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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think school can't really dictate when students can wear coats to school?

59 replies

freddiefrog · 22/12/2012 17:49

Was out with a friend today. One of her children go to the high school we've applied for our eldest DD to attend last year.

Chatting about the school and she mentioned that school tell parents when the students can wear coats to and from school.

I wasn't sure if I had the right end of the stick or not so questioned what she meant and she showed me a text she received from school stating 'students are permitted to wear coats to and from school from the 10th December'

Now, we've had some very wet and fairly cold weather, so surely it's not on for school to insist students have to attend in just a shirt and thin crappy blazer, especially when it's pissing down

We have to provide a very expensive school uniform coat, so surely it should be up to the students to decide whether they're cold or not

Is this kind of thing usual in high school now?

OP posts:

BendyBobsBrusselsSprouts · 22/12/2012 18:18

That's absurd of course.

But then again my 14yr old dd won't wear a coat no matter what I say or what the weather is like. I've stepped away from that particular argument because I was getting no-where. She also moans about being cold. I don't even bother pointing out the connection anymore.

blueemerald · 22/12/2012 18:21

It's funny, I work in a boys' school that has a girls' school next door and I would estimate that 80% of the girls wear some kind of Barbour style jacket. The boys don't tend to wear jackets in as high a numbers, maybe 50% wear a generic black coat.

Original poster

freddiefrog · 22/12/2012 18:29

I hadn't seen any wearing coats, so assumed it was by choice, but then in the last week or so have seen them in coats - I'm now assuming it was because they couldn't.

I'll have to do some digging, I've got no children there yet, so it's all new to me.

OP posts:

TheCrackFox · 22/12/2012 18:31

The pettiness of school rules never ceases to amaze me.

In saying that the teenagers round here never wear a coat to high school (2yrs ago when it was -12c they all miraculously wore them - their parents aren't negelctful). It makes me feel a tad sad as DS1 starts high school next August and I don't want him all cold and wet but obviously I don't want everyone taking the piss out of him.

KindleMum · 22/12/2012 18:32

DS's primary dictates when the compulsory and practical warm waterproof uniform coats are worn but to be fair to them, the dictate seems to be used to ensure that coats are brought to school when it is cold - as many parents seem to figure that if they drop their small child off by car then it doesn't need a coat - hence child freezes at playtime!

HECTheHallsWithRowsAndFolly · 22/12/2012 18:32

I would be asking from what date the staff are allowed to wear coats and if there are no restrictions, I would want to know why, and why they think it's acceptable to allow children to go cold.

It's a bloody stupid rule and one that ought to be challenged.

UKSky · 22/12/2012 19:06

So you have to buy a school issue coat and then your child is not allowed to wear it?

Speak to the head and if you get no joy , go to the governors

Startail · 22/12/2012 19:18

Ignore,
It's impossible for the teachers to police off site.

Our lot go on and in about skirt length doesn't make a huge difference.

VivaLeBeaver · 22/12/2012 22:29

Agent zigzag, oop north rather than south of France.

I can remember as a teen going clubbin round 'Boro and I never wore a coat. Nobody did. 2am, snowing and we'd walk 2 miles down the main drag back home rather than get a taxi.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 22/12/2012 23:02

My 13yo DS Essex Boy won't wear a coat unless I physically wrestle him into it.
I see loads of pupils wearing coats and feel justified.

Little bugger leaves it in his locker though, so skips home in his blazer.

whathasthecatdonenow · 22/12/2012 23:09

I've got a Year 8 form. 2 out of 30 wear a coat. Another 3 or 4 try to get away with hoodies. They all try to stuff their blazer in their bags, just wearing their school jumper and of course bare legs in a tiny skirt for the girls. We are in a cold and wet northern county. Getting them into correct uniform takes most of my form period in a morning.

A restriction on coats is ridiculous. We do have a 'no scarfs after May' rule as for the last couple of years some girls were still wearing them in July!

AgathaTrunchbull · 22/12/2012 23:54

This is a daft rule and certainly isn't one we have at my school. Thought this madness was only enforced by control-freak primaries. Having said that, have to agree with posters above that teenagers seem to think coats are unnecessary even in the dead of winter (hats, on the other hand...). Complain in writing (involve other parents if possible) to the HT, then to governors. Is there a school jumper as an extra layer option?

AudrinaWhiteChristmasAdare · 23/12/2012 00:12

DD's school became an Academy and all students now have to wear the same utilitarian coat. It isn't bad, very warm and waterproof, and all of them are having to wear it so no big deal if they all look uncool together, surely?

