Harriet Dale was sent home on her first day back to school for wearing ‘tight’ trousers (Picture: CATERS)

A strict headmistress who banned all skirts because male teachers were becoming ‘distracted’ sent girls home on the first day of the new term because their trousers were too tight.

Back in July Dr Rowena Blencowe said she was fed up of telling girls off for showing too much leg and wearing skirts that ‘barely covered their bottoms’.

But she’s come under fire again after ten girls were kicked out as they arrived at Trentham High School, Stoke-on-Trent, this week.

Bizarrely, staff inspected pupils at the school gates to decide whether their trousers were too tight.


The students were kept out of some lessons and threatened with isolation if they refused to go home to put on baggier trousers.



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Harriet and her mum, Helen, have blasted the school (Picture: CATERS)

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Harriet Dale, 15, said: ‘I was with a girl wearing exactly the same pair of trousers but, because I have slightly larger legs than her, I was told my trousers are too tight and that I must go home and change.

‘First the school told us skirts are not acceptable, now we are only allowed to wear trousers after they’ve been inspected.

‘It’s really uncomfortable to think you could be walking around the corridors and teachers will be looking you up and down. I’m not the only person who feels that way.’

But headmistress Dr Rowena Blencowe rubbished claims the school’s guidelines are not clear.

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She said pupils must wear ‘black, full-length tailored’ trousers and not ‘jeans, leggings, tightly-fitted trousers, cotton trousers, shorts or tracksuit bottoms’.

Dr Blencowe added: ‘The vast majority of pupils turned up to school wearing perfectly suitable clothing.

‘But there was a small minority of elder pupils who decided to push the boundaries, ten in total.

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‘They claim our rules do not make it clear but that is not fair. We have sent out several letters to parents, plus advice on our website, and even held an assembly.

‘Our guidelines are clear. It is up to parents to make sure their child attends school wearing trousers which suit their shape.

‘Trousers which fit one pupil may be too tight on another, we have to draw the line somewhere.’