School Uniform Policy
Thanks to the work of Girls’ Uniform Agenda’s NSW representative Alison Boston, the NSW Department of Education has changed its School Uniform Policy. Revised in July 2018, the new policy and procedure explicitly states that girls must be offered shorts and pants.
Key sections are:
1.4 All students should have the opportunity to access the full range of school activities, including physical activities while wearing a school uniform, and girls must have the option to wear shorts and pants.
1.9 A school uniform should include items that are affordable, comfortable, made from easy-care fabrics, appropriate for activity and suitable for all body shapes.
School Uniform Guidelines
In addition, the departmental guidelines that accompany the policy are important. Under ‘Wellbeing factors to be considered’, it states that “Short and pants options are available, including specific options for girls”.
These policies and guidelines make it clear that girls MUST be offered shorts and pants. This decision is no longer at the discretion of individual schools.
The DoE school uniform policy can be found here:
https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/policies/school-uniform-policy
The DoE School Uniforms in New South Wales Government Schools Guidelines can be found here:
https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/associated-documents/schuniforms.pdf
Letter for Education Department
If your school is not following the Department’s policy, or you think the policy is inadequate to ensure shorts and pants are made available to girls, write to the department so that they can take action.
Use our letter template that can be downloaded and edited here.