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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

or is Headteacher power crazy? (Uniform thread)

190 replies

RedHorse3 · 04/09/2013 10:56

So ds started his secondary school yesterday. When we had induction day in July, the teacher mentioned that they had just bought in new Logo school trousers & skirts.
Now the entire school has to change uniform as policy before was plain black trousers/ skirt. Fine. Except that the school uniform shop now has a huge backlog of uniform, and over half the school has not received the uniform. So imagine masses of parents in 1 tiny uniform shop, owner on the phone to school- apparently will allow plain black trousers/ skirt.
Except yesterday, it wasn't fine. The Head sent home over 75 pupils, local newspaper at the school, pupils bought back by parents were put into isolation. As far as I am aware, they did not send home yr7's. They did however get a massive bollocking. DS very upset.
Dp went into school this morning to get a grip on what was happening. As he was waiting, pupils were swarming past him, having been pulled out of lessons to go to conference room to explain why they dont have school logo skirt/ trousers. Ds included. Head was in conference room shouting at them & they were coming out and being taking off into different rooms(?) Dp has arranged meeting with head at 11.30am today.

OP posts:
sandiy · 04/09/2013 22:15

Idle thought If they have no uniform the children don t go to school don't get registered.Massive problem for the school due to poor attendance followed by ofsted going mental.Attendance officers will be involved fines could be attempted but as uniform unavailable or too expensive eventually the head will be forced to capitulate or inspection will be triggered.No school wants a visit from ofsted.Try running that one past the head and check the response.

Catmint · 04/09/2013 22:16

I think that schools should be required to do an impact assessment when planning to change uniform, and publish plans which show how they are going to support low income families to implement the change.

Catmint · 04/09/2013 22:21

The Citizens Advice service has produced evidence reports about uniform requirements / low income in the past. It may be available on the website.

FannyMcNally · 04/09/2013 22:23

Dd3's school has changed uniform and has put out a message this week that due to uniform shop having trouble fulfilling orders, students should just wear any uniform they have already and not to worry, year 7s can wear their primary uniform if they want or any suitable clothing. Very sensible - op's head take note!

edam · 04/09/2013 22:32

Madness. Please do post the local paper story - and do complain to the governors, asking for details of the process they followed.

Mimishimi · 04/09/2013 22:33

They have the logo on the pants/skirt? That sounds very odd. I do think it's acceptable to require them to wear a shirt/blouse/hat with the logo if they are available though.

raisah · 05/09/2013 01:19

Governors & then the LEA. What an idiot to make a scene on the first day and make the first day of secondary school traumatic for returners and starters. Akso not a good idea to get the press invokved.

Morloth · 05/09/2013 05:24

That is mad.

DS1's school has just added a logo to the uniform.

No need to replace, it is the same as the old stuff but with the logo. So as you buy new bits to replace grown out of/destroyed(!) bits, it has the new logo. I even checked whether it would be a problem when DS2 starts in 2015 that his first stuff won't have the logo and it isn't.

Eventually all the school will be logo'd in the mean time, no stress, no fuss. Easy.

Twattybollocks · 05/09/2013 06:28

Yabu and yanbu. Having seen some of the interpretation of school uniform at our local secondary, logo on trousers and skirts would remove the issue of skirts that can double up as belts, cargo trousers being worn as school trousers, etc.
on the other hand, sending kids home because they aren't wearing the correct uniform when it isn't actually possible to get the correct uniform as there isn't enough of it is insane and power crazy.

DorisShutt · 05/09/2013 06:56

DS is only 3 so won't be needing uniform just yet, but having read the many threads on here, I do think there should be a parents revolt for "plain" uniforms for non-private schools (I suspect if it's a private school, then they'll enforce what they want anyway!)

So, you can wear tesco, ASDA, wherever as long as it's in school colours. Logo's should be patches to be sewn on. There should be a clear guidance for skirt length - knee high or just above to allow for growing at the end of term (but definitely not mid thigh!) probably.

Darkesteyes · 05/09/2013 14:40

I dont have DC myself but last week bumped into a friend whose daughter is starting at the same high school we went to. In the 80s it was plain grey jumpers from 1st to 4th year and black in the fifth year (sorry im not au fait with how year numbers have changed not having DC) anyway they now have blazers and have had for a while but have been told they have GOT to wear them no matter how hot it is. How the fuck is sitting in a classroom sweating uncomfortably going to be conducive to learning.

