To think when there are storm warnings and torrential rain the school should ease off on the uniform?!

[GraduallyGoingInsane]

I'm a huge fan of uniform, really I am. I have 4 DDs and there is no doubt that it saves me from endless morning battles. I'm the first to say that rules should be kept and come down on my DDs.

However, when it is pouring with rain, there is howling wind and the local news is awash (pun intended!) with storm warnings, I am not impressed with a detention note for my DD wearing a coat. Personally I think I should get a medal for convincing a teenager to wear a coat!

The rules are it must be navy, have sleeves and be free from logos. We bought the official coat in year 7 and it remained unworn so we haven't replaced it. After much nagging she took her barbour coat, no obvious logos, but it's dark green. She doesn't have a navy coat. She has a navy gilet but the school are really hot on them not wearing those, and in fact one of the 'strikes' leading to the detention was from wearing that.

The school policy is 3 'marks' in one term equals detention, so I am also angry with DD3 as one mark was entirely her own fault (rolling up her school skirt). 2 were for wearing coats in grim weather though, and that irks me.

I'm also irritated that the school is clearly inconsistent. DD1 took her ski coat which is grey with lime green checks on! No uniform mark for her though! DD3 said that her form tutor had indicated it was a school-wide clamp down on coats but this clearly wasn't the case.

I totally accept clamping down on scruffy shirts, short skirts and makeup. I will back the school to the end with that. But a clamp down on coats on a stormy day? I'm angry.

I am frustrated that my 13 year old is now saying she will just wear her blazer tomorrow as she doesn't want to get in more trouble. We will rectify the lack of navy coat this weekend, but in the short term she is going to be soaked.

My 17 year old son is always happy to wear a coat when it's cold and wet. My eldest didn't always want to.
Fortunately their school didn't have a specific rule about coats, other than it being a dark colour. Special uniform coats at £80 a pop wouldn't have worked in this town. Parents do usually support the uniform policy, but only if it can be bought in Asda or Tesco.

all this stress over a detention? Really?

One of dd's friends got a something-or-other mark (a C3, whatever that is) for wearing Wellingtons in the snow last year. She was told it wasn't a fashion parade and she should have kept them in her locker and skidded around the school paths in flat ballet pumps

I don't think its unreasonable for a school to insist on a plain navy coat. They aren't stipulating a specific poncy design.

Ds's school insists on a navy coat. We have found the solution is a thermal vest, pullover and pack a mac. Often lots of layers that can be removed at school gives enough warmth.

www.matalan.co.uk/product/detail/Events/Childrens-Schoolwear/S2523689?utm_source=google&utm_medium=pla&utm_campaign=pla&gclid=CIe47eDix7wCFbLJtAodQHAAKw

We haven't had any really cold weather yet. A blazer covered by a pack a mac should give enough warmth.

Are you in England, OP? It seems (from the outside) that many (most?) English schools have an unhealthy obsession with what their pupils wear. We have uniform rules north of the border too but for the most part they seem to be enforced, in my experience anyway, with a sensible dose of common sense.....

Lj8893

They had them at my school back in the 1980s so not new.

I agree there should be some relaxation of rules depending on the weather.

Well, most years there is a snow day, or a couple of drenching rain etc. so it's not as if the need for a weatherproof coat can't be foreseen.

If you are unable to insist that your DD owns (and sometimes) wears a suitable garment in uniform colour, then she needs to take the consequences of not doing so.

That some people sometimes get away with breaches isn't relevant to her being caught (it's a bit like sometimes people get away with using a mobile when driving; it doesn't make the rule unfair if you're caught but I do sympathise with the idea that firmer and all-encompassing enforcement is better).

Do they just not realise that children come from all over to go to secondary schools. That while they stand in the snow waiting for their delayed buses, freezing, thin non water proof school coats and school shoes are just not gonna cut it. What kind of knob of a head wouldn't allow children to change Into their shoes when they get there??

