Oswestry school in U-turn over official uniform row

Marches School in Oswestry has now said it will not insist on pupils wearing uniform bought from an official supplier from this September.

The announcement comes after months of dialogue between teachers and parents of pupils at the Morda Road school.

Parents condemned plans for a uniform change which involved pupils wearing trousers and skirts with a logo on.

The school has now said that while parents will be strongly advised to purchase recommended items from the official school uniform supplier to ensure skirts and trousers comply, items bought elsewhere that adhere to the uniform policy will be accepted.

The issue of purchasing from an official school uniform supplier provoked criticism from some parents and led to a group being set up on Facebook to object.

Diana Cameron, who next year will have three daughters at the school, said she was pleased with the outcome.

"The trousers were advertised as costing £15 each, and they would all need two pairs, leaving me with an accumulated bill of £90 – for trousers alone.

"This would have been the third school uniform change for my eldest daughter at the Marches, so we wouldn't have been able to even hand down the old uniforms."

Sarah Longville, headteacher at the school, said: "Building strong relationships with parents, based on mutual respect and trust, is at the centre of our school's ethos. We want our parents to feel valued and to be fully involved in their children's learning and development.

"We listened closely to all the views and opinions expressed about the proposed introduction of Marches' skirts and trousers. Whilst a number of parents expressed support for the changes, it was the strength and genuine depth of feeling and issues raised by parents whose children wear the correct uniform which was compelling."

Parents wishing in enquire further about the Marches uniform policy can consult the schools website on www.marchesschool.co.uk