Nope. Not even when it was several degrees below zero did even she take the fucking thing with her. Then again, the new uniform jerseys are seemingly produced by NASA. I have never known a fabric to repel water quite so much. They come out of the washing machine practically dry.

I imagine they are running some sort of book in the staff-room taking bets on when the older students will crack and finally wear the dreaded outer-wear.

DD is only Year 8 but she missed the last day of term and meeting Jesy from Little Mix who was visiting the school due to a bad cold and high temperature. I might tell her it was due to not wearing a coat all term...

talkingnonsense · 23/12/2012 07:36

It sounds insane, are you certain it isn't pupils must have a coat form 10 dec?

StewieGriffinsMom · 23/12/2012 07:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LadyWidmerpool · 23/12/2012 08:01

'Put in isolation'

RedHelenB · 23/12/2012 09:30

Stewie _ where my dds go they said results improved significantly after they got rid of ties & blazers. Interestingly, ALL the local schools that are turning academy are going back to shirts, ties & blazers. Be interesting to see how much results do/do not improve.

marquesas · 23/12/2012 09:37

If you're planning on applying to the school I'm sure you'll go to open evenings with opportunities to talk to the staff and HT.

I'd just put this on my list of things to ask about and then make a decision. I wouldn't be put off just yet, there are much more important factors than when children can wear coats ime when making a secondary school choice.

Goldmandra · 23/12/2012 10:03

Mandra dd1 school is an academy is that why?

Just because once a school is an academy they are no longer accountable to anyone apart from the Secretary of State so can basically do what they like and unless it is serious enough for a government minister to intervene they have no limits.

DD1's school won't let them wear coats during the school day ever, despite the fact that they have to go outside at virtually every lesson change and as soon as they have eaten at lunchtime. They are literally locked out of the majority of the buildings. The are not allowed to wear t-shirts under their shirts (not that that stops them) or even their school PE hoodies under their blazers.

I've considered making a fuss but I've the SEN battles keep me busy enough and because DD1 has SEN she is allowed in the unit that supports her to stay warm and dry.

bigTillyMincePie · 23/12/2012 10:09

FFS, that's ridiculous Isolation for wearing a coat! And if it's raining, they HAVE to get drenched in the blazer they wear all day?

It sounds draconian and totally ridiculous!

DS has been wearing his (non-uniform) coat for at least a month and we live in the smoke. Even DD has been wearing a coat (and she didn't wear one AT ALL in Y7!)

PrideOfChanur · 23/12/2012 10:24

I would be - sort of - fine with not being able to wear coats in the day if there was any kind of cloakroom/ locker provision,which there isn't.(I know stuff gets nicked,but I am harking back to my youth when we arrived,dumped coats,PE kit,wellies etc in the cloakroom and got on with actually studying unencumbered by all the stuff DCs have to carry around now)So either they should be allowed to wear them,or there should be somewhere to store them,or heating etc should be such thta no-one will be cold without. Bah!

But it seems beyond unreasonable to have all these rules involving children being cold,wet and in the case of our school and its eating arrangements,hungry as well...

Though I too have a Yr 8 DS who hasn't yet worn his coat - he isn't cold but trying to be cool,he just has antifreeze instead of blood!

Lara2 · 23/12/2012 10:26

Bloody secondary schools! I spend all my time as a primary teacher making the children as independent as I can and then they get to Year 7 and suddenly they're no longer allowed to make basic decisions for themselves! I too would be calling the HT on this and asking awkward questions about the staff's coats. When DS's school tried the you have to ask permission to take off your sweatshirt thing, I asked HOY if she phoned up the HT to ask if she could take off her jacket if she got too hot. The look I got was priceless!

StewieGriffinsMom · 23/12/2012 10:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

akaemmafrost · 23/12/2012 10:30

In the army we used to get told when we had to wear short sleeves and when we had to go into jumpers. Once the order had been given that was it. It didn't change back again no matter what the weather into the powers that be decided it was "winter" usually September or "summer" usually March .

This reminds me of that and that's not a good thing.

lidlqueen · 23/12/2012 10:40

i have never heard of anything so petty and ridiculous in all my life. Imagine going into teaching and finding you are spending your days shouting at children for wanting to be warm and dry, and putting them 'into isolation' for it. it is just not not not normal.
mind you, coats are so not the thing at the secondary schools here, mine wouldnt be seen dead in one.

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