PARENTS and pupils at a top Warrington school are threatening to boycott proposed new school uniforms.
Pupils at Lymm High School have already staged several sit down protests against the proposals which have been drawn up by the school's new head teacher Angela Walsh, who joined the school last September.
Several hundred pupils have signed a protest petition while parents have been writing letters of objection to the Head Teacher and school governors.
Parents claim they were not properly consulted, with a meeting to discuss the proposals taking place during the working day. Others are complaining that the school is creating a "monoply" by only having the school shop as an exclusive point of sale.
In a letter to parents Miss Walsh says the current uniform is of poor quality and not worn properly with too many different variations. She also says any family facing financial difficulties will be "fully supported."
But 14-year-old pupil Rachel Frith, who has collected a petition signed by nearly 300 other youngsters, claims pupils were not properly consulted and should have been given the option to vote for retaining the existing uniform.
"The school has failed to taken into consideration the views of pupils and parents and this has created a lot of strong feelings," she said.
In a letter to the Head teacher Mother of three and former Lymm Grammar School pupil Laurie Harter said:"I hope you are now aware that, together with the Board of Governors, you have sparked off far more aggression and disagreements than I have known in the school's history!
"I was a pupil at the school in the late sixties and I believe that the teachers in those days encountered the same problems with uniform as you do today; teachers and Heads had to keep reminding girls why their skirts should remain at a "decent" level, (just above the knee), they had to insist on a practical style for school shoes and check that the boys maintained a neat appearance, even after playing sports.
"We behaved in a similar way to pupils of today, which resulted in regular policing of our general appearance and we frequently faced detention if we were found wearing excessive jewellery or nail varnish.
Another parent Geoff Bate said: "The new uniform will only be available from the school shop which is a monopoly position.
"The school already has a uniform policy, that now permits the purchase of blazers etc from other outlets often at much better quality and price !!
"The current uniform is not strictly enforced by the school, you only need to stand outside the school to view the state of dress of some of the pupils.
If they can not enforce the policy now, what change will a new uniform make ?
If we take the basics, skirt/trousers, shirt and tie that will amount to perhaps around £50~£60 per pupil, with 2,000 pupils this is over £100,000 of money local people have to find to replace the current uniform. In the present economic climate  and credit crunch how can this be justified ?
"My child already has a well turned out uniform that complies with current policy but I will be expected to fork out for new - this can not be allowed to happen!
Despite several phone calls to the school requesting a comment from the Head Teacher none was forthcoming.
Pictures show 14-year-old Rachel Frith with some pupils and parents opposing the new uniforms, the proposed new uniforms pupils have been given a choice of and a sit down protest at the school.
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