A schools trust is to ban skirts in a major change to its uniform rules.
Headteachers at the Northern Education Trust, which runs 17 secondary schools across the North, including four in Greater Manchester, have written to parents outlining its new uniform policy. From September 2026 the trust say skirts will 'no longer be an option'.
Instead 'all students will be expected to wear tailored school trousers' in a move designed to 'promote equality and inclusivity'.
A schools trust is to ban skirts in a major change to its uniform rules.
Headteachers at the Northern Education Trust, which runs 17 secondary schools across the North, including four in Greater Manchester, have written to parents outlining its new uniform policy. From September 2026 the trust say skirts will 'no longer be an option'.
Instead 'all students will be expected to wear tailored school trousers' in a move designed to 'promote equality and inclusivity'.
I have heard many reasons why the schools are banning skirts. They wear them too short, Girls are bullied if they dont go along with this, too many are turning the waistband over for the teachers to deal with, ...etc.
I tend to think it's more to do with stamping out femininity for the sake of the ever growing voice of the trans community that seems to have a big say in what goes on in our schools.
It's quite telling that one reason given by the schools is..."It's designed to 'promote equality and inclusivity"
Barksdale said
Jul 9 12:28 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
I have heard many reasons why the schools are banning skirts. They wear them too short, Girls are bullied if they dont go along with this, too many are turning the waistband over for the teachers to deal with, ...etc.
I tend to think it's more to do with stamping out femininity for the sake of the ever growing voice of the trans community that seems to have a big say in what goes on in our schools.
It's quite telling that one reason given by the schools is..."It's designed to 'promote equality and inclusivity"
There's femininity and then there's over-sexualisation, which has become particularly bad since SM.
I know schoolgirls have always rolled up the waistbands of their skirts so they are shorter but parents now also find it more acceptable to send their kids into schools with skirts that are tailored shorter. I've seen a few rant videos from parents where their child has been sent home from school despite knowing the uniform policy saying how outrageous it is and the camera then pans to their 13 year old with a full face of make up and a skirt which leaves nothing to the imagination. It's like they have no self-awareness.
It's a balancing act because you don't want to stifle a girl's femininity but other girls who may not feel comfortable wearing short skirtsor being sexualised at a young age do get pressurised into doing so or being bullied because they are different. Also, in mixed sex schools girls tend not to perform as well academically because of...other distractions shall we say.
Personally, this should like a move which could just as well be motivated by the trust wanting to maintain good order in the schools and making that easier for teachers to do and putting that in the language of inclusion.
Digger said
Jul 9 1:18 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
I have heard many reasons why the schools are banning skirts. They wear them too short, Girls are bullied if they dont go along with this, too many are turning the waistband over for the teachers to deal with, ...etc.
I tend to think it's more to do with stamping out femininity for the sake of the ever growing voice of the trans community that seems to have a big say in what goes on in our schools.
It's quite telling that one reason given by the schools is..."It's designed to 'promote equality and inclusivity"
I remember rolling up my skirt at school. We all did. Nothing really changes.
Fluffy said
Jul 9 1:42 PM, 2025
Digger wrote:
Syl wrote:
I have heard many reasons why the schools are banning skirts. They wear them too short, Girls are bullied if they dont go along with this, too many are turning the waistband over for the teachers to deal with, ...etc.
I tend to think it's more to do with stamping out femininity for the sake of the ever growing voice of the trans community that seems to have a big say in what goes on in our schools.
It's quite telling that one reason given by the schools is..."It's designed to 'promote equality and inclusivity"
I remember rolling up my skirt at school. We all did. Nothing really changes.
As did I and pretty much most girls. Female sexuality seems to be needed to be policed, checked, kept in control endlessly. Interesting.
Syl said
Jul 9 4:45 PM, 2025
Of course girls roll their skirts up, but there are ways to stop this in school without banning skirts.
1...Give girls the choice. Skirts or trousers.
2...Teachers are there to control behaviour, so if a girl persists in wearing very short skirts....three warnings, then she is in trousers for a set amount of time.
