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?

I was born in 81 and had uniform from reception my db who was born in 79 also had uniform for the same school. All schools around here did- south wales

No uniforms at primary in our area late 70s to mid 80s. By the time I started working in schools in 1992 nearly every primary had a uniform. Only one school in our county doesn’t have one now.

Started primary at the beginning of the 80s with no uniform, which was common for schools where we lived.

We also had a very relaxed uniform in secondary in the late 80s - grey/ blue/ black trousers or skirt, white collared shirt and blue/black/grey jumper. No school logos or blazer and parents could buy from anywhere

I think we have learnt from this thread

• some schools have uniform and some don't
• since even the oldest amongst us started school this has been the case
• it doesn't seem to be area specific despite some posters saying so, as we have had people from the same area saying all schools had uniform in my area and other people saying none in my (same) area did.

It's been really interesting.

When my parents were at school there were no uniforms at their primary schools but my mum went to a grammar where she had a uniform, my dad went to 'the tech' without a uniform.

This would have been early 1950s.

I wonder what impact WWII and rationing had on uniforms for schools?

If you see film from the 1940s and 1950s you will see a lot of children in fair isle / colour patterned jumpers because when a child outgrew their jumper it could be pulled back and reworked into a bigger jumper / cardigan with some additional yarn.

Yep, you've summed it up! I rarely start threads where so many people respond
Often it's just a little train of thought to myself and I say to myself "I wonder...." and then put it to the mumsnet collective!