Schools to let boys wear skirts and girls wear pants in gender neutral uniform shake-up

Boys will be able to wear skirts and girls will be able to wear pants under a new government initiative to offer cheaper, gender-neutral uniform options.

Schools in Wales will soon let boys wear skirts and girls wear pants in a gender neutral uniform shake-up.

From September 1, parents will no longer be encouraged to buy items that are gender specific — meaning they or their child can pick any available item, reports The Sun.

The new guidance from the Welsh government provides advice for governing bodies and teachers on issues relating to school uniform rules.

It follows a sea-change in views regarding uniforms, as female students were banned from wearing skirts at a school in West Yorkshire last week.

Another school in East Sussex also banned skirts last year after pupils questioned why its uniform was different for all the genders.

‘A CHOICE FOR ALL CHILDREN’
The change in Wales comes after a consultation last autumn after the summer heatwave in which some parents claimed uniform policies were too strict.

During the consultation, respondents backed the introduction of gender-neutral uniforms.

The previous 2011 guidance was non-statutory, therefore schools were not legally required to have regard to it.