To think that switching to polo shirts makes the school uniform look low-rent?

I get where you’re coming from but at my company many of the men now wear polo shirts, particularly the Americans and even sometimes the French! I think for primary school it’s more practical.
I think there are probably more pressing issues facing us right now, if I’m honest.

Ds wore polo shirts all through school. However I bought 100% cotton polos from M&S. They were thicker & better quality than the polycotton shirts ordered direct from school. Washed & tumble dried beautifully and the colour didn't fade.

When he went to secondary school there was the option of choosing black or white polos, or white shirts. He usually preferred a black polo as felt it looked smarter if not wearing a jumper. I bought the 100% cotton from Asda and again they washed beautifully.

I think having the 100% cotton ones made a huge difference with them staying nice, not stretching or shrinking, through the year. No problem with the collars not sitting right either.

My sons went with Polo shirts and school jumpers from junior school to secondary. Always looked smart, the polo shirts lasted well

Ours is a tshirt or polo and hoodie in a variety of colours. Trousers or jeans or jogging bottoms need to be black or blue..but nobody really checks. Most kids wear trainers.
They can also wear school uniform dresses or cardigans or jumpers, but most people don't.
Doesn't stop our kids from learning and they don't look scruffy. We are an academically selective independent school. Same uniform for primary and secondary.

Not true at my grandson's school. When I pass the school at break time there are always boys (mainly) playing football, him amongst them.

DS attended two primary schools — one a traditional, rather formal, C of E school with a shirt, tie and jumper, the other a school with no uniform or dress code at all, where the children were on first-name terms with all staff from the TAs to the Head. No societal meltdowns or poor educational outcomes at either.

I'm of the view that children at school should be tidy ( at least when they arrive in the morning) and comfortable. The definition of smart seems to vary from person to person.
I was once in an historic town in the midlands as high school children were coming out of school. Their uniform was unisex; long sleeved stretchy t shirt and jogging bottoms. It was the most suitable uniform I've ever seen.

Wonderful and now let’s change to jeans and be done with the silly uniform.

I think as long as they are clean and ironed they look fine. One of our local prep schools has polo shirts right up to year 6 and then shirts and ties for years 7 & 8. My eldest’s first school wore blue polo shirts and they were comfy if a little thick and hot in the summer (as they were logo-ed ones so were good quality). Youngest’s prep had short sleeved shirts and ties and they were just as comfy and perhaps a bit cooler in the summer. They wore shorts all year round though and some parents complained about that (my boys had never known any different and it was the norm when I was that age and my brother was at prep school).

This

They were £18 each at DSs secondary school. Then they changed the logo after he left so I couldn't even sell them on. They were hardly worn thanks to covid.

I hate school uniform in general - but the idea of wearing ties in primary school is just ludicrous. Why?? On what planet is that necessary? School uniforms are virtually unknown in say France or Italy - does that automatically lead to societal meltdowns or poor educational outcomes? It’s a bizarre Anglo hangover from the past….

In 26 years of primary teaching, I've always worked in schools with polo shirts. They are 100% cotton so much more comfortable and they do wash well.

I think the obsession with appearance over performance is dying out.
There, sorted.

I think the art of dressing appropriately and professionally for work is dying out.

This is what my DCs primary school had. Trousers/shorts/skirt/pinafore. White shirt/blouse or polo. Navy jumper/sweatshirt with or without the logo. They had a tie if they wanted it. Summer dress for girls. They looked fine.

Both my DSs chose shirts and ties for the first few years. Weirdos that they were.

Tell me you don’t do your own ironing without telling me you don’t do your own ironing 😂

Not a lot of people wear a shirt and tie everyday in their job. Even most CEO’s are in jeans and a polo these days. DD hated school shirts - they always gape for large chested girls and are so thin they have no privacy. A polo shirt would have been much more practical and modest.

“My DC are annoyed” I’ll take things that didn’t happen for £200 please Bob!

Quite, it's ridiculous. For secondary kids too. The argument about preparing them for the world of work is nonsense too, especially since they can usually wear their own clothes in the 6th form, and whatever they like at 6th form college and university. It's just old-fashioned and silly.

People in other countries must think we are very quaint and a bit bonkers. The kids definitely do. I run exchange trips at my school and the French, German and Spanish kids are baffled and amused by our uniforms. They all go to school in normal clothes and neither their behaviour nor their learning seem to suffer, oddly enough.

Unlike people sitting in an office, primary school children run around, climb on climbing frames etc. Polo shirts are stretchier and more comfortable for moving around. Adults who do physical jobs don't tend to wear collared cotton shirts, tailored trousers and blazers.

At primary I think polo shirts are fine. At secondary I'd personally prefer a shirt, even if open necked, plus jumper.

I think it’s more important that children, particularly at primary school are comfortable. I prefer the polo shirt and sweatshirt to more formal wear. Some of the blazers, shirts, ties etc don’t look comfortable at all.