Ashford Academy - Part Two

if you've missed the prologue, read it here

if you've missed part one, read it here

The first week at Ashford was mainly 'getting to know you' and drawing up their time table for each day's classes. Once in school Michael didn't feel too self conscious about the uniform. However walking to and from school, he was subject to the occasional tease from the kid's who attended the 'normal' schools. He was keen to change out of his uniform as soon as he returned home, however come the second week at Ashford, Michael’s mother had a different idea.

“Oh Mu-um!” He moaned as he stood in the kitchen, “Do I have too?”

“Yes Michael, you do.” She replied, making him space to work at the dining table. “If you've got homework I want you to get on with as soon as you arrive.”

“I will... after I've changed... it'll only take a minute.” He pleaded.

His mother glanced down at his short culottes, his pale legs, his white socks and Mary Jane's. “School isn't over until your homework is complete.” She stated, pulling a chair out for him. “Plus, I like seeing you in your uniform.” She smiled.

Ashford Academy - Part One

if you've missed the prologue, read it here

The first term of the new uniform regulations began after the Easter break. Rules regarding overcoats had also been tightened up, with both boys and girls wearing the school double breasted 'dress' coats which just and so covered both the boy's shorts and the girl's skirts.

It's safe to assume every boy felt nervous and self conscious on their first day back at school, their short culottes hung more like a skirt and coupled with white knee socks and black t-bar sandals, they were dressed almost identical to the girls and they knew it. Some of the boys complained at how cold their legs felt, in spite of it being spring time. This gave the girls an edge over the boys, being used to wearing their skirts all though the winter, and either teased the boys for being soft, or suggested they wear tights instead of their knee socks!

The strict uniform rules had an immediate positive affect on some of the boy's work and attendance; regular truants stayed in school and the usually boisterous boys kept their heads down, Neville Hughes included. After the first 18 months, Ashford Academy achieved record pass rates and the Ofsted report put the school high in the national league tables.

The tabloid press had a short lived field day when they got wind of the new uniform rules the school had adopted, with headlines such as 'Boys Will Be Girls' and 'Bonkers Head Bans Boys Pants!'. The broadsheets however printed more rational articles and prompted serious debates about the benefits and drawbacks of the new uniform rules at Ashford Academy. The issue was also raised on Radio 4's Any Questions and Any Answers programmes.

Although many locals began to nickname Ashford Academy 'the girls school', it was well known that the school was a very good one. So much so it was becoming increasingly hard to get a place for those outside of the school's catchment area. In two years, Ashford Academy has risen from a good school, to an excellent one and as such has become a popular choice for parents... yet the last place on earth any boy in the town would choose to attend.