Parents and pupils at Sheldon School in Chippen-ham have been consulted on a new dress code for sixth formers, as the school tightens up what students can wear.

Head of sixth form Michael Seeley said: “We are an 11 to 18 school, not a sixth form college, so we want our young people to dress appropriately for that environment.

“We already have a dress code, but a number of students have said it is not clear enough.

“We decided to consult first with our current Year 11s and 12s, as they will be the ones most affected next term, and then with parents.

“The deadline for the parents’ questionnaire has only just ended, so we will be spending the next couple of weeks looking at the results.”

Parents were asked whether they thought boys should wear a shirt, tie and jacket or if they should be allowed to wear jeans and sweatshirts.

They were also surveyed on what they believed was appropriate attire for the girls at sixth form level.

Mr Seeley said it was very unlikely the change would mean sixth formers having to wear the sort of business attire favoured by some private schools for their older students.

He said: “It is likely that the changes will not be too drastic and jeans and sweatshirts will still be considered appropriate, but the jeans will have to be smart ones and sweatshirts will have to be plain.”