school uniform

[maxpower]

DD started school in Jan. Last week, we were told they've decided to introduce a new school uniform, compulsory from September.

AIBU about the following?

1. They want us to replace the PE bags (only bought in Jan!) - current ones are plain green, they want one with the school logo on it. £7 wasted and lets face it, the children are only seen outside the school with their PE bags on the way in and out at the beginning/end of terms. Wouldn't it be more reasonable to allow the children who currently attend to keep their plain green ones and introduce the branded ones for the new pupils?

1. They are replacing the jumpers/cardigans with ones with the school logo on. But you can only order them through the school once a week. We've been told they won't accept returns. They can't guarantee they'll have all the sizes in stock and available, plus the children are in class when the uniform is being sold, so they can't try them before you buy/order. So if (in good faith) you buy the one you think will be the right size and it doesn't fit, that's £10 down the drain. Shouldn't they allow returns/exchanges if you leave the label on & keep the receipt? I would ahve thought this would fall under distance selling rules if you have to buy something without actually being able to see it beforehand.

MyHipsHurt, why can I find this about not being able to enforce uniform officially written down? I know too many schools (My DC's included) which only have one outlet and insist on embroidered polo shirts, and not plain ones from an M&S 3 pack.

But then if you sign the home school agreement saying you will comply with the uniform, I guess you have agreed to. So how does that work?

HungryPony, it's all about consultation with school uniform, parents should not be forced to buy their children particular items of clothing, for many reasons. Here is a link to the Govt. website. Half way down the page is another link which gives much more detail about what the school and its governors should be doing.

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/SchoolLife/DG_4016078

The home school agreement is another issue, if you don't agree with every word of it then don't sign it until you've thrashed out the issues with the school, otherwise it's used against you most of the time, once you've signed it.

What if you you work? You can't be expected to go in during the school day to buy, surely? What if your little ones aren't responsible enough to try on and chose alone? Ridiculous!

This is why I hate school uniforms in general. £10 for a jumper? You're having a laugh! I just stopped buying DS the school jumper. Got a plain ones in the school colour, in a two pack, for a tenner from woolworths online.

Agree with others not enforcable in a state primary. Distance selling regs etc etc.

In contrast my children's private school changed the uniform last September. There has been a 12 month phasing in/out period. Items are bought either online or via a shop open 3 afternoons a week in school. You have to make appointments to try on but the option is there. In the first initial phase of ordering I think they even let kids out of class to go try on.

Everything is returnable either via the school or postage paid label.

Look at the DCSF guidance on school uniform.

It's misleading to say (as it often is on MN) that primary schools can't insist on school uniform. They can. Para 4 of the DCSF guidance says "Rules on wearing school uniform may be included in the home school agreement." The point is that primary schools have no sanctions to apply if children don't wear the uniform - they can't be excluded and they can't be sent home to change as they might at secondary school (see paras 12 to 14 of the DCSF guidance).

It sounds to me as if the school is not adhering to the DCSF guidance in several areas - lack of consultation, short lead-in time, monopoly supply through the school shop etc.

YANBU if you decide to take this up with the governing body.

Sounds like a scam by the school to make some money

We phased in new sweatshirts and cardigans didn't take long (new navy ones were vastly more practical than the light coloured ones they replaced).
We have official embroidered polo shirts, very expensive and very rarely seen
In fact my DD and now many of the others tend to white blouses. She had them because she had a cast above her elbow and couldn't get into her polo-shirt, but they come in cheap multi packs from Salisbury's etc, look smart and STAY WHITE! (The offical poloshirts and many cheaper plain ones seem to go a different colour to their collars after a while)

The offical ruck sacks are bigger than many of the children, so many children have their own.

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out. I've decided to contact the parent governers in the first instance, as I understand they are the people to complain to about this sort of stuff.

I'm a bit worried about rocking the boat as DD has only just started reception - don't really want a black mark against me! - but I know I'm not and won't be the only one who isn't happy with this.