3...If a girl is being bullied because her skirt is too long....why is the school giving way to bullying rather than addressing the problem?
4...Change the design of the skirt, Culottes, (which are cooler than trousers) or pinafore dresses, that can't be rolled up.
Barksdale mentions parents who don't seem to know how to parent, and this is a big problem.
I see girls between 12 and 16 in a local shopping area, they are in their school uniform, many are showing their knickers from the back as they walk, it looks ridiculous. The schools can't control the length of the girls skirts when they are out of school....that's where the parents should step in, some of these girls are with their mothers FGS.
Maddog said
Jul 9 5:03 PM, 2025
Make them all wear coveralls. 😉
Not sure if that's what you call them over there..
Syl said
Jul 9 7:13 PM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
Make them all wear coveralls. 😉
Not sure if that's what you call them over there..
I think we call them overalls, usually what dinner ladies or cleaners wear to keep their clothes clean underneath.I cant see schoolgirls in them.
Maddog said
Jul 9 7:44 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
Maddog wrote:
Make them all wear coveralls. 😉
Not sure if that's what you call them over there..
I think we call them overalls, usually what dinner ladies or cleaners wear to keep their clothes clean underneath.I cant see schoolgirls in them.
Overalls have two straps that go over the shoulder. You generally wear a shirt under them, unless you want to show your boobs. Coveralls cover the entire body..
I have heard many reasons why the schools are banning skirts. They wear them too short, Girls are bullied if they dont go along with this, too many are turning the waistband over for the teachers to deal with, ...etc.
I tend to think it's more to do with stamping out femininity for the sake of the ever growing voice of the trans community that seems to have a big say in what goes on in our schools.
It's quite telling that one reason given by the schools is..."It's designed to 'promote equality and inclusivity"
It could be to stop male trans as they would say that it is their right to wear a skirt , and now the laws have changed in favour of biological women.
I doubt it though. I think male teachers are looking when they shouldn't and the female members of staff want to put a stop to it.
Fluffy said
Jul 9 8:22 PM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
overalls..
But if a girl has a large bosom she may attract attention. Best stick a black jumper on the top ,a large duffel coat too and that will be grand.
Anonymous said
Jul 9 9:31 PM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
overalls..
I call the above dungarees. Overalls to me is an all in one design (think of a onesie) generally worn by tradesmen.
Anonymous said
Jul 9 9:35 PM, 2025
I would have welcomed wearing trousers, never been one for skirts, frocks etc. We may as well have been wearing trousers as the old fashioned grammar school I went to had strict rules on skirt length - down to the knee more or less meeting the full length socks we had to wear.
Syl said
Jul 9 10:48 PM, 2025
Maddog wrote:
overalls..
They are dungarees here.
A pinafore dress would have the same top but with a skirt not trousers...impossible to roll up.
Maddog said
Jul 10 12:06 AM, 2025
Fluffy wrote:
Syl wrote:
I have heard many reasons why the schools are banning skirts. They wear them too short, Girls are bullied if they dont go along with this, too many are turning the waistband over for the teachers to deal with, ...etc.
I tend to think it's more to do with stamping out femininity for the sake of the ever growing voice of the trans community that seems to have a big say in what goes on in our schools.
It's quite telling that one reason given by the schools is..."It's designed to 'promote equality and inclusivity"
It could be to stop male trans as they would say that it is their right to wear a skirt , and now the laws have changed in favour of biological women.
I doubt it though. I think male teachers are looking when they shouldn't and the female members of staff want to put a stop to it.
Maybe the female members of the staff are looking? 😉
Syl said
Jul 10 12:37 AM, 2025
It's only 20 odd years ago that in many schools girls were not allowed to wear trousers.
How times have changed.
Magica said
Jul 10 11:48 PM, 2025
Syl wrote:
It's only 20 odd years ago that in many schools girls were not allowed to wear trousers. How times have changed.
I used to turn the band over on my skirt we all did, so we could wear a.mini skirt. Girls are no different today.
If girls want to wear skirts then they should. It's a girlie thang!
Anonymous said
Jul 11 2:01 AM, 2025
‘promote equality and inclusivity'.
