Parents of pupils at Cwmtawe Community School have complained about their children being punished for not wearing the correct uniform during last month's heatwave. Some male pupils say they have been sent into 'isolation' as a result of not wearing tailored shorts, which some parents have labelled as too costly and an unnecessary purchase so far into the school year.
A spokesperson for the school has said its uniform requirements are clearly communicated to parents and that it has a shorts option which is cost-effective. There is also support in place to help families in the cost-of-living crisis, added the spokesperson.
But dad Craig Battenbough, 33, from Rhyd-y-fro said his son wore a skirt for a week in protest of the "strict" uniform policy. "During the extreme heat we faced over the last couple of weeks, Cwmtawe school has been placing the boys into isolation rooms with no air conditioning."
Craig claimed that when he picked his son Cellan up from school, he told his dad that he had not been allowed out of the room all day and was soaked in sweat and seemed to be suffering with heat exhaustion. "This is all down to the school not allowing our children the ability to just wear plain black shorts rather than the tailored shorts that some parents can’t afford or can’t find in shops," said Craig.
"The school has a perfectly good PE kit that has already cost us parents and they aren’t allowed to wear them in hot weather. You will find the girls can wear extremely short skirts that don’t adhere to school uniform policy but the boys are punished. We ask that the school be less strict with the school uniform policy and in extreme temperatures so that our children are cooler and more comfortable."
Another parent, Hannah Fletcher, 32, from Pontardawe said she has spoken to school staff to tell them it is unfair to expect parents to fork out more money on tailored shorts a few weeks before the end of term. "My son needs a certain brand which aren't cheap due to sensory issues with clasps and these would set me back £30 a pair when there is no guarantee that the weather will stay hot," she said.
Hannah said her son was put into isolation on June 20 after she had sent her son to school in plain black shorts with a note explaining she could not afford the school uniform pair. "They said it was fine one day and then put him in isolation the next. They refused to take him out and then stopped answering the phones. They aren't allowed out for breaks and he barely did any work all day. I was told tough luck it's policy. So I removed him from school that day," Hannah explained.
Cwmtawe Community School's uniform and equipment policy states that as a summer option, tailored short trousers in black or grey are acceptable during June and July. Skirts are permitted but must be plain black, A-line style and knee length but short or clinging skirts, tracksuit bottoms or sports shorts are "not acceptable".
In very hot weather, Welsh Government guidance states schools should allow pupils to wear their PE kits or uniform shorts. The guidance also states governing bodies should "consider carefully requests made to vary policies in order to meet the needs of some children and young people, particularly disabled children who might have specific needs."
One parent, who wished to stay anonymous, claimed the school had been "unfair" with enforcing its school uniform policy as she is a single mother of four boys and struggles to afford new uniform. One of her sons attends Cwmtawe Community School and after a recent growth spurt meant he could not fit into his tailored trousers, she sent him to school in plain black joggers.
"I said I really can't afford it at the moment and we're so close to the end of term, I don't particularly want to go and spend £23 on a pair of trousers. So they put him in spare trousers that they have in school which just humiliated him. Then I had to go and buy new trousers," said the mother.
After that the weather got too warm to wear the new trousers and the mother sent her son into school wearing plain black sports shorts which had no symbols or designs on them. She said her son was put into isolation for breaching the school uniform policy. "I'd just gone out and bought him new trousers, it was too hot to wear those trousers and then I was expected to go out and pay for shorts. There's no way my budget will allow me to do that and there's only four weeks left of school," said the mother.
"I live hand-to-mouth. Something's got to go. Petrol. Food. Days out with the kids. It takes a lot as a parent to tell someone you can't afford school trousers for your child. That's quite humiliating." When she explained her predicament to a member of staff at the school, she claims they responded by asking her when she would be able to afford the new uniform. The mother said she felt pressured to give a time frame and said two weeks, despite knowing she would still not be able to afford it later in the month and said the school had been "unfair".
A spokesperson from Cwmtawe Community School said: "Our school uniform requirements are clearly communicated to all parents/carers and are available on our website.
"A few years ago, we consulted with parents/carers and pupils and introduced a shorts option for the summer months. These are standard cost-effective uniform items available in most supermarkets, from around £4 a pair. Parents also liked the idea that they could use the trousers that their child had outgrown and easily convert into shorts. This year, we wrote to all parents/carers in May to remind them of the shorts option before the recent warm weather commenced.
We have a range of support in place to assist families with cost of living. In addition to Welsh Government’s School Essentials Grant, which is available to all eligible households, we also have a Pupil Wellbeing and Support Fund. Any parents/carers experiencing financial difficulties with uniform should contact us in confidence and we will do our best to support."