They have t give a more reasonable length of time or changing over. DD's school changed elements of their unfirm a couple of years ago and we have just over two years leeway where both uniforms were permited

Also state primaries cannot insist on uniform full stop anyway.

You should only have to buy the new items when the old ones wear out or are outgrown. The school is being VVU.

A school in Hertfordshire seems to have the right idea

springmeadschool.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/springmead-school-iron-on-badges/#comments

I would make a formal complaint.

I'm close to complaining because they have subtly changed the uniform again. This means it has been slightly different for each of my 3 children, and my youngest complains that people "get teased if they are wearing the old style", never mind the style before that that DC1 had.

I complained at the senior school when they wanted to change the girls uniform to an ugly blouse (I used the cost argument, the fact they hadn't consulted with the bill-payer (parents) and the fact that I knew those blouses had problems as they come up too short).

Human rights and anti-discrimination issues
While pupils must stick to the school's uniform policy, schools must be considerate to the needs of different cultures, races and religions. Schools must always act reasonably and sensibly in accommodating religious requirements, providing they do not pose a threat to security, safety and learning, or compromise the well-being of the school community.
Schools must not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation or belief.

send her in trousers, y daughter has to wear trousers to school because shes muslim and cat show of her legs, but you dont need an exuse shes been forced ito this because shes a girl and thats not right,she has every right to wear trousers, even joggers for p.e!

sex discrimination, get them for that!

Schools must not discriminate on the grounds of gender

updated advice

agree that the old uniform should be phased out.
our school makes the sew on crests available now which is much better.school jumper costs ?38 and tracksuit is ?49,both poor quality.prefer to buy a few in tesco for ?10 and sew on the crests.

State primary schools CANNOT make school uniform compulsory. You can send your dc's in normal clothes if you want.

Oops, that'll teach me to read the whole thread before posting

Every school I've worked in that has changed uniform has let it change over naturally (so when sweatshirts die over the course of a couple of years)... as for PE bags - might be the areas I've worked in but we count our blessings if we've got a PE KIT in school of any description (and by the end of the year we're praising the heavens if PE pumps actually still fit)!

We've also had school offices with no problems popping down to class to try a couple of different jumpers on a kid, or letting parents come in and do that themselves before school... but some school office ladies can be utter jobsworth dragons as well (thinking of one in particular here).

Hopefully you get a class teacher who (like me) doesn't give a shit about the style of PE bags and ignores it completely... and yes I've ignored rules against trainers and the like toward the end of the year - and had pitched battles with the Head over the ridiculousness of her demanding new school shoes to be bought with one week of the summer term to go.

3rd advert of yours I've now seen Jen!
Reported (again)

www.education-law-update.com/article/school-uniform-policy-race-and-religion-new-guidance

If you sroll past the religious aspect, you come to this:

Sourcing the uniform
Where governors decide that there should be a uniform policy, the new guidance states that it is for the governing body to decide how the uniform should be sourced.

The governing body should be able to demonstrate to parents how best value has been achieved. The governing body should keep the cost of supplying uniform under review. It should also bear in mind that sustainable sourcing can be part of the action that the school can take to support sustainable development.

What to consider when drafting the school policy
The DCSF strongly recommends that when drafting its uniform policy the governing body:

?consult widely on the proposed policy
?consider how the policy might affect each group represented in the school
?consider the time-frame for introducing a new uniform policy or for amending an existing one. The factors should include the length of time before the pupils leave the school and whether expensive items are frequently purchased
?consider a transitional period for phasing out the old uniform
?consider the cost and availability of non-standard sizes
?consider the cost of branded items

In short, branded uniforms should not be more expensive than their high street counterparts. Also, exceptions to be made for non-conformist sizes. (eg my son has size 12 feet and it's a nightmare getting shoes so he has to wear specialist shoes)