Does that mean pressure from local Muslims? What next… head coverings, no music lessons, no morning assemblies etc?
A schools trust is to ban skirts in a major change to its uniform rules.
Headteachers at the Northern Education Trust, which runs 17 secondary schools across the North, including four in Greater Manchester, have written to parents outlining its new uniform policy. From September 2026 the trust say skirts will 'no longer be an option'.
Instead 'all students will be expected to wear tailored school trousers' in a move designed to 'promote equality and inclusivity'.
More secondary schools to ban skirts in major uniform rule change - Manchester Evening News
What about trans?
I tend to think it's more to do with stamping out femininity for the sake of the ever growing voice of the trans community that seems to have a big say in what goes on in our schools.
It's quite telling that one reason given by the schools is..."It's designed to 'promote equality and inclusivity"
There's femininity and then there's over-sexualisation, which has become particularly bad since SM.
I know schoolgirls have always rolled up the waistbands of their skirts so they are shorter but parents now also find it more acceptable to send their kids into schools with skirts that are tailored shorter. I've seen a few rant videos from parents where their child has been sent home from school despite knowing the uniform policy saying how outrageous it is and the camera then pans to their 13 year old with a full face of make up and a skirt which leaves nothing to the imagination. It's like they have no self-awareness.
It's a balancing act because you don't want to stifle a girl's femininity but other girls who may not feel comfortable wearing short skirtsor being sexualised at a young age do get pressurised into doing so or being bullied because they are different. Also, in mixed sex schools girls tend not to perform as well academically because of...other distractions shall we say.
Personally, this should like a move which could just as well be motivated by the trust wanting to maintain good order in the schools and making that easier for teachers to do and putting that in the language of inclusion.
I remember rolling up my skirt at school. We all did. Nothing really changes.
As did I and pretty much most girls. Female sexuality seems to be needed to be policed, checked, kept in control endlessly. Interesting.
1...Give girls the choice. Skirts or trousers.
2...Teachers are there to control behaviour, so if a girl persists in wearing very short skirts....three warnings, then she is in trousers for a set amount of time.
3...If a girl is being bullied because her skirt is too long....why is the school giving way to bullying rather than addressing the problem?
4...Change the design of the skirt, Culottes, (which are cooler than trousers) or pinafore dresses, that can't be rolled up.
Barksdale mentions parents who don't seem to know how to parent, and this is a big problem.
I see girls between 12 and 16 in a local shopping area, they are in their school uniform, many are showing their knickers from the back as they walk, it looks ridiculous. The schools can't control the length of the girls skirts when they are out of school....that's where the parents should step in, some of these girls are with their mothers FGS.
Not sure if that's what you call them over there..
I think we call them overalls, usually what dinner ladies or cleaners wear to keep their clothes clean underneath.I cant see schoolgirls in them.
Overalls have two straps that go over the shoulder. You generally wear a shirt under them, unless you want to show your boobs. Coveralls cover the entire body..
overalls..
It could be to stop male trans as they would say that it is their right to wear a skirt , and now the laws have changed in favour of biological women.
I doubt it though. I think male teachers are looking when they shouldn't and the female members of staff want to put a stop to it.
But if a girl has a large bosom she may attract attention. Best stick a black jumper on the top ,a large duffel coat too and that will be grand.
I call the above dungarees. Overalls to me is an all in one design (think of a onesie) generally worn by tradesmen.
I would have welcomed wearing trousers, never been one for skirts, frocks etc. We may as well have been wearing trousers as the old fashioned grammar school I went to had strict rules on skirt length - down to the knee more or less meeting the full length socks we had to wear.
They are dungarees here.
A pinafore dress would have the same top but with a skirt not trousers...impossible to roll up.
Maybe the female members of the staff are looking? 😉
How times have changed.
I used to turn the band over on my skirt we all did, so we could wear a.mini skirt. Girls are no different today.
If girls want to wear skirts then they should. It's a girlie thang!
‘promote equality and inclusivity'.
Does that mean pressure from local Muslims? What next… head coverings, no music lessons, no morning assemblies etc?