AIBU to question strict primary school uniform rules for children?

I’m sure government legislation states schools are to limit the number of branded/logo’d items? If they aren’t you should challenge it l.

My God daughters school the pe kit has to be oneills... a branded sports wear brand as school has contract.... a plain polo from m&s is not allowed

I went to school in a country with no school uniform. As a child of not very well off parents, it was hell. Not having the “right” clothes and shoes was punished on a daily basis. Costs to parents were enormous.
Both my cousins are teachers in my home country, and apparently nothings has changed. If you don’t have the right shoes, bag, cost, trousers, too (and several of them, changing 2-3 times a year), you are laughing stock. It costs many hundred pounds, several times a year (plus weekend wear, which of course has to be different)

I personally think primary uniform should be more suited to playing. Young children are so active and playful and that should be encouraged. The uniform we have for PE days would be absolutely fine for every day in my opinion. School logo PE t shirt and school jumper with shorts or joggers and trainers.
Children don’t need to be wearing fancy shoes or suit trousers. It’s not appropriate at all for what children do all day long. It’s also not comfortable.

It's massively helpful to keep it simple. Generic grey school trousers and polo tops can be bought in multi-packs cheaply, can be used over-and-over for successive children if they don't get destroyed by robust play, and are not grieved if they do. Nobody gets to wear an expensive favourite outfit for school and then have a major row because someone spilled red paint on it. nobody gets stigmatised on the basis of the clothes they can afford. No parents have to deal with outfit-related arguments in the mornings.

We have a uniform, but due to our demographic it is not ‘strictly’ enforced…but…we get children turning up in things that are just not appropriate for school or the weather.( The amount of sequinned sports gear we see on p.e.days!)
And people DO send their kids in expensive branded things, especially coats, then complain if they get mucky, or lost ( god forbid they should put their names in anything!) A huge amount of our day is spent returning things ( or trying to… but no name tags) that are abandoned at break and lunchtime!
On non-uniform days, we get kids dressed as if they’re going clubbing!
But at primary age, it’s the parents that are competitive more than the children themselves!

As someone who work in a school. Uniforms are way more comfortable and practical than some of the things they choose to wear on non uniform days! Clothes they can't go to the loo in or fasten themselves. Shoes they cant run outside in the list is endless!

I'm all foe the simple uniform or polo tops sweatshirt/cardigan... trousers/skirt/pinafore

Most primaries around here aren’t particularly strict (including the big-name private ones). Grey skirt or trousers (can be joggers), white polo, jumper/cardigan/fleece. Black shoes, which can be trainers (and most primary boys’ school shoes are essentially black leather trainers anyway).

“…and they’re not that expensive (unless the school insists on logo-d everything”

Which they won’t be allowed to do in England as of 1 September.

When I started primary I had to wear shirt tie and blazer. Aged 4.
I much prefer the current polo shirt and jumper option.

I've never seen school uniform as a problem. It helps set boundaries.

Our primary school doesn’t have uniforms and I am so happy and thr kids are also happy. I get them second hand joggers and hoodies and they can destroy them all they want in the playground.

Mine is strict and I'm not that happy with it.

Uniform at Primary is cheap and durable.

It's easier to spot them all on school trips!😄

Primary I wore shirt, tie, cardigan and skirt with school shoes from aged 4. Ds had shirt, tie, v neck jumper and trousers for winter, and polo shirt (logo), v neck jumper (logo) and shorts for summer. Then shirt, tie, trousers and blazer for secondary. School uniform around here is the norm. Much prefer it to non uniform!

And yes, as others have said. Check out the school uniform policy before sending them there. Or home school.

I'm more than happy with school uniform. I've worked in schools that didn't have uniform and it eventually caused lots of issues. Either children dressed very scruffily, or little girls tweaked into frilly dresses. And later, social group distinctions in dress as well as the need to enforce reasonable standards which are then manipulated ridiculously (boys with muscle tops showing nipples and girls in scrunch bum leggings).

DC's school allows polo tops (which are just t-shirts really) and sweatshirts with logo. Easily picked up 2nd hand. And if you shop carefully, it's possible to find stretchy trousers which look smart but are as comfy as jogging bottoms.

IMO parents that kick off about uniform are those parents who will insist their little darling has done no wrong despite multiple witness to the contrary.

@aliumbear Your post seems pretty general, rather than my specific to one school. Are you planning to take on the whole establishment?

if you don’t like the school uniform
policy of one school, then choose another. I think it’s alot easier, and they’re not that expensive (unless the school insists on logo-d everything).

Amazingly after spending all their school days with no uniform and usually dressing in jeans and a hoodie, DT’s have successfully managed to navigate graduate jobs without any difficulty. Same as their cousins in France, Belgium and the US. They don’t need to look like mini Jacob Rees Mogs to do well at school. Much better to be comfortable for the school day.

More school bashing.

If you don’t like the uniform, don’t send your kid there. School uniforms have been around for a long time. Hundreds of thousands of kids (and parents) over the years have just got on with it. When I was in reception, you had to wear a shirt and tie, not a polo. Girls couldn’t even wear trousers in those days. No black trainers either, you had to have proper shoes.

And teachers are grown ups who have been through school themselves. Why do you think they should be made to wear what the children wear? Yet more hatred towards teachers I see.

If people think the education system is so dreadful and schools are so awful, then either home educate your kids, or perhaps don’t have them at all. No-one forced you to have children to send to all these awful schools with dreadful teachers!

Sorry to go off on a bit of a rant there but this forum is just a constant barrage of people slagging off schools, the education system and teachers.

DD went to a primary with no uniform. We live in a very mixed income area (council estate next to million pound plus houses). It worked really well, no comparison of clothes and they basically all wore the same stuff - t shirt and leggings for girls and tracksuit bottoms for boys. Kids didn’t seem to notice which shop their leggings came from.

My kids’ primary school just asked for grey trousers or skirts, white polo shirts and royal blue jumpers. Cheap and comfy but with all the kids looking smart and united. Perfect compromise.

I think it sets the tone for children to learn to dress smart as adults. My boys have been in proper shirts and shorts with an ironed crease in from age 2. The girls from age 2 are in blouses, pinafore and long white socks which they stay in until 14.

I hate seeing scruffy children going to school. How you present yourself as an adult affects how you are perceived. Children need to learn this.

Going round in tracksuit bottoms is very different to a pressed shirt.

I think school uniform is a god send - easy on in the morning and super cheap from any local supermarket. If you don’t like it pay for a (very rare) private school that doesn’t have it or home school. In the overall scheme of things it is the absolute least of worries at school.