Dd is only in primary but she's worn leggins and her own jumpers over her school jumper and walking boots in extreme weather before no problem. She just changes when she gets to school. Funnily enough they have the brains to realise we have a bus journey to contend with first and that she might get cold waiting around.

YANBU.

Schools should encourage pupils to wear coats appropriate to the weather, and a 'school coat' doesn't necessarily fit the bill all year. Secondary age they're typically either walking or having to stand at bus-stops - anything which encourages them to dress sensibly (which has nothing to do with the colour) is a good thing.

My DD's school (a girl's grammar, which is reasonably strict about other aspects of uniform/no make-up) has a sensible policy of 'any plain coat' - which in practice means anything which isn't denim or leather. So she can wear her gilet, or ski jacket or (usually) her purple berghaus walking coat - practical choices depending on whether it's wet and/or cold. They also have an official school hoody, or they can wear things like school ski trip hoody if they're lucky enough to have one.

Yes, pupils should obey the rules but the rules should be sensible in the first place.

When I went to school in the eighties we were allowed to wear a particular type of navy raincoat which was far far too long for short arse me, or a duffle coat that I wouldnt be seen dead in. My mum could only afford one coat, so I had a non regulation one and used to get grief all the time over it, it was totally ridiculous. So I sympathise.

We have uniform rules north of the border too but for the most part they seem to be enforced, in my experience anyway, with a sensible dose of common sense.....

loads of schools Up here have strict uniform policy although tbf not on the coats although some have school coats my dds school is really strict with their uniform hence dd getting into trouble for walking boots in the bloody winter,

There are 3 high schools in my area. I see barely any children wearing a coat to school.

DS won't - as there is no where to store said coat in school.

Blazer all year round. Even in the snow. He travels to school on the bus, with a good walk either end.

I just dont understand how they dont freeze to death do teens have an inbuilt heater or something my dds must be broken because she goes out to school like she is going to the Artic

This is madness. My daughter's prep has strict school uniform rules.

We have to buy official uniform including coats, summer straw hat, winter velour hat etc.

However, they also allow a "plain dark mac" - which they wear over the wool coat. This doesn't have to be branded. We got DD one from AgeUK during the summer for about £2. They also have a school wooly hat which they can wear.

School shoes have to be plain black - however they are perfectly happy for children to wear "bad weather shoes" and change into black school shoes when they arrive.

Simple. Uniform rules are adhered to, children are warm, dry and comfortable. It isn't really rocket science.

DD1 never wore a coat to upper school even on very cold snowy days. She did however have thermal long johns and tshirt under her shirt, jumper and blazer. I pass the school bus stop in the morning and there is not a coat in sight. Any colour of coat is acceptable at this school so it's not a reluctance to wear the regulation coat.

This is madness.

It is, isn't it?

My DD2 it at primary, she can wear wellies, whatever waterproof coat she likes, full on waterproof trousers/coat combo should she choose to.

The kids are all warm, dry and comfortable, they still learn, pupils' choice of outdoor wear doesn't affect their Ofsted rating, school hasn't fallen down, nor has anyone fainted or died at the sight of a child in a pair of wellies.

DD2 in secondary - uniform strike for wearing a pair of waterproof walking boots in torrential rain, despite the fact she had her regulation shoes in her bag to change into when she got there.

Now, it's only a strike at the moment, but she only needs 3 to get an hours after school detention. This weather isn't supposed to be going anywhere anytime soon, so should she arrive at school soaking wet to try and avoid 2 more strikes, or wear the boots and take the detention?

It's beyond ridiculous that a child is punished for wearing waterproof shoes to and from school. It shouldn't be any of the schools business what a child wears on their journey to and from school, as long as uniform is correct when they get there. My DD has to remove coats, hats, etc, at the school gates, before entering the grounds and the school are ridiculous enough about this that they actually send out texts to give permission for the kids to wear their coats. It should have nothing to do with them

It's making me cross

Yabu op - you should have bought her a navy coat. Yiu just said you bought her a green one for school...

How do you not understand the teenage logic from that to the wrong colour skirt? Then a slippery slope down...