A local school has confirmed that it will ban girls from wearing skirts from September 2026 after a consultation with parents, staff and students.
Monmouth Comprehensive School announced that all pupils in Years 7 to 13 will be required to wear either tailored trousers or tailored school shorts as part of a revised uniform policy.
The decision was made by the school’s Governing Body following a consultation that gathered views from parents and carers, staff, and students.
In a statement to families, the school said the feedback showed strong support from parents and staff for moving away from skirts, while students generally expressed a different opinion.
“After a thorough discussion, the Governing Body agreed that the School will move to tailored trousers or tailored school shorts only for all students from Year 7 to Year 13, starting from September 2026.”
The school acknowledged that students’ views differed from those of adults consulted and said it remained committed to maintaining open communication and ongoing dialogue with pupils on the issue.
Uniform Costs Reduced
Alongside the policy change, the school also announced a series of measures aimed at reducing the cost of school uniform for families.
Following feedback from parents, the school said it had negotiated lower prices on key items with its existing supplier, Monkhouse, with blazers now starting from £28.50.
A new partnership has also been agreed with local supplier Black Mountain, which will begin stocking the school’s uniform from August 2026. The company’s retail shop in Ross-on-Wye will allow families to try on items in person before purchasing.
The school also thanked MCS Friends for exploring new options for recycled uniform after the closure of the Magic Cottage shop in Monmouth.
Mixed Reactions
The consultation revealed differing views across the school community:
- Parents and carers: Strong support for a trousers-or-shorts-only policy.
- Staff: Strongly supported the change and aligned closely with parental feedback.
- Students: Overall expressed a different view and were less supportive of the proposal.
Despite the mixed response, governors approved the change, meaning skirts will no longer be part of the official school uniform from the start of the 2026 academic year.
All other elements of the school uniform will remain unchanged, according to the school’s announcement.
The new policy will come into effect in September 2026 and will apply to all students across the school, from Year 7 through to Sixth Form.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
What’s changing?
From September 2026, students at Monmouth Comprehensive School will be required to wear:
- Tailored trousers, or
- Tailored school shorts
The school has confirmed that:
- ❌ School skirts will no longer be part of the official uniform
- ✅ The rule will apply to all students from Year 7 to Year 13
- ✅ All other aspects of the uniform will remain unchanged
The decision follows a consultation involving parents, staff and students, with governors ultimately approving the change despite students expressing a different overall view.