Friend also told me that school PE kit for her DD was £62 before you even start on the uniform.

No wonder parents are kicking off about losing their Child Benefit.

Tuppenceinred · 05/09/2013 19:37

"Tuppenceinred
Consultation may be a requirement, but paying attention to the outcome clearly is not - lots and lots of schools are playing these games"

Yes, we all know that schools are playing these games. However if Op is going to put up a fight, get other parents involved, make a complaint etc etc it would be good to be informed. If they didn't carry out a proper consultation then the Head can't enforce the uniform changes you see.

Op - how's it going?

Darkesteyes · 05/09/2013 21:13

bump

PenguinBear · 05/09/2013 21:38

Would like to see articles too :)

Talkinpeace · 05/09/2013 21:44

It may not be the same school but .....
www.kentonline.co.uk/kentish_express/news/class-reduced-to-eight-pupils-5611/

Original poster
RedHorse3 · 05/09/2013 21:58

Just caught up with all posts from today. Am going to fight this and start a campaign. Thanks for supportive messages and sharing your uniform problems.

Talkininpeace - yes, same school. Cheers for doing the link.

OP posts:
Darkesteyes · 05/09/2013 22:03

Just read the article and some of the comments underneath.
Fucking ridiculous. Thought the whole point of school uniform was so that everyone was equal across the board regardless of income. Wonder what that schools answer would be to this.

Mrsdoasyouwouldbedoneby · 05/09/2013 22:13

We moved house recently do changed schools. But the school my children would have attended (my son was there for a while), recently changed uniform as it had a name change. Thankfully kids 'could' wear out old uniform but new starters and any new uniform had to be this new stuff. The track suit (once non compulsory but thus no longer) cost £33 alone. It was different to old one in that it had a logo. This was a junior school. Thankfully the school we have moved to is a shirt, tie and logo jumper primary. I was about to buy the special pe top but told (by school) that most people didn't bother. (again one shop that had to order the uniform in, which took some time, from July)

So your school is unreasonable but not unusual. My brother's step daughter's school has recently changed too and had only one shop you had to order the uniform from one shop and the skirt cost around £26 alone.... Madness. It seems to breed resentment rather than instil discipline...

That said. My son wants to go to the nearby comp BECAUSE it has a pink themed uniform (boys and girls).

Talkinpeace · 05/09/2013 22:15

Now I understand.
The school is a secondary modern and the Head thinks that a twee uniform will magically improve her results - when actually the top two sets are over at the Grammar school.
Silly, silly person.
A reasonable uniform strictly enforced would do a lot more good.

Original poster
RedHorse3 · 05/09/2013 22:20

Yes, the Grammar school has v. good rep. Our other choices are pretty dismal imho
My 1st impression of this school is awful, so poor yr 7's.

OP posts:
Mrsdoasyouwouldbedoneby · 05/09/2013 22:21

Just read the article. Crazy. Her reasoning is that compliance to uniform is the start of discipline and ignorance is a bad start? This is true. But if you make your rules difficult to comply with then resistance is more,not less, likey. Gah

Talkinpeace · 05/09/2013 22:23

I feel very sorry for the situation you are in: it is definitely worth kicking off about this
DCs school has made some uniform changes, but old kit is valid, just can no longer be bought.
What your head has done will make her job even harder.
I hope your DD can start next week on a fresher note and has some nice teachers.

Original poster
RedHorse3 · 05/09/2013 22:35

Thankyou Talkin. Ds hassaid he does have some nice teachers, I think some of them are a bit cringey over the whole thing. Must be akward in staff room.

OP posts:
Talkinpeace · 05/09/2013 22:37

Sorry, mis read DS / DD : yup I suspect many of the staff are as peed off as you are - they had their start of term lessons planned out and the head trashed the schedule and the mood .... but they can say nothing ....

ballstoit · 05/09/2013 23:01

The high school that I went to had a new 'principle' dictator the year after I finished A Levels. A group of us used to meet up with former teachers/tutors occasionally, and they mainly hated the new regime.

My dc's primary are awarding house points for correct uniform...ds didn't get one today as he was wearing a watch, which apparently is not allowed. The watch is plain black, clock face rather than digital, and makes no noise. His target for the summer holidays? To correctly tell the time to the nearest 5 minutes. Confused