they didn't change into their full school uniform. The woman, who asked to be anonymous, added that parents are "worried" about their children having to wear a shirt and trousers in "blazing temperatures".
Neath Port Talbot Council confirmed that all schools in the county follow school uniform policy and advice issued by the Welsh Government. A spokesperson added that school governing bodies are required to take a "sensible, flexible approach to basic uniform requirements during very hot or cold weather".
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The council has suggested pupils should be allowed to wear their PE kits or uniform shorts in very hot weather and has confirmed pupils will be permitted to wear their PE kits from Monday, July 18 to the end of term as "enrichment activities" are taking place. You can get the latest Neath Port Talbot news stories straight to your inbox with our free newsletter. Sign up here
Expressing their concern for pupils having to wear school uniform in a heatwave, one parent said: "Pupils at Ysgol Cwm Brombil are being forced to wear full school uniform despite the blazing temperatures! Most, if not all schools in Port Talbot and across the Swansea districts have allowed children to wear their uniformed PE kits for the last few weeks while temperatures have been creeping up.
"[On] Monday, July 11, 32 pupils in Year 8 arrived at school in their PE. kit, as there is a level three weather warning in place across south east Wales, and were told to phone parents to either bring in their school uniform or be sent to 'Ready to Learn' which is basically the school's detention area.
"A lot of these pupils are good pupils who for weeks have had to struggle in shirts, trousers, ties and blazers. Many have asked their class teachers over the past few weeks politely to remove their blazers in stifling classrooms and been told 'No'.
"[On Monday], worried parents took matters into their own hands and sent pupils in appropriately dressed," the parent added. "The school policy is to wear PE kit to school on the day your child has PE, so on any given day more than one-third of the school appears to be in this kit.
"The school itself is a new building, meaning the classrooms are very small but lots and lots of windows for the sun to beat down on the pupils, temperatures regularly soar, and pupils come home soaking wet on a mediocre day, but the last few weeks many pupils have been sent home with headaches.
"Parents are worried about our children. [Later on Monday], the school sent an email stating that for the remainder of the week blazers and ties weren’t mandatory, followed by another later stating pupils could now indeed wear PE shorts if parents were unable to buy school shorts, meaning pupils will have to wear a white school shirt and short PE shorts."
A spokesperson for Neath Port Talbot Council said: “Within Neath Port Talbot, schools follow the ‘School uniform and appearance: policy guidance for governing bodies’ advice issued by WG [Welsh Government] and last updated in January 2022. This statutory guidance is aimed at school governing bodies and head teachers to support them in their development, adoption, revision and evaluation of school uniform and appearance policies. Schools must have regard to this guidance when considering school uniform and appearance policies.
"The guidance focuses on: ensuring that due regard is given to securing equality of treatment between pupils of different sexes and genders; pupils from different ethnic and religious backgrounds and; disabled pupils in relation to school uniform and appearance policies; cost and affordability; practical considerations involved in introducing or changing school uniform and appearance policies; consultation with parents, pupils and the community.
"In extreme weather conditions we would expect the governing body to take a sensible, flexible approach to basic uniform requirements during very hot or cold weather, such as temporarily relaxing policies to ensure that pupils are comfortable in their learning environment. For example, allowing pupils to wear their PE kits or uniform shorts in very hot weather or allowing trousers to be worn instead of skirts in very cold weather.
"School governing bodies should make clear their approach to flexible uniform items to account for extreme weather conditions when setting their school uniform and appearance policy including how any changes will be communicated."
The spokesperson continued: "Having spoken to the school we are assured that there are mitigating factors in place, e.g. windows and doors open for ventilation, the school has purchased new fans for some corridors and rooms, there is access to free water around the school and ice lollies are available at break/lunchtime.
"The school communicated with parents on Monday, July 11 that blazers and ties would be optional, PE kits could be worn on days the pupil had timetabled PE and that black shorts are an option, as this is in line with school uniform policy. The school had already planned to allow the wearing of P.E. kit in the last week of term, because there are a number of activities going on."
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