To think this is a Reasonable Adjustment for disability?

[Batterypoweredmumra]

cross posted in SN too for traffic.

DS has SPD and ASD. Clothes are a huge issue and things took a marked downward turn when he went up to juniors and had to wear a shirt and tie. He absolutely couldn't tolerate the collar, I tried all kinds of shirts and collars and his meltdowns were epic. Full on self harming, screaming fits, and if I did manage to get him in, then he'd refuse the tie and then rip the lot off at home time. He'd also only wear shorts, not trousers.

So our autism support lady pointed out that his best days are the days when he does swimming, as they're allowed to wear PE kit all day and suggested that he wear this every day instead of the usual uniform.

We trialled this for two weeks and he's like a different child! Mornings are infinitely easier, he's more relaxed at pickup and is generally happier all round.

And yet I've been told today that this isn't part of school policy and the head needs to get permission from the governors, and wants to discuss a phased return to uniform.

I'm really disappointed. Can they do this?

[BoopTheSnoot]

YANBU, it is a reasonable adjustment.
How is your DS supposed to focus on learning and having a positive school experience when he's so distressed by the uniform that he rips it off as soon as he can?
I think it would be very unfair of the school to insist that one of their pupils should have to do something that is so upsetting to them when a reasonable concession can be made. It's still part of the school uniform after all.

[LivingInMidnight]

Maddy the fact it's the infant one could be problematic itself

[IcanMooCanYou]

I'm sure uniform isn't enforceable at primary. Just tell them what you are going to send him in in. What are they going to do? They can't exclude him for not wearing uniform. It may not be the relationship that you want with the school but if they won't give you permission, just do it. Seriously- what can they do?

[NNChangeAgain]

Please please don't "go to the Governors" direct. Do not write, call or speak to any of the GB.

If you do, it "taints" those Governors, should the issue need to be taken further - I've lost count of the number of complaints hearings I've been involved in at other schools because the parent "just sent a letter" to the Governors about their issue - and then of course, none of them could deal with the problem when it eventually to put through the complaints process. Paperwork between schools needs to be signed to allow other governors to get involved, it's a real mess.

Uniform is a tricky one but yes, if the policy needs changing to allow for these adjustments, the GB will need to approve it, but the school could quite legitimately extend the "trial" wth your DS until the policy comes up for renewal. Sadly, from the little you've said, it sounds like the HT is keen not to make reasonable adjustments - so you might need to emphasis the point.

[JJbum]

I thought that primary schools cannot enforce uniform anyway. They can have a uniform policy but it is essentially a preference for what the children can wear.

Sorry if someone else has posted this but the government guidance states that there must be reasonable adjustments made for disability, in regards to uniform. I would have thought that either PE kit or a top in the correct colour but with no collar would be a reasonable adjustment, personally www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform

[DandelionAndBedrock]

I'm a teacher, and agree it sounds like a reasonable adjustment.

I might have missed this earlier in the thread, but I do think you need to anticipate the head arguing 1) he has been wearing the uniform in school (from what I gather?), so he clearly can tolerate it, 2) you said it was a mission getting him into the infants' polo shirt, but again, he managed it for two years.

I completely agree with you, I really do, but if I were a headteacher trying to force a child to wear one type of uniform, I would be making those points. So you need to be able to say "I understand that, however..." And then hopefully refer to how much more settled he is with the PE kit on, and how much calmer he is before/after school, and that it is the advice from the external agency worker (yes?). Have you spoken to his class teacher? It would be helpful if there was a teacher comment about how behaviour/achievement in class, and the differences noticed in different uniforms.

[hippyhippyshake]

This style of t-shirt looks just the ticket!

[Gileswithachainsaw]

God it's a t shirt. Wtf is all the fuss about.

Bonkers.

Uniform rules get more and more ridiculous as the weeks go by. Who the fuck cares so much what he's wearing.

[Batterypoweredmumra]

Thankyou, all so much for your supportive posts. I take the point about not tainting the governors. I've come across that before. Hopefully it won't get to that point, and as I say, the head appears to be a sensible sort, and I wouldn't have thought this is a battle he'd pick.

