A Barking school has defended its uniform policy after parents said they were "disgusted" at the rules stipulated for female students.

Letters were handed out to parents of female sixth formers at Barking Abbey School last month regarding school uniforms.

An equivalent letter was not sent to male members of the student body, the school confirmed, and the girls were also informed of the uniform policy in a separate assembly.

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According to the school, the guidance was delivered jointly between a group of female students and school staff.

The letters stipulated that skirt length "must be just above the knee and not any higher" and that tights are compulsory in the winter term.

One mother of a sixth former said: "When I drop my daughter off, I see boys with their trousers hanging down to their ankles.

"They’re allowed to walk around the school like that and yet [for] my daughter or her friends if they are walking around with skirts on – with tights – that’s an issue…

"I’ve seen schools moan about skirt length but in the 21st century should you actually be speaking about a woman’s skirt?"

The mother continued: "It’s disgusting… It makes [my daughter] feel like she’s the problem."

The mother claimed that one sixth former started crying after a male member of staff pulled her out of a lesson to discuss the length of her skirt.

A spokesperson for Barking Abbey School said that the school already had a uniform policy for sixth form students, dictating what they are expected to wear.

The school said that the issue of uniforms had been raised by a group of female students who had come to the school leadership team to ask for clarification around skirt length.

The spokesperson continued: "These pupils then worked together to agree guidance, plan an assembly and deliver it to students with staff support.

"It is an excellent example of female leadership in action and the school is rightly proud of this group of young leaders.

"The school communicated the decision and offered support to any pupil or family that needed help with the clarification to our policy."

Another mother of a sixth former said her daughter was "really upset… that the boys had a separate talk".

She said her daughter questioned why the boys did not receive equivalent instructions.

The mother continued: "We just want better thought to go into this process before it’s happening in the middle of the year.

"Mocks are coming up, their exams are coming, this is not an issue I would want my daughter thinking about - her uniform and the way she looks.

"It doesn’t make her feel comfortable."

The school spokesperson added: "Barking Abbey has a very large sixth form with over 600 pupils.

"We have high expectations of conduct, uniform, results and destinations."