to ignore an 'if possible' uniform request

[QueenofKelsingra]

DC1 in reception. When I bought all uniform off the list in the summer there was no mention of coats AT ALL. DC1 loves orange and I managed to find him an orange raincoat and an orange thick winter coat which he loves.

newsletter has just come home with a reminder that the kids should now be in 'winter' uniform (some still in polos and no tie i think rather than collared shirt and tie) and lists the uniform. underneath it then says in bold: SHOWERPROOF COAT (DARKER COLOUR IF POSSIBLE)

Now, if i really had to i could find the money to buy him dull darker coats. but he would kick up majorly as he loves the ones he has. Also i begrudge having two sets of coats when one is sufficient for both school and home.

In addition i walk to school along a busy road with a narrow pavement which traffic travels far to fast on and part of the reason i bought him the bright coats was to help him be seen walking to school in the dark mornings/afternoons.

so as the newsletter says 'if possible' WIBU to ignore and continue to let him wear his bright orange ones?

"In addition i walk to school along a busy road with a narrow pavement which traffic travels far to fast on and part of the reason i bought him the bright coats was to help him be seen walking to school in the dark mornings/afternoons."

there you go - just point that out to the school as the main reason and you are good to go

Seems like a no brainer. Ignore it. Maybe by the time he needs a new coat he'll be happy enough to wear a darker colour, in the meantime let him Belisha Beacon his way to and fro to school.

Can you get him an orange hi vis one instead

Its says 'if possible', its not possible because you have bought his winter coat already and are not buying another . If it was an essential bit of uniform and had been on the list then that would be different but its obviously optional. My ds1 used to have a fab orange coat too when he was little gives a wistful sigh

Ignore them. Some schools seem to assume that all parents will be happy to take out a second mortgage for school-related expenses.

Ignore it - it's not possible, you've already bought him his coat for the winter.

All they are saying is if you haven't already bought a coat then please buy a darker coloured one.

'If possible' is your get-out clause, surely? You've already bought him 2 coats. So it's not possible.

It's hardly a big deal. It says if possible (that means if you can do if you can't don't just to be clear). You can't as you already have two coats for this winter. End of. School really won't give a shiny.

oh good! i love it when a thread goes my way!

i bought the coats large so they will probably fit him for at least this winter and next!!

cozie well quite, i nearly fainted at the price of logoed uniform! needless to say he is in the supermarket versions!!

it woud be different if the coat was part of the uniform and they asked for them all to be the school colour but surely if you have a selection of blue/green/black/purple then it is already a multi-coloured mess, a few brighter ones wont ruin the image!!

I have the same problem with my school. I bought a lovely winter coat, warm and smart, one for each of my daughters ready for both school and also home wear. One of my daughter's teachers has since tried to make an issue of it - not a school coat, not waterproof enough…it's a black winter coat for F sake! There is similarly no real policy on coats at the school - just the children are required to wear one in winter. So, I've decided to follow my own policy on this one, I will use my judgement (i've managed to get myself and two children dress appropriately for many years now without external support) and smile and nod, smile and nod!

I think a warm orange coat, when you are walking to school on dark mornings and evenings is a good, safe and wise idea. Where we live there is currently a campaign to get children to dress in brighter clothing, so they can be seen by road users. I would use that argument if challenged - it would seem pretty watertight to me!

can you tell he's my PFB and I'm new to this whole school malarkey?!

The school haven't demanded that you buy anything new or that even if you did that it MUST be a dark colour. They have simply stated 'if possible'. I really wouldn't get worked up or worry about it. It really isn't that important.

thanks only i have DTs in the pushchair for DC1 has to walk in front or behind me so it is important to me he is visible as there isn't space on the pavement for him to be beside me/holding my hand.

He will also find his coat much easier to spot in the cloackroom amongst all those dark coloured coats - so less likely to lose it

offtosee i confess that did also cross my mind when we bought them! also easy to spot him in the throng coming out of the building at the end of the day!

Where's the sense in schools getting children wear dark coloured coats in winter, when it's dark and miserable and rainy anyway? I'd love to know.

Our school issue coat used to be fab, really good value and really warm, but oh, the hassles with 60 - 70% of the DCs wearing exactly the same coat! Coats get lost, coats get swapped, coats get put into lost property - nightmare.

Thankfully they've updated the coat and it's now a lot thinner and flimsier, so I imagine it will be dying a death soon.

YANBU

I reckon ignore it

My dd has a gorgeous lime green duffle coat - there is no way I' want her in a dark colour - she's 5!

For all the reasons you listed, YANBU.

Our school provides hi viz jackets for £1. Dark coat, hi viz. Bob uncle Fanny Aunt.

Dark coats areca tremendously stupid idea for small kids in winter - we are very backward about safety in this country -

Why is the school encouraging children to be dressed in a way that makes them less visible?

It's mad actually - whenever I see kids on outdoor they are always in hi vis these days - rightly so too. Bit surprised the school would encourage dark clothes for such little ones.

Outdoor trips

Bright or light colours are much safer anyway. My DS has a lovely orange winter coat too :)