More than 20 pupils at an Oxford school were taken out of classes yesterday for wearing “inappropriate” trousers.

Students at Cheney School, Headington, were separated from their classmates and some were kept in isolation throughout the day for breaking the school’s uniform code.

They were told their trousers were too tight and were given the option to return home to change with their parents’ permission or face missing out on classes.

Simone James’s daughter Tamia, 13, is in Year Nine at the school and was put into isolation yesterday morning for wearing “Miss Sexy” branded trousers, which have been deemed inappropriate by staff.

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Ms James, who works part-time, said parents were only informed about the change to the uniform code banning tight trousers last week.

But headmistress Jolie Kirby yesterday insisted pupils had been given good notice that they would not be allowed to wear Miss Sexy trousers to school this year.

Oxford Mail:

Cheney's head Jolie Kirby 

Mrs Kirby said: “Before the summer holidays we wrote to parents to reiterate the importance of correct uniform.

“This year we had seen that about 30 or 40 students were wearing these inappropriate ‘Miss Sexy’ trousers, which are skintight and our regulations do say no leggings, jogging bottoms, etc are allowed to be worn to school.”

But Ms James said: “We had a letter about uniform, about shirt, shoes, make-up and so on in July, but nothing about trousers.

“The headmistress specifically said that last year’s trousers were fine, as long as they were not jeans or leggings.

“Last week was the first full week. We got letters home saying they are no longer accepting Miss Sexy trousers.

“I said I wish they had told us back in July because I had spent £45 on three pairs of trousers.”

The mum-of-two added: “Tamia feels like the trousers are not going to stop her getting an education.

“She is an A* student and her work has not been disrupted by these trousers and she has no idea why this is suddenly an issue.”

The school said both girls and boys had been taken out of class for breaches of the uniform code.

Natasha Partlett has two daughters, Chayla, 14, and Tegan, 12, at the school.

Both her children were sent to the isolation room for wearing tight black trousers from Matalan.

The 34-year-old said: “It is absolutely ridiculous my children are missing out on their education.

“I got a call from Chayla saying she had been told she could play on her phone or a musical instrument – I’m not having my kids sitting around doing nothing all day.

“They were being escorted to break and lunch – it is like they are criminals for wearing the wrong trousers.”

Mrs Kirby said about 20 pupils remained in isolation yesterday afternoon.

Mrs Kirby said: “Two weeks ago we sent out a letter about trousers stating with good notice what the rules are and why we have them and why it is inappropriate to have schoolgirls with ‘Miss Sexy’ on their trousers.

“Students have been very quickly dealt with and they were able to go back into class very quickly.

“It is not school policy to keep them out of class for any significant period of time.

“I just think this is a few parents phoning up, I don’t think it’s a serious issue.”
The trousers were banned by the headteacher of Nailsea School, North Somerset, in 2009 and in April this year a similar ban was put in place at Tideway School in Newhaven, East Sussex.


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