Primary school uniforms - have they always been a thing?

[HighburyLass]

Wasn't quite sure how to phrase the title so I'll explain!

When I was growing up I didn't know anyone who wore a uniform in primary school. Tho was the 1970s.
My kid's (who are now in their 20s) had uniform introduced while they were in primary, so early 2000s.

Now around here I don't know any primary schools that don't have a uniform.

So interested to know,

Did you wear a uniform and how old are you?
What about your kids? How old are they?

1950s for my parents, 1980s for me. I went to 3 primaries hundreds of miles apart. All uniform.

I was an adult discussing it with friends before I had any idea any UK school used to not have uniform.

I thought it was only those ones you used to see in documentaries where they had no timetable and called the teachers by.their first names.

It still seems weird to me that no uniform was ever a thing here. I've never seen it.

Started school 1979 and my Hampshire state primary school had a uniform including a proper tie from Reception. Looking at the photos though we look a lot less "uniform" than an equivalent class today - white or grey shirts, green or grey jumpers, and then a random cricket jumper or something (we did not play cricket let alone have a cricket kit). Equivalent today would all be decked out in Tescos finest. I suspect school uniform was a lot more expensive in real terms then. I don't remember noticing that not everyone was in uniform let alone any bullying for it but it's very striking in the photos.

I started primary school in 1985 and no uniform. My secondary school didn’t have a uniform until the year I started (1992). DD started school in 2017 and had uniform.

Born on 82. Optional uniform at primary, about 50% wore it?

It wasn't a thing in my county when I started school in approx 1980. In about 1992,they introduced optional logo jumpers (to be worn with any other clothes).

I only know of one school in the area of Brum near me that doesn’t have uniform and it’s an “experimental” primary. It’s all open plan and the classrooms are little alcoves off a main corridor.
it’s been going since the 80s so has to be doing something right

Same.

Born in the 60s and always a uniform, same for my 90s born kids

1950s no uniform. Uniform secondary 1960s.
Son 1980s primary no uniform, 1990s secondary no uniform.

Started school in 1984, no uniform. One was introduced long after DB & I had left.

Same here

I wore a uniform at my primary school in the 80s.

We had optional uniform in the early 90's and by the time I left it was compulsory.

I started primary school in 1979 (which has actually blown my mind, now I've worked it out!) and no uniform.

I was born 1972. All my 3 schools till i left at 16 had a uniform

No uniform in primary. Started 76.

My dad’s school had an optional uniform in the 60s. My mum’s primary in the same town 60s/ early 70s had a mandatory uniform
The 3 primary school my brothers and I went to in the 90s and 00s all had mandatory uniforms as did all the other local schools

I was at primary in the 70s and we had it. But I don’t think you had to wear it. I definitely remember going in normal clothes as well. We had a tie! A proper tie. Didn’t even have that at secondary!

Also, mum’s in her 80s and said they had uniform introduced when she was in primary.

Optional uniform for me in the 80's

DD goes to a non-uniform primary - 3/5 of the schools we looked at for her didn't have uniforms, so clearly it's a thing here. All three have rather better results than the two with uniform; it definitely doesn't mean non-academic. I'm in England; these are LEA primaries.

Blimey, far more uniforms than I was expecting!
I went to a large village primary in the north of England in the 70s, everything's pretty formal (Miss/Mr teacher not first names) but not uniform. Nor did any of the other village schools that fed into our huge comprehensive secondary (which did have a uniform, albeit very slack!)

I started school in 1986 and had uniform. It wasn't my logo's though/ just grey skirts, white blouse, royal blue tie and navy v-neck.

I started school 1960 and always wore a uniform in the various schools I attended. My kids also wore uniform, 1980's and 90's. When I was training to be a teacher I did a placement in London and it seemed that uniform wearing wasn't the norm there. Everywhere else I taught there was uniform.

80s school starter. Yes to uniform, and all local primary schools had uniform too.

I was at primary 1976-1982 and we had no uniform. I'm sure a school sweatshirt was introduced when I was 9 or 10 but it was optional. I never had one.