School ban on jumpers sparks petition from parent

The ban is in place at The Winston Churchill School in Woking

A school's ban on students wearing jumpers until November has led to a petition from a parent.

The Winston Churchill School in Woking, Surrey, where pupils are required to wear blazers, put the jumper ban in place on 22 April and said it would run until after the October half-term.

Parent Tish Akehurst, who started the petition, said: "We believe students should have the choice to wear the jumper all year round as part of the official uniform."

In a letter to parents, headteacher Zoe Johnson-Walker said it was not a new rule and that students could wear base layers under their shirts.

The headteacher explained: "If I announced students would be wearing PE kit, almost every student would be wearing a polo shirt and shorts regardless of the temperature.

"Therefore, the rule around the jumper stands and students are expected to wear their blazer every day, in every situation."

Mrs Johnson-Walker said teachers could allow pupils to remove their blazers in classrooms if necessary.

The petition in reaction to the jumper ban was started on 22 April and has gained more than 400 signatures.

On the petition Ms Akehurst said: "The jumper isn't just about warmth - it's about comfort, confidence and school pride.

"With unpredictable weather, chilly mornings and the importance of students feeling good in what they wear, banning the jumper doesn't make sense."

The jumper ban has gained national attention with reports on several news websites.

'Abusive language'

The headteacher added in the letter: "Parents encouraging their child to break the rules is placing their child in direct conflict with the school and if they are comfortable ignoring this rule, then what other rules will each parent and child decide to ignore?"

"I also take issue with the abusive language used in some communications from parents.

"No-one from our school uses such language towards parents, and in future such communications will simply be printed and logged in their student's file."

The Winston Churchill School has been contacted for a comment.