I could really do without the stress, even if I have a strong hand.

[Batterypoweredmumra]

Dandelionandbedrock, they're good points. He's been in the shirt and tie since September and to date I've been dropping him off with the TA in his shirt with a couple of buttons done, and his tie in his hand. His TA is also the SN TA and gets it totally thank god. So we've staggered this far, apart from one day a week when his class swims, and he always has a good day!

The polo shirt we struggled with, but during this time he was diagnosed with SPD, and his self harming and anxiety rocketed and his attendance was awful. He also struggles with shoes and has to have them what appears to be painfully tight. In comfy clothes he is much more able to transition activities better, including from home to school.

[Batterypoweredmumra]

Hippyhippyshake genius!!!

[creamycrackers]

You would think it was a reasonable adjustment but unfortunately some schools don't want dc to 'feel' different in other words they don't want to adjust their uniform policy regardless to how much it helps the dc .

I remember my ds's past class teacher saying similar to me when I asked if he could wear his PE under his uniform to save him spending most of a Friday afternoon in trouble for being lazy and being publicly humiliated for not changing quick enough. My DS flaps when he is happy but wearing a PE kit would apparently make him stand out as different to the other Dc.

Could you get a letter from the GP if you explain the situation?

[KickAssAngel]

I don't think OP should have to get a letter.

Asking the head to prove why it is NOT a reasonable adjustment seems a good way forward, perhaps with a reference to the equality act.

[joangray38]

Wonder if parents have complained that it's not fair (whine) that their child has to wear uniform and yours doesn't ?

[Colby43443]

Where are you? If you're near an Indian area you could probably get something that looks like a uniform tailored in any material you want. Sil did this with her son & it definitely helped with the meltdowns. She's in Harrow and got 4 shirts for £20

[Batterypoweredmumra]

Wow that's good value! However it's the collar that's the problem. I've tried him with the softest cotton, and silk mix, and jersey. If the collar touches his chin he goes loopy. He just about manages his beavers polo shirt but I have to put it on at the very very last minute, in the carpark, and he can't wear the scarf and woggle.

[freemanbatch]

My daughter has sensory issues and she wears a school summer dress for school all year round. Other parents comment on me not dressing her correctly and I smile and say 'the boss is happy she's here' parents complain to head about the different treatment and she says 'All children are individuals and we respect that' it's not hard for schools to do their job and support their children.

Reasonable adjustment it whatever is needed to allow a child who already struggles to access their legal right to an education. I hope things get sorted for you soon.

[Batterypoweredmumra]

Thankyou freemanbatch.

It's amazing how things that other families are happily able to take for granted, are a really big deal to kids with sensory issues.

[PansyGiraffe]

I am a school governor in a VA school. If our head put this in front of us we'd look at him like he'd grown an extra head for doing so - we have enough on the agend without reviewing that kind of thing. And then say yes, of course that's ok.

[myfavouritecolourispurple]

I didn't think uniforms were enforceable at primary school?

[lola111]

Well I would expect the governors to add to the uniform policy about reasonable adjustments for Sen children

... and injured children!

[BoffinMum]

Do you know what I would do? Tell the school I would be sending him in wearing home clothes from now on and bring a medical letter. There would be absolutely nothing they could do. Any nonsense and I would be asking if they wanted to hear from my solicitor. They can't enforce school uniform at this age and like Giles I think the whole thing has got completely out of hand. Parents need to stand up to this sartorial bullying.

[Batterypoweredmumra]

I take your point Lola but SEN kids are a Protected Category whereas temporarily injured ones aren't.

[Batterypoweredmumra]

Boffinmum tempting though it is to go in all guns blazing, sadly SN parents have to tread lightly at school as the vast majority of additional help given is discretionary and can be removed without notice. Happily my child's school isn't like that, but an adversarial approach from SN parents often backfires. It's exhausting having to politely fight, whilst also dealing with eye rolling at the school gate, AND a miserable upset little boy.

[Sweets101]

I sympathise with your DS, when I was a child I could not wear tights. I simply couldn't function with them on my whole head was taken over by having them on, it was actually painful just a different sort of pain.
School uniform isn't enforceable in Primary Schools.