School Uniforms?

I like having uniforms in the UK, and I think they can be cheaper and easier than wearing own clothes. But only when the school is sensible and the uniform can be bought unbranded from supermarkets etc.

Our primary only requires that the jumper/ cardigan is branded. The rest is plain polo / grey trouser / white t for PE etc that can be bought very low cost or easy to source second hand.

Secondary could take a leaf out of the primary's book though - they not only require branded everything (except white shirt and black trousers) everything, from the blazer and tie to every item of the PE kit has to be house colour and/or house logo-ed.

Not only does this mean 90% of the uniform has to come from a specific supplier at considerable expense, it also makes it harder to get the size you need second hand as you need the right size AND house for your child. PITA, expensive and totally unnecessary IMO.

I personally think that all schools should have a very similar uniform especially primary schools. Simple cheap and practical. Black trousers, white polo/t-shirt and school coloured jumper/cardi, footwear should be trainers.

That's said, I'd be very unhappy about trackies being worn as uniform for normal daily school wear, I think they are scruffy and only to be worn for sport or relaxing at home.

Our school is really sensible about uniform, it just has to be a grey dress, skirt or trousers, a polo shirt, a blue jumper or cardi and black shoes. All items with a logo are optional and the pta are really active in terms of organising second hand uniform sales.
I think a uniform is a good idea, but I disagree with the shirt, tie and blazers that some schools enforce, often all needing a logo that costs a fortune. Hardly anyone I know wears full suits these days, so I don't believe they are appropriate for children.

Not necessarily. Here in Australia, uniforms used to be compulsory, but now some schools are ditching them. The kids are apparently adopting a smart/ casual approach, with no " fashion parade demands "being experienced.

Wait u til high school when the sports kit alone is £250+ to be worn an hour a week. Bloody ridiculous. At least in primary you can go to Asda! More pressure needs to be put on schools to make it affordable. High school prices are a joke.

My kids go to a school without uniform (we're in the UK). I've never heard of kids being picked on for not having the latest thing. If anything, it's the opposite. Because they wear their own clothes everyday, they just turn up in practical clothes. No embarrassing changing for PE and no expensive uniforms and school shoes to buy.

I agree but does it have to be blazers and ties. Why not polo shirts and trackies

No school uniform and this really isn’t an issue. The kids aren’t wearing designer labels much here, I’d say girls are in primark stuff predominately! My boys wear joggers and plain black hoodies.

I went to school in the states and I found the opposite to be true . Because there was so much opportunity for dressing however you like - there was less focus on brands because you could express yourself in lots more ways. If it was something you cared about, you could get a smaller branded piece like a T-shirt. I notice here kids wanting branded items end up with the shoes, coats and bags which are the higher cost items.

That describes three of my towns primary schools at least I suspect that it's a lot more we tend to be fairly generic

Our primary school used to have logo jumpers etc and ties (even from reception!) but changed it just before DD started. Now it's non-logo, no ties in any year group. However they did send out a letter at the end of term stating how they will be more strict with uniform this year... Hoping that means for items that clearly aren't uniform and not for a slightly wrong shade of navy (gingham dresses are a particular nightmare for summer - DD struggles with the little buttons so try and get zip ones but navy ones are impossible to get hold of so had to go for as dark a blue I could find!)

The bit that made me chuckle was that they would raise it with the child first... DD is 5 and can barely remember what she had for lunch let alone a uniform 'violation' 🙄

4 schools where I live one wears blue another green, the other purple and then red, so without emblems you know what school they attend 🤣

Go for a run in suit trousers or skirt and blazer then and tell us how it feels 🙄

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2417240-school-uniforms-may-prevent-children-from-getting-enough-exercise/ 2024 research

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8386814/ sources 46-51 2021 review

My parents didn't wear uniform to primary school in the 60s.

I love school uniform. It just saves so much worry and arguments in the morning. I have two kids at secondary. It's not that expensive, the blazers last ages and there is a brilliant second hand uniform shop run by the PTA.

My eldest loves not having to think in the morning. She's worried about sixth form because she will have to plan her own clothes.
My youngest pushes all the uniform boundaries by shortening the skirt and adding Jewellery etc. but I have no problem with this on non uniform days she takes ages to plan her outfit and stresses about what to wear and if she has the same labels (Nike etc. ) as her friends. I couldn't deal with that everyday and it would be way more expensive than uniform. I love that uniform equals every child, no making fun of someone because they can't afford the latest fashion.

DT’s went to a non uniform school from ages 4-18. No one cared what anyone else wore. Designer gear wasn’t a thing. Much better for everyone - no time wasted on policing ridiculous uniform policies, much cheaper and more practical.

Europeans manage to cope with none uniform

Our European neice and nephew (left UK before school age) are always shocked that our kids wear uniform.

I am a firm believer if a school is going to keep uniform then make it comfortable in secondary so polos and leggings etc. In year 10/11 career lessons incorporate one lesson on business wear. Encourage a catwalk, let their imaginations fly, make it fun etc. So few careers would you wear a suit and tie for nowadays but smart casual is harder to know what to wear for.

Interestingly, when I went to high school in Vancouver. (Age 14 to 18) We had a school assembly directly telling us not to wear our sports/team kits, school hoodies or anything that would identify the school we went to when off of school property unless at another for a match. We only had branded logoed team and pe kit. We were also asked not wear them during summer vacation or at the weekend for our safety. Everything else was non uniform.

This was in the early 00s and seen as risk then, although in a different country and system completely.

Will ask friends over in the States and Canada if this is still true.

I agree with a uniform...

If a school wants to have a uniform, fantastic.

Make the teachers wear them too.
"Oh but they're adults, they can wear what they like..."
Can't enforce the rules of you can't follow the rules.. ant kids to promote the vision and look of the school... So should teachers and staff..

But I do broadly agree with uniforms, but, they should be standardized across the UK and easily available from Supermarkets, Matalan etc.

Usual-
Black trousers / Skirt
White shirt / blouse
Black Blazer (school emblems optional)
Black shoes / smart trainers

Pe-
Black shorts
White T-shirt

Black Trainers

I grew up in the US where you dint wear a uniform in state schools. But here I like it and my DD lived her uniform. But their first school it was cord shorts/trousers (girls could wear skirts), non branded polo and a branded sweatshirt. Second hand sale every term. The kids looked great. The need for expensive blazers (£95 at last school) and ties seems OTT.

Oh don't get me started on fucking uniform! My son starts yr7 next week and the trousers that he HAS to wear only come in one style (skinny) that are a terrible fit - he went and tried on multiple sizes but theyre just a terrible fit on him.
And they're this awful thick on the verge of denim like fabric which will be way too hot in the summer ( they're not allowed to wear shorts either) urgh I hate it!!!

I agree with having a uniform but even in secondary they should be allowed to wear 'supermarket' bottoms and tops.

Yes, I realise that, but given I know all the local schools just on colour I don’t think the logo is the amazing identifier you think it is. I know from a distance that red jumpers are St A, blue kilts are St B etc, I’m not reading the logos. Anyone interested in pursuing a child for nefarious purposes could very easily figure this stuff out. You’d have to entirely do away with uniform to eliminate this risk.

Since school logos and uniforms are currently everywhere and school leaders, the police, politicians etc aren’t doing anything about it I assume the overall risk is deemed very small. Obviously if it was deemed significant then safeguarding would need to take precedence and school uniforms entirely abolished - but I don’t see any evidence that’s happening.

Uniforms are much better than them having to have the right gear to fit in. We were dirt poor growing up and I felt bad enough about not being able to afford Kickers. I'm glad it was just them. My DD is 8 and already obsessed with wearing her Nike Pro shorts and various other things the kids like.

It's still lowers the risk compared to having a school logo /name that's shouting out hey this is the school I go to .