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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think it is too cold for mandatory summer school uniform

82 replies

Yeesss · 27/04/2015 15:51

It was 5 degrees this morning and DD was freezing in her summer dress, cardigan and long socks pulled up. Boys were in shorts. Wearing summer uniform became mandatory from this morning.

AIBU to think that small children (DD is 4) should not have to be cold at school? Or am I a big southern softie and do I need to toughen her up?

OP posts:
SistersofPercy · 28/04/2015 07:51

This was policy in the catholic school my children went to. After Easter was strictly summer uniform and all boys had to wear shorts except for year six who could wear trousers if preferred. DS hated it and frequently had his socks pulled up so high they were at his thighs.

EthelDurant123 · 28/04/2015 08:03

State school. Kids can wear summer dresses and shorts from now if desired but most are still wearing warmer uniform.

As for trousers, given the proportion of Muslim girls in our school, to ban them would cause an outcry!

ShadowsShadowsEverywhere · 28/04/2015 08:06

I'm beginning to think I'm strange ... This thread and the one in chat about being sick of the cold have both had me confused! It's really warm here (Cambs). That or I maybe have stopped feeling the cold? DD has been going to nursery in tshirt, skirt and a cardi which I guess is the equivalent of summer uniform. She hasn't mentioned being cold. Heatings been off for months. If your child is cold then of course it's daft for the school to insist they freeze. Kids do tend to get hot charging about though and in classes full of small people it will be warm. I think I'd probably just stick a winter coat over the summer uniform and make them run about a bit if chilly!

HamishBamish · 28/04/2015 08:28

An " inappropriate uniform" would be one that doesn't keep keep warm enough Hamish!

OK, I will re-phrase. If OP's child isn't wearing the correct uniform as specified in the school's uniform policy, then I imagine she would be sent home. Presumably OP researched the school before she enrolled her child there? Uniform policies are clearly laid and available to parents when they are considering the school for their child. If they have a problem with it then they should discount that particular school and look for another which is more flexible in that area.

TheBookofRuth · 28/04/2015 08:39

Or, perhaps rather than discounting a school they may otherwise be perfectly happy with on the basis of a ludicrous uniform rule that leaves the children cold and uncomfortable, they could petition the Head or other appropriate authority to get that particular rule changed?

"That's what we've always done" is no reason to keep doing something!

TapDancingMollusc · 28/04/2015 08:47

Why not get together with other mums and have a united front and ALL send your child in WARM clothes irrespective of what HT requested?

He can't send every child home...

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 28/04/2015 09:02

It might be warm in some places, we've had a couple of weeks of fabulous weather when the schools were off, but since they went back last week we've had three frosty mornings and the temp hasn't got above about 13C with a chilly wind most of the time, and I'm a lot further south than Cambs. My FB page is full of people further north saying they've had sleet and hail this morning.

MissyMistress402 · 28/04/2015 09:04

I agree with the note idea, I would do the same, 'sorry, no. It's too cold.' If they had an issue they can raise it with me at home time.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 28/04/2015 09:04

And suggesting changing schools over it is one of the least helpful responses I've seen on MN recently.

Songofsixpence · 28/04/2015 09:09

It's blimmin' freezing here this week, too cold for flimsy summer dresser.

Our (state) primary school introduced mandatory summer uniform this year. They're supposed to wear the summer uniform from May half term.

There's no way I'm buying a dress that will only be worn for 6 weeks. The summer uniform for girls is a specific dress which has the school logo embroidered on it and can only be bought from the school uniform shop for £15. You really need a couple so £30 for 6 weeks? I don't think so.

Also, DD has some sensory issues and hates the feel of the dress so I'm not having that battle every morning.

They introduced the dress years ago, but it's mostly only worn by reception and year 1 girls, as they move up through the school parents seem to stop buying them and they wear their normal school skirts/trousers/shorts with a short sleeved polo shirt.

There were loads of complaints and the head is now reconsidering it

HamishBamish · 28/04/2015 09:16

And suggesting changing schools over it is one of the least helpful responses I've seen on MN recently

I suggested maybe OP should have made sure she was familiar with all the school policies before she made her choice. Private schools are notoriously strict over uniform. If you're going to go down the private route it's something you should consider.

