A 15-year-old pupil was sent home from school for allegedly failing to wear tights on what became the hottest June day on record, causing her to miss a mock exam.
Her mother said she was outraged after her daughter was made to leave Co-op Academy in Blackley shortly after arriving.
The teenager had gone to school in a skirt and socks, choosing not to wear tights because of the sweltering conditions.
But staff told her she could not remain on site, stating that tights are a compulsory part of the uniform for pupils who choose to wear skirts.
As a consequence, the girl was unable to sit her French mock exam.
While some other Co-op schools have eased uniform rules during the extreme heat, senior leaders at the academy have instead advised girls to wear trousers if they do not want to wear tights.
The mother, who asked not to be named, said her daughter had been wearing a skirt with shorts underneath and ankle socks in place of tights.
She said: ‘She was only in school for about 15 minutes, so she ended up missing her French mock exam.
‘Other Co-op academies are allowing PE kits, but when I asked why they aren’t, they said because it’s policy and it’s not smart.
‘We live on the far side of Oldham so my daughter travels for over an hour and a half just to get to school.’
The girl’s mother shared a photograph of what her daughter is being made to wear at school during the heatwave
Co-op Academy in Blackley sent the teenager home, insisting tights were an essential part of the uniform
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The mother said she had been in contact with the school and explained that her daughter will now only attend for her exams and will come straight home afterwards.
‘She’s got her food exam today but she’s got my permission to come straight home after it,’ said the 34-year-old.
‘She’s going in her tights and just taking them off after the exam. I don’t think it’s safe for her to be there longer than an hour. She’s had heatstroke in the past so that’s what I’m trying to avoid.’
In its weather update titled ‘temporary changes to uniform’, the school told parents: ‘Due to the heatwave, we are making changes to the uniform this week. Students do not need to wear their blazers or ties to the academy for the remainder of the week. They should leave them at home until further notice. Students who normally wear skirts and tights are encouraged to wear school trousers, if they have them.
Greater Manchester has been issued an Amber weather warning for extreme heat until Thursday at 11.59pm.
Temperatures are set to reach 33C tomorrow and Friday, before it cools down at the weekend.
Elsewhere in the country, more than 1,000 schools closed their doors, fearing the negative impact of the heat.
Starting in September, girls in all Co-op Academies Trust secondary schools must wear trousers instead of skirts as it introduces a single school uniform for all students.
The move will affect Co-op Academy Walkden, Co-op Academy Swinton, Co-op Academy North Manchester, Co-op Academy Manchester, Co-op Academy Failsworth and Co-op Academy Belle Vue.
Some parents have welcomed the move, but others aren’t happy and say it’s taking away the rights of their daughters.
A spokesperson for Co-op Academy Manchester said: ‘We introduced temporary uniform adjustments this week in response to the high temperatures, including allowing pupils to attend without blazers, jumpers or ties.
‘As part of this guidance, pupils who would normally wear a skirt and tights were encouraged to wear school trousers if they had them available, helping students stay comfortable during the exceptionally warm weather.
‘Our priority is always to maintain a safe, consistent and purposeful learning environment while supporting pupil wellbeing. Uniform expectations are communicated clearly to families and, where questions or concerns arise, we work directly with parents and carers to provide support and find an appropriate solution.’
