A furious mother criticized her children’s high school as “unreasonable” after her daughter was forced to wear a different uniform for allegedly breaching the school’s dress code.
Paige Ellice Warr, aged 30, was angered when her 11-year-old daughter arrived home from The Laurel Academy wearing a skirt and tights, despite leaving the house in trousers, all because her “ankles were visible.”
Paige explained that her daughter, Taya-May, was instructed by teachers at the Mexborough academy to change her uniform because the trousers she had worn to her Year 7 class had slightly shrunk in the wash.
“Taya started school on August 2 and had dog hair on her uniform, so I washed her trousers. They had shrunk slightly, but they were the correct pair from the school shop, so I didn’t think anything of it,” Paige stated.
“When Taya got home, she told me she was stopped at the school gates because her socks were showing. The teachers made her change into tights and a skirt, which I find unbelievable. I am extremely upset that the school believes they can do that,” she told Yorkshire Live.
Paige, a mother of two students at the school, expressed frustration with the school’s strict uniform policy. She mentioned that her son, Trey, in Year 8 at the same school, was also asked to change his socks because they were dark grey instead of black.
She shared her concern over the unfair treatment of her daughter on the second day of secondary school, stating, “Starting a new school is already overwhelming – to then be told to change is just unfair. I don’t usually complain, but it’s only her second day. The whole situation has me very upset.”
Taya’s tights were new, though it is unclear if the skirt was new or washed. Paige added, “It’s not right to expect parents to purchase all this uniform and then send the kids with random items.”
The Laurel Academy’s website mandates that “all students must wear academy uniform at all times,” including black tailored ankle-length trousers – not cropped, cargo, or leggings.
A spokesperson from The Laurel Academy affirmed their high expectations for student achievement, emphasizing the school’s commitment to providing excellent education, uniform standards, and support for all students.
The academy expressed pride in their Year 11 students’ outstanding GCSE results and highlighted their dedication to preparing students for future challenges in the world of work or further education.