Momagain1 · 28/04/2015 09:25

Lat week, myself and other mums from warm places were amused to see each other giving disapproving looks at people dressed in shorts and sandals. 'Oh, no, it's too cold!', we tutted to ourselves, and shared judgey glances and raised eyebrows at the outlandishness of bare arms and legs and nearly bare feet. 'Not nearly warm enough for that!', we agreed, no matter what these deranged Scots think!' Our only concession to the warmth was to carry our jackets, which were daringly not actual rain jackets! We all admitted to still wearing several layers, just lighter layers. I myself was still in wool socks!

If someone was insisting my child should be dressed that lightly, this week, when child wanted to be warmer, I would be dressing child more warmly and risking the exchange of parental and headteacherly wrath. My son has acclimatised though, and only wants to wear his school fleece not his coat. Admittedly, being male, he has trousers on. Just the one pair that hasnt gone through at the knee. I dont expect them to last the week, being the only pair. The others are about to become shorts.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 28/04/2015 09:26

Sorry, got that wrong, suggesting they should have used this as a deciding factor when choosing schools is even less helpful than suggesting changing school now.

TeddTess · 28/04/2015 09:28

we have mandatory summer uniform this term - state primary
just wear a vest!

TeddTess · 28/04/2015 09:30

but i am also sure if it got too cold and we switched back to winter uniform no one would make much of a fuss. sometimes you have to add a bit of parental-sense to rules.

Original poster
Yeesss · 28/04/2015 09:32

As it happens the school is a delightful, kind, nurturing environment that produces happy, well balanced, high achieving DC by giving them the opportunity develop a love of learning without being pressured or pushed. I have rarely heard a parent say a bad word about it and DD is loving her reception year.

The ethos of the school is that rules are followed so they do not have cause to send DC home. I just can't see that ever happening over a uniform infraction and I suspect that if we sent DD in the wrong uniform we might get a note home, followed by a discussion at pickup time, but I can't see them pushing it any further. So I will be picking up some tights today and DD will be wearing them from tomorrow.

OP posts:
Original poster
Yeesss · 28/04/2015 09:35

And for me, the uniform policy was a minor / non consideration when choosing DD's school. There are so many other things that are more important. Yes, the school is being a bit daft and inflexible given that it is unseasonably cold, but other things are much more important and a couple of days with cold legs at playtime will have been forgotten by the weekend.

OP posts:
MissDuke · 28/04/2015 10:04

I must admit I DO take things like uniform into account when choosing a school. My dd just couldn't cope with that policy, so I wouldn't send her there as she would be miserable. She has Aspergers and lots of sensory issues, and even on the hottest day, she is covered head to toe... However for my other children, I doubt it would be high up the list of things to consider! Luckily my dd's school are flexible with her.

Original poster
Yeesss · 28/04/2015 10:57

MissDuke that is fair enough. There is an obvious need to make adjustments in your DD's case and I would not hesitate to be critical of a school that could not be flexible where the circumstances justify it.

OP posts:
OvertiredandConfused · 28/04/2015 11:58

Mine are at a state secondary school. Mandatory summer uniform for the summer term. Optional for first three weeks of autumn term then mandatory winter uniform

fulltothebrim · 28/04/2015 12:13

Not sure how "nurturing" a school is if they can't be sensitive to sensible dress requirements in cold weather.

My children were slender and felt the cold terribly- I would not have been happy at all if the school had insisted on inappropriate clothing for silly reasons.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 28/04/2015 12:15

Ds was trying to convince me it was warm enough not to take a jumper this morning for school. Mind you, I'm currently in Birkies...

MissDuke · 28/04/2015 12:27

Sorry Yesssss, I did go a bit off topic really Blush

EddieStobbart · 28/04/2015 12:38

Might be a tad drastic but you could move to Scotland - no such thing as a "mandatory" school uniform in state schools. There can be a uniform to wear but they can't make you wear it.

fatlazymummy · 28/04/2015 13:41

I take school uniform policy into account as well. Firstly it has to be cheap and available in supermarkets, secondly it has to demonstrate basic common sense ie be appropiate for the weather, and thirdly (in the case if my daughter) not ban trousers for girls.