A 'gender neutral' school uniform policy descended into chaos yesterday after police were called to stop pupils, who staged a protest, from attending classes.

Up to 100 pupils and parents gathered at Priory School in Lewes in a silent protest, after the school sent out a letter at the end of the summer term requiring all students to wear trousers.

The change to uniform policy, which the school claimed would “address inequality” was met with outrage as parents said the rule made female pupils feel “awful”.

Female students held up banners that read “choice” while a number of male students turned up in skirts.

Roughly fifty pupils in old uniforms were turned away from the gate, with two community police officers on site to aid the school during the dispute.

Parents said that the new uniform, which was introduced in a bid to be inclusive, was not “gender neutral”.

Sheila Cullen, 56, whose daughter Nina Cullen is entering the last year in which uniform is compulsory said: “It’s not a gender neutral uniform, it’s a male uniform.

“A gender neutral uniform would allow boys to wear skirts and girls to wear skirts and both to wear trousers.”

“The crux of the matter is they’re obsessed with the length of girls’ skirts.”