Just read the bloody uniform policy!!!

Workplaces with wired uniform rules and horrible materials?

Supermarkets , building sites ( the footwear and headgear there can be most uncomfortable especially in warm weather )

This is about shoes not asking to take a jacket off which is a different issue

I can turn up to work wearing pretty much what I like? How do children in other countries learn?

There could be a uniform that allowed for disabled pupils and sensory needs. That wasn’t so uncomfortable.

My kids school are strict within their rules, but the rules are, IMO, reasonable.

Softer soled shoes, rather than "dress shoes" are allowed - my kids walk 2 miles each way, so there is no way fancy shoes would last 5 minutes. No logos and plain black. Those with kickers just cut the little red / green label off and they're fine. We've found Clarks have the best for mine after some trial and error.
Only thing with logo required is the blazer, and they sell the badge cheaply that you can iron onto any blazer you want as long as navy blue. They encourage the logo'd tshirt for PE, but this is only £5.50 so not budget breaking, but plain white tshirts also allowed. No designer "handbags" allowed, but this was due to a lot of bullying that went on with the girls around bags - so the kids own fault!

I went to a school with very lax uniform - white or pale blue shirt, dark grey skirt, dark grey jumper. This was always pushed to the max and was such a huge competition it was hideous. A friend went to a high school with no uniform, and it sounds like it was even worse there - daily arguments over the days outfit choice with parents, bitching about labels amongst the kids. I'm totally pro sensible uniform.

Loads of countries don’t have school uniform. I never did. Uniforms create far more problems than they solve.

The counties I know with limited bullying and no uniform tend to be very socialist counties - less egotistic than the uk

I mean why should it mater what shoes you wear works both ways doesn't it ? If it doesn't matter then just wear the uniform

By refusing to wear the uniform you are making a statement that it matters to you what you wear on your feet beyond confront and practicality ( ballet flats !)

Totally agree. My high school had no uniform policy in the 90s and I spent years being bullied as my mum refused to conform to brands so I was ridiculed for my crap brand trainers etc. The whole point of uniform is to stop this happening and make all kids equal so the irony that parents are spending a fortune on branded gear when they don't have to is ridiculous. And then citing Cost of Living. Give me strength.

I don’t know many workplaces that require you to wear a polyester suit and ask permission to take your jacket off.

most workplaces now have virtually no dress code. I can wear what I like as long as it isn’t offensive. It’s such an old fashioned view.

again how to children in Europe learn this self co merlo without uniform?

Tracksuits are comfortable, practical and durable. Most secondary school uniforms are none of the above.

I went to a non-uniform school on the continent and wasn't bullied, despite being a 'poor' student. I bought most of my clothes from C&A, not exactly known for being fashion forward.

DH who went to a uniformed British school was mercilessly bullied.
This idea that uniforms prevent bullying is ludacris.

Imagine spending £100 or more on some unsupportive, flimsy ballet flats (or any school shoes for that matter). Hilarious.

Serves the dumb parents right.

Not everyone can afford VW flats or expensive Nike trainers. These things don't only get stolen (leading to endless complaints) but other children without are affected.

Children need to know that there are rules to follow if life. You can't just turn up to work and do as you please - you get fired.

I accept I’m a minority but I’m all in favour of strict smart uniform policies which don’t allow expensive labels. One of the reasons I’m keen on private school. Frankly the kids going to some of our local secondaries look utterly awful - scruffy, no consistency or pride in how they’re turned out. There’s a massive psychological link between dressing smartly and respectfully and learning with that attitude. And it doesn’t have to cost money, it’s the ones with flashy brands and labels on show that look worst. In contrast our local private school requires, for example, plain dark coloured coats, no branding to be on show. Clearly not relevant in a private school setting where almost all kids are financially privileged, but in any school setting I don’t believe clothes should be a way that kids are allowed to show off their relative wealth and make poorer kids feel shit.

I have an autistic child too and the uniform policies are so rigid they don’t take account of sensory issues. So apparently it’s about protecting poor kids but not disabled ones.

Yes it's about control
It's about learning self control

We need to learn control , we need to learn how to behave in a way that doesn't disadvantage others, we have to learn to be ready for work and that includes following rules about clothing , be it for safety reasons or public image reasons or

They’re identifiable as Nike - school policy is no logos.

It’s nonsense though. It doesn’t stop bullying, kids aren’t daft, it’s still pretty clear who the poor kids are.

Most of the world doesn’t wear uniform, how do they manage this rampant bullying?

I think the uniform policy is just to stop kids wearing tracksuits

It's not rocket science to just read the uniform policy but some parents can't even seem to carry out that simple task. The town I live in is full of these posts complaining about their kids being sent home for wearing a pair of 100 quid designer shoes. Scroll back a few posts and these are the same ones who ar complaining about the COL crisis and they are having to use food banks to feed their large and still expanding herd of kids.
But it's not their fault of course........

It can make a difference if you are the real poor kid who can't actually afford the logo branded shoes because kids can be pretty nasty to the poor kids and it singles you out

What is completely bloody ridiculous is that we live in a society where folk have been conditioned to believe that these uniform policies, and the literally insane sanctions posed on children because of the policies are normal. This is not a uniform policy, is is a way to control people, and not for their own good, make no mistake.

Clarks are no good as most of them you can’t remove the insole. He really needs drop heels, as recommended by his physio and very ‘flat’ traditional shoes are no good and very uncomfortable for him. He also has a very narrow ankle, so loads were ruled out for that.

the best for him are Sketchers, the shoes not trained. But they have a black small logo on the side, which is not allowed. same with Ben Sherman. The logo is same colour as the leather, but no logos are allowed.

he’s only a shoe size 6, so we can’t buy adult shoes yet. We went to every shoe place near to us in an attempt to find some.

On my local village Facebook group there is a ranting post about many children being sent home because of uniform violations. Some girls were sent home for wearing trousers that were 'too tight', when the exact same trousers were fine on other kids.

I wish schools would put as much effort into social and emotional education to prevent and deal with bullying, as they put into policing their scratchy, uncomfortable uniforms.

The point of school uniform policy and the need for plain items with no logos, is in part to reduce the bullying that goes on connected to designer labels.

@MariaVT65 children with a Medical need can have uniform exemption but as the parent you talk to the school in June/July, explain the situation and come to an agreement on what shoes/shirts whatever adjustment needs to be made. You don't just let them rock up in the wrong uniform in the September.

School uniform rules are just there so parents and students that feel the need to rebel can do so on an insignificant matter, following rules is essential in a school community as otherwise someone could be hurt so the school hold the line and assert their boundary which helps hold more important safety boundaries later and then can get on with the important work of teaching our children. Its also handy as it shows which parents are going to be an issue as most are able to follow the uniform rules.