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'Girls shouldn't have to wear skirts to school'

Andrew McNair and Robbie Meredith
BBC News NI
NICCY Astrid Knox has red curly hair and is wearing a a black and green hoody. Rhea Flood has long dark hair and is wearing a sage green hoody. They are sitting at a kitchen table holding a children's commissioner report entitled 12 rights for children. NICCY
Astrid and Rhea drove a policy change on skirts at their school

Two school girls from County Fermanagh are campaigning for legislation to force schools to offer girls a choice between skirts and trousers.

Rhea and Astrid successfully campaigned for Enniskillen Integrated Primary School to allow girls to wear trousers, and said it's "weird and unfair" that some schools still enforce skirts.

They are taking their case to Stormont's education committee on Tuesday afternoon as part of a hearing into broad changes to school uniform law.

Education Minister Paul Givan told BBC News NI the decision lies with individual schools and their boards of governors.

Some schools in Northern Ireland already allow girls to have a choice between trousers and skirts.

Enniskillen Integrated Primary was prompted to change its policy after Rhea and Astrid contacted Dr Mairead Ryan, whose research outlined a relation between school uniforms and physical activity.

In a letter to the school, Dr Ryan said: "Gendered uniforms can limit girls' movement and engagement in physical activities."

"Uniform items like dresses and skirts can restrict certain movements and inhibit young girls from climbing, jumping, and participating in other forms of active play that are crucial for their development," she added.

'It felt wrong. It's 2025'

Rhea Flood standing against a white wall. She has long dark hair and brown eyes.
Rhea said 'it felt wrong' to be forced to wear a skirt to school

Rhea said: "I didn't really like being made to wear a skirt, it just felt wrong. It's 2025.

"It's quite hard to run around without your skirt blowing up in the wind," she added.

"All schools have the power to change it so if you have the power, then I think you probably should."

Astrid said: "I think its important to have the choice for our privacy and for our comfort.

"It's weird that some schools don't give you the choice to wear trousers. It's a bit old school."

'Girls shouldn't have to wear skirts to school'

'Comfort and practicality'

A woman is standing in front of a large blue curtain. She has wavy blond hair and has glasses resting on her head. She's wearing a navy pinstriped dress and a navy and white jacket.
Principal Noella Murray, from St John the Baptist's College, says the pupils want to be able to choose

St John the Baptist's College in Portadown, County Armagh, gives their pupils a choice between wearing skirts or trousers.

Principal Noella Murray said the idea initially came from pupils on the student council.

"Our pupils are never backwards about coming forward with their opinions and suggestions, and one of the reasons they put forward was comfort and practicality," she said.

"They felt that in their everyday lives their preference was to wear trousers rather than skirts so that was a good rationale and we accepted it."

'It's comfortable'

A teenage girl is standing in school. She has long auburn hair. There our board with art on them behind her. She's wearing her school uniform.
Rhiannon, who's 16, thinks all schools 'should give that choice' to pupils

One of the pupils is Rhiannon who likes to wear trousers to school.

"I think it's really good for students to have that choice and individuality," she said.

The 16-year-old added: "It helps me focus on my academics, it's really comfortable so it makes it easier to focus and I'm just a person who would wear trousers.

"I do think (all schools) should give that choice, as it entitles them to the same choice to wear trousers as anyone else."

'Express themselves'

A schoolgirl is smiling into the camera. Her uniform is blue. She's wearing glasses. Art is hangin on the walls behind her.
Molly, 13, thinks 'it's a good option for us so that everybody can express themselves'

Another pupil from St John the Baptist's College is 13-year-old Molly.

She said the choice of wearing a skirt or trousers allows girls to "express themselves as their own individual person".

"I've chosen my skirt because I really like just the way it fits me and I just think it's more comfortable," she said.

"I think that is a very good option and I'd like to see all schools introduce it."

'Everybody's different'

A schoolgirl is standing with art behind her. Her brown hair is in a plait. Her school uniform is blue.
Annie, 14, says 'I think it's important because everybody's different'

Another pupil who chooses to wear a skirt is Annie who says "it really comes down to if you feel comfortable in trousers or skirts".

The 14-year-old said: "We've got a very big variety of students wearing trousers and skirts and it's very good to see."

"I wore the school skirt because I think our school uniform's very smart and the skirts suits me the most I think, and it's very comfortable for me."

PA Media Paul Givan in a dark coloured suit and white shirt in conversation in a school hall. There are school pupils behind him, and a blue curtain. He has short gray hair. PA Media
Givan says the decision lies with individual schools and their boards of governors.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's The Nolan Show, Education Minister, Paul Givan, said: "Whenever it comes to decisions should I then give the legal right for a child to say I'm going to wear a school tie or not."

When challenged, he said "I'm widening it out, because it can't be taken in isolation between a trouser and a skirt."

The committee hearing on Tuesday will examine wide ranging changes proposed to the law around school uniforms.

It includes proposals to make school uniforms more affordable, and limiting the amount of branded items which parents and retailers have said drives up the cost.