Students at secondary schools should be allowed to wear smart shorts as uniform

Rejected 13 signatures

What the petition asks

we would like the government to ensure that students at schools in the UK are permitted to wear smart shorts as part of their school uniform during the increasingly hot months.

Many students feel as if they are boiling alive in their school uniform trousers, this is basic health and safety - there are students fainting and being unwell because of the excessive heat suffered in schools, many schools do not have air conditioning and temperatures in classrooms regularly hit over 30 degrees. Students will be able to work more efficiently in cool, smart shorts - shorts are a cheaper alternative to trousers, this would encourage improved attendance and happiness.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

School uniform policy is a matter for schools themselves.

The Government sets guidance on school uniform policy. This recommends that schools "take a sensible approach to allow for exceptions to be made during extreme weather – for example, allowing pupils to wear shorts in very hot weather or allowing trousers to be worn instead of skirts in very cold weather."

You can read more about this here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform/school-uniforms

You could reach out to a particular school to request they change their policy.

Timeline

16 Jun 2025	Petition opened for signatures
14 Jul 2025	Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 13

Status Rejected

Rejected 14 Jul 2025

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