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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To agree with the Headmistress to send home pupils who do not conform to regulation school uniform.

300 replies

annemary12 · 07/09/2013 21:13

I am totally fed up with school pupils who look a mess and are not dressed in correct or regulation school uniform. I never understand why many schools allow 6th form pupils free will in their choice of clothes.

I think that if pupils are unable to abide by school uniform regulations what hope of they got when they leave school and are going to interviews.

I believe that all school pupils including 6th form pupils should wear a regulation school blazer and school tie so they can show which school they go to.

Headmistress like Leslie ellis are standing up for standards that have been in decline since the 1970"s and need to be fully supported in their desire to hold standards to at least the very shoddy standards that pupils display today. I for one am delighted that a head was prepared to take ridicule and derision in standing up for standards.

After reading the constant criticism of leslie ellis i thought it was time that someone stood up for a upstanding member of the teaching profession.

OP posts:
MrRected · 07/09/2013 22:22

Couldn't agree more op.

Darkesteyes · 07/09/2013 22:25

DH says these restrictive way of buying uniforms are like cartels

Darkesteyes · 07/09/2013 22:27

This thread has been started for damage control

marriedinwhiteisback · 07/09/2013 22:31

I'm now confused by both threads. Leslie Elliott. Is this head male or female - can somone please confirm the gender and the spelling.

beatback · 07/09/2013 22:36

annemarie. I agree to a point but i have known schools spend more time on uniform infringments, than on education matters. A school needs to be measured and calculated in its response to uniform infringments. Sending pupils home from school is not in the pupils intrests, the school should first educate, the punishment should come in a time that does not affect the pupils education.

The school when imposing punishment should enforce that punishment in a reasonable and proportionate way that does not damage their education. In this case perhaps asking the pupils who made the uniform infringments to come in on a saturday morning or an after school detention picking up litter would have been more preferable.

However in this particular case i feel as this may have been the fault of the school. The head who may have asked for new uniform requirements without making sure the items were readily available or that a reasonable amount of time was available for parents to purchase the new uniform requirements.

BoffinMum · 07/09/2013 22:37

School uniforms are militaristic and unnecessary.

marriedinwhiteisback · 07/09/2013 22:38

Apologies - the last name is Ellis. But if the first name is Leslie and the the head's a woman I'm gobsmacked that the ingrate so much as dares mewl over logos when her own parents didn't realise that leslie was the male spelling. The ingrained lack of education and familial ignorance surely explains it. The female spellig is Lesley. Well done Ellis - your own nme is misspelled yet you seek to dictate to others. Oh the inadequacy - ROFL.

Picturesinthefirelight · 07/09/2013 22:38

Don't know the story but dd is incredibly incredibly proud of her new school.

She has however give in this week without the proper track suit bottoms as the wrong size came & the new haven't arrived yet. It wouldn't occur to us she might get sent home.

Her old private school had supply probs when they changed uniform. They wrote to everyone to reassure them it was ok to come in any smart skirt, trousers.

NoComet · 07/09/2013 22:39

YABU
school uniform and sixform dress codes are a total waste of time.

According to a very wise and clever retired Headmistress "Teenages rebel, the only purpose of uniform is to give them something harmless to rebel against"

Sending pupils home on mass because the suppliers have fucked up or the pupils and parents have decided to stop believing in the charade is a step too far.

Being sick of the whole stupid nonsense is a minor, but non the less telling reason why DD1 wants to go to Collage for A level. She is sick if being patronised and talked down to.

jacks365 · 07/09/2013 22:46

My dd's school changed their uniform but years 10 & 11 had the choice of whether to get the new uniform or not and years 8 & 9 were given a years grace to wear either uniform. Year 7 were fine with the new one because the school made the decision early and so the new supplies were in in plenty of time and quantities. Thats how you successfully change a school uniform not the way this one was done. The uniform at my daughters was relaxed not tightened, ties for girls went and the blouse changed to a rever collar and skirt went from straight to pleated. Blazer was kept but they still look smart and parents were not really put out.

Whats gone on at this school is a shambles and the head should be ashamed of herself.

