'I've pulled my daughter out of school over row about her socks'

Wendy Allsopp says her 13-year-old daughter Olivia has been left feeling 'unsettled' by the swift departure of staff and says the school's uniform policy change wasn't properly communicated

A mum has dramatically withdrawn her daughter from a school amid uproar over uniform policies and the alarming rate of staff departures.

For girls at Irlam and Cadishead Academy in Irlam, Salford, knee length black socks were once the norm, with Wendy Allsopp's daughter Olivia, in Year 9, one of a few students chosen to appear in the school's open evening poster displaying the uniform.

However, this year saw a sudden switch to ankle socks, a change Wendy claims was poorly communicated, buried in a pastoral letter rather than in a dedicated uniform update. The school says the move was requested by 'a large number of female students and trialled during the previous academic year' and that parents were notified 'through both letters and 'the Parent Handbook'.

Students have been given additional options, such as tights or trousers, but Wendy argues these can be impractical in warmer weather and claims the longer socks looked smarter. Wendy said: "We've had mixed stories as to how this change even came about.

"Olivia was told two girls in her year were told that if they got more than 100 signatures on a petition, they would be allowed to wear the ankle socks. If that's the case there are 360 female students at that school, so it's not a majority by any stretch of the imagination.

"The school is saying it was their Student Voices who made the decision. Either way, it's not the way you decide a change to the uniform policy. Parents need to be properly consulted." Explaining her concerns around the ankle socks, she said: "It's the fact they haven't considered that you've got young girls aged 11 to 16 walking to and from school literally exposed from above the knee to their ankles early in the morning. These girls need to be protected."

She warned of the pressure on younger students, stating: "You're also going to have new starters in Year 7 feeling pressured into shaving their legs and probably cutting themselves." But Wendy's worries about the school extend beyond just the dress code.

With 18 staff members departing since new headteacher Chris Leader's arrival in September 2023, she says Olivia has been left feeling unsettled and her love of education and school 'destroyed' "This has been building for a while with Olivia," Wendy, a mum-of-five whose three elder children attended the same school, recalled. "Her form teacher was a French teacher too and now all three French teachers have gone. She was supposed to be going on a trip to Paris in October and a science teacher has had to take over running that.

"So many good, experienced teachers have left, some of whom had been there for 20 years. Olivia is without a doubt a model student, she was top of her year group in two key subjects, she was performing academically way above the other students in her year. She has represented the school numerous times, particularly for Shakespeare in Schools and was always the child teachers knew they could rely on."

Earlier this year, the academy scored a 'Good' from Ofsted inspectors who were impressed with the 'high expectations', 'calm atmosphere', and significant improvement seen at the school. Staff and pupils reportedly feel that behaviour has vastly improved creating fewer disruptions in learning, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Described as a contented and close-knit community, students enjoy 'strong relationships' with faculty and feel secure. The report notes children are respectful, well behaved, and ambitious, attributing these qualities to the school's knack for fostering self-belief.

Despite the glowing review, Wendy has applied to deregister Olivia, securing her a place at UTC Media City in Salford Quays. For uniform, the college stipulates a UTC polo, hoodie and a choice between various black bottom wear and footwear options. United Learning Trust, of which the school is part, confirmed that since September 2023, 10 full-time teaching staff have left the academy as well as eight members of staff who were either part time teachers or held administrative roles.

A spokesperson for Irlam and Cadishead Academy said: "The minor change around uniform was made at the request of a large number of female students and trialled during the previous academic year. The updated policy was communicated to parents before the summer holiday through both letters and the Parent Handbook along with a reminder that students are also able to wear tights or trousers.

"Almost all students wore the correct uniform on the first day of term with over a week's grace period given and uniform provided to any students who did not have the right item. No students have complained to the academy about this change."

The spokesperson added: "Like any school, there is natural movement of staff and over the past year, staff have left the academy for a number of reasons including retirement, choosing to work closer to home and promotions at other schools.

"We have a full team of excellent staff at the academy with subject specialists teaching a broad and wide-ranging curriculum. We are fortunate to have a community of very supportive parents who are working with us as we continue to drive standards and build on our recent Good Ofsted judgement."