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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think I have not read the school newsletter wrong

68 replies

Pumpkinette · 23/01/2015 13:35

DH dropped DD at school this morning in her tartan dress (burns day celebrations) and apparently she was the only child not in school uniform.

The newsletter states:

'Children are encouraged to wear something tartan that day but it will not be the non uniform day which will be the first Friday of the month, Friday 6 February (not January - too many demands on funds!)'

I read this as wear something tartan if you want, but is not the usual non uniform day (as in it won't cost you £1 like it normally does). Have I got this wrong?

I should also say I suspect DH is being overly dramatic with her being the only child in the whole school. He said he did see a boy with a tartan scarf on - I suspect some will be wearing tartan things in other classes and perhaps not visible under coats etc.

Sorry first world problems - I know.

OP posts:
bigkidsdidit · 23/01/2015 14:46

I would have read it as 'wear something tartan on 6th feb ' Grin

ChocLover2015 · 23/01/2015 14:52

''Children are encouraged to wear something tartan that day but it will not be the non uniform '

I understand it.It says uniform + tartan item.

haggisaggis · 23/01/2015 14:56

It says "wear something tartan". She wore a tartan dress - therefore you complied with the instructions - so no issue!

ToffeeCaramel · 23/01/2015 15:02

I would have read it as wear some sort of tartan accessory such as a scarf or hair ornament with full uniform

ToffeeCaramel · 23/01/2015 15:05

But I agree they could have worded it more clearly

BackforGood · 23/01/2015 15:12

I'd have read it the same as you - that they could wear anything tartan that they had, but (as they've clearly had worried parents asking) tried to make it clear this wasn't the annual (termly?) non-uniform fundraising day, which will be along shortly.
However, nobody at school will mind - she will be fine Smile

sticklebrickstickle · 23/01/2015 15:14

I would have interpreted it to mean that wearing anything tartan is fine but it's not a standard non-uniform day so children not wearing tartan should be in uniform (eg: not a day for jeans and angry birds hoodie).

I think sending her in a tartan dress sounds fine.

Sarsparilla · 23/01/2015 15:17

I agree, it is worded terribly.

If it wasn't a non-uniform day, they should have said ...but it is not a non-uniform day.

By referring to the non uniform day, they are saying, it's not that non-uniform day which you already know about (which will take place in February) , but they haven't said anything clearly enough about whether this day is non-uniform or not. And having said they encouraged pupils to wear "something tartan", they are suggesting that you could wear tartan rather then uniform.

GettingFiggyWithIt · 23/01/2015 15:18

Tartan but no £1 fee is how I read itConfused

Bowlersarm · 23/01/2015 15:20

It's says it will not be the non uniform day so I would have assumed uniform to be worn. Sorry op.

Tattiesthroughthebree · 23/01/2015 15:50

I think I would have sent her in in the tartan dress, but with no £1. Because if it had been a non-uniform day, she'd have needed a £1, but it wasn't, so she didn't.

JolieColombe · 23/01/2015 15:57

If they meant accessories only, that's what they should have said. Presumably no-one sits in the classroom with scarves on which reduces it to hair bands/ribbons - what do the boys get to wear?

Tipsykisses · 23/01/2015 16:28

That letter could be interpreted many ways as this thread has shown but I would have also sent mine in tartan but without £1.

My Ds had a letter for club last week which said children must be collected at 4.15 ... The number 1 had a line through it and a number 4 put above so 4.45 , because of previous confusion we rang the secretary who says "oh no it's actually 4.30 "!!
Children then actually came out to us at 4.50 Grin!!!
Very confusing at our school also !

o0 · 23/01/2015 16:34

I'd have assumed that if you didn't want to wear tartan you should come in uniform and that there was going to be a proper non-uniform day soon, costing £1.

The dress sounds absolutely fine.

tobysmum77 · 23/01/2015 16:48

I think you were right but no one else happened to have a tartan outfit. Which is why the others were in uniform

Original poster
Pumpkinette · 23/01/2015 17:23

Picked up DD and I would say the school was 20% tartan and 80% uniform. At least she wasn't the only one. Bloody drama queen DH.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pumpkinette · 23/01/2015 17:31

bigkidsdidit Grin

OP posts:
ToffeeCaramel · 23/01/2015 17:37

JolieColombe. A hat?

ToffeeCaramel · 23/01/2015 17:40

Or scarf?

ToffeeCaramel · 23/01/2015 17:40

Or scarf?

littlejohnnydory · 23/01/2015 23:26

I'd have done the same as you. We have a monthly non-uniform day too and I read this as 'wear tartan on Burns day, the non-uniform day will still be as usual (wear anything you like then).

Shakey1500 · 23/01/2015 23:30

I'm with you. To me that reads "something tartan". Ergo, with what she wore being tartan then clearly, that was the something tartan Grin

SanityClause · 23/01/2015 23:46

DS used to go to a school where you got a newsletter once a term with all the dress up days, etc, and that was it. No reminder letters etc during the term.

Now, that would have been fine, if I had realised that there would be no further letters, but I was used to my DDs' school, who always gave a lot of information, so assumed it would be the same.

I only realised when he got to school in uniform one day, and everyone else was dressed in historical costume. He was upset, but I'm fairly sure he's not scarred for life.

I agree that your newsletter was not clear, and I would have sent one of my DDs in a tartan dress if they'd had one.

MyFriendlyDaemon · 23/01/2015 23:51

I took it to mean tartan accessories and otherwise normal uniform.

grocklebox · 23/01/2015 23:56

It clearly said it was NOT non uniform day, which means that they are uniform, so I would have said definitely it meant something tartan as an addition to uniform not instead of.
As for Halloween, if you didn't know what as usual meant as it was your first year, and the teacher was in the same situation, didn't it occur to you to ask someone who wasn't in there first year there? Another parents, a different teacher, the secretary, anyone at all?

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