LifeHuh · 07/09/2013 22:48

YABU.
Perhaps you'd like the school uniform tales of those of us who were at school in the 70s? Rumours of a massive decline in standards have been a bit exaggerated IMO.

And many people are well able to understand the idea of wearing different clothes for different occasions,not wearing smart business clothes in the 6th form isn't going to result in a generation of children unable to dress for interviews.Especially as those going on to college/uni will then be able to wear what they like...
By all means have a sensible simple uniform and try to enforce it,but sending children home - depriving them of a day of education (which of course a parent would risk a fine for doing...) - massive overeaction to my mind (especially in the specific case in the news at the moment).There are more important issues,and better ways of dealing with teens.

WorrySighWorrySigh · 07/09/2013 22:48

It is the total impracticality of school uniform which makes my blood boil.

For what climatic condition is the most appropriate garment a polyester blazer?

As workwear it is totally useless. Wrong fabrics, poor quality and ill fitting. For the first two weeks the students look like greeters in a building society. After that they look like they were dressed from donations to War on Want.

Original poster
annemary12 · 07/09/2013 22:50

Thank you. I thought i would be the only one who has a belief in traditional school uniform. I have noticed that in Northen Ireland the 6th formers wear full School uniform. They look so much smarter than many 6th formers at schools in England and Wales, that have no uniform requirements for 6th form pupils.

I know of a few 16/17 yr old pupils who enjoy wearing their uniform and are very pleased their schools at least have a suit and tie for boys and a suit for girls. They would hate the thought of wearing anything,they like uniformity. They realise they can wait for university for freedom in their choice of clothing.

OP posts:
littlemisswise · 07/09/2013 22:51

YY WorrySigh, A nice polyester blazer that they must keep on in lessons, even when it is boiling hot outside. What are the teachers wearing? Summer dresses and short sleeved shirts! And they wonder why DC don't want to wear it!

applebread · 07/09/2013 22:54

Op are you Leslie Ellis?

I am all for smart uniform but logos on skirts and trousers are ridiculous.

Fortunately the dc go to a school with logos only on the jumper and pe t shirt and everything else you can get from the supermarket. They have fantastic teachers which makes much more impact on their lives than the colour of their socks.

pointythings · 07/09/2013 22:58

OP conveniently ignores

  1. all the posters who agree with school uniform but feel LE was completely U in the way she acted and

  2. all the posters who disagree with school uniform.

You are Leslie Ellis and I claim my £5.

pointythings · 07/09/2013 22:59

littlemiss at my DD's school they allow blazers to be removed as soon as the weather gets warm, and the pupils can always ask. Common sense is not yet dead, despite the nature of the OP's post.

littlemisswise · 07/09/2013 23:01

It was at my DSes old school Pointy. I can count on my fingers how many times they were allowed to remove their blazers in hot weather. I emailed once when their was a 'heat wave' and we were being warned by the met office, the HT still didn't think it was warm enough for them not to wear blazers!

usualsuspect · 07/09/2013 23:06

I hate school uniform and think ties are out dated and ridiculous

And it's also ridiculous for 6th formers to have to wear uniform.

marriedinwhiteisback · 07/09/2013 23:07

I hope every member of staff taught in a light jacket with their top button fastened and a tie during that period littlemiss. Reasonable rules after all should be acceptable for all; not selected groups.

EverythingInMjiniature · 07/09/2013 23:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

jacks365 · 07/09/2013 23:13

Worrysigh my daughter missed her blazer when she went into the sixth form as it had really useful pockets she missed it that much that she bought one she could wear day to day. Her school was another that was quick to give permission to remove blazers.

usualsuspect · 07/09/2013 23:23

My DS couldn't wait to bin his bloody awful school uniform when he went to college.

TiggyD · 07/09/2013 23:31

Reasonable idea cocked up by power crazed idiot.

The children at the school will know she's a dick who's lost control.

WorrySighWorrySigh · 07/09/2013 23:33

I thought i would be the only one who has a belief in traditional school uniform.

What exactly is it that you believe in OP?

  • What special properties do you think that a school uniform has?

  • What evidence (that is evidence not unsubstantiated cod psychology) do you have that school uniform makes one jot of difference to educational outcomes?