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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Shirt and tie in reception?

78 replies

IsithormonesoramIamadcow · 02/05/2017 13:16

Just been to see around the primary school that DC1 should be going to in September and found out that their uniform code includes a collared shirt and tie from Reception. AIBU to think this is mad? Every other primary school I've come across has polo shirts in the infants and then sometimes shirt and ties in the juniors.

DC1 has eczema which makes me think this will be very uncomfortable as well as not age appropriate. 4 year olds are not business people! I'm not anti uniform in general I'm not happy about this.

It's a state primary - but an academy if that makes a difference?

OP posts:
ClarkWGriswold · 02/05/2017 15:15

Just to say DD's school is a Catholic school not an academy. Also non-iron shirts from Sainsburys really are non-iron!

Loulou2kent · 02/05/2017 15:23

I wore shirt & tie from reception & within a few weeks could do it myself. Had the blazer etc too. My son now has the shirt/tie combo. They offer the elasticated ties at that age for ease of PE changes, although you can wear a normal tie if able to do it yourself.

Most secondary schools now have clip on ties, but I think this could possibly be a safety aspect?

My son has asthma & eczema. The M&S non iron shirts seem to be fine. As PP said, they have elasticated wrists & a Velcro top button. Great for my son when he feels wheezy etc as he can just open the Velcro & feel less restricted.

Original poster
IsithormonesoramIamadcow · 02/05/2017 15:39

Unfortunately we don't have a choice on the school. Our preference schools are further away and over subscribed. I have a lot of doubts about this school to be honest this is just one of them.

OP posts:
Original poster
IsithormonesoramIamadcow · 02/05/2017 15:39

Unfortunately we don't have a choice on the school. Our preference schools are further away and over subscribed. I have a lot of doubts about this school to be honest this is just one of them.

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 02/05/2017 15:43

As a PP had already said. We managed with shirts with top buttons and ties at infant school. Why the problem now? Kids will learn very quickly and it will be normal for them.

DonaldStott · 02/05/2017 15:49

Shirt and tie from reception in dd's school. Girls are allowed to wear summer dress with white socks in summer. Boys still wear shirt and tie, but are allowed grey shorts.

I think it looks really smart.

DonaldStott · 02/05/2017 15:50

Also m&s do shirts that have a velcro tab instead of a top button, which are v handy when they are younger.

requestingsunshine · 02/05/2017 15:59

I think ties and blazers is way over the top for little kids. I don't think it looks cute either. It just feels so wrong making them look like little adults.

RainbowPastel · 02/05/2017 16:03

Perfectly normal round here my children wore them from reception. They look much nicer than polo shirts.

Imaystillbedrunk · 02/05/2017 16:09

Get the shirts from M&S. The top button is Velcro, makes it 100 times easier in the morning.our school let's reception wear polos on PE day

Oblomov17 · 02/05/2017 16:13

Both of mine shirt and tie all the way through. I like it. I think it looks very smart. Polo shirts took tatty quickly.

Why