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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

...to wonder how effective/useful uniforms are at school?

129 replies

azert · 08/09/2024 12:23

I'm from a different country, where children wear their normal clothes at school. There have been talks in my country about whether we should make a change and start wearing a uniform, and some trials in certain regions but it never happened on a national level and I doubt it ever will.

I can see some benefits to the uniform for parents: not having to think about how to dress the kids each day, being able to pass uniforms down to younger children etc. But I don't see many children who love their uniform, I feel like they'd rather wear their normal clothes?

The rules around school uniform seem silly sometimes, and strict about things that are truly not going to be distracting to children's learning. On top of that, the cost of buying uniforms seem to be quite high and on top of that parents have to buy clothes for evenings/weekends/summer holidays and half-terms, so it's like buying two full sets of outfits for each child.

As a parent and as a former teacher, I don't believe it actually does what it's supposed to do, as in put every child on the same level and avoid bullying and comparisons between children whose parents earn more or less money. Kids know these things and talk about them whether they wear uniforms or not, in my eyes it's more about teaching them kindness and respect.

If you're a teacher and pro-uniform, what do you think it brings to children? And if you're against it, why is that?

I'm ready to hear all kinds of thoughts as I don't want to be unreasonable to come from the outside and question a whole system that's been in place for decades!

OP posts:
stripybobblehat · 08/09/2024 12:33

I love uniform. No arguing over what to wear!

cansu · 08/09/2024 12:31

As a teacher I think uniform is a good idea but it needs to be more comfortable and more casual in style. Ties and blazers should be dumped in favour of polo shirts and sweatshirts that are plain and unbranded.

Flossyts · 08/09/2024 12:27

I have 3 primary school kids. It’s definitely cheaper to have school uniform as the younger 2 ruin it so often. I’m glad I don’t need to get annoyed with them for ruining clothes when they’ve clearly had fun with paint/mud at school.
I also appreciate no arguments in the morning with my daughter over which fashionable outfit she’s going to wear (weekends are a pain).
I also like that it doesn’t show the rich kids/poor kids quite as much as other clothes would. No one needs to feel self conscious as everyone looks the same ish.

MiddleParking · 08/09/2024 12:26

How are you coming in from the outside if you’re a parent and have been a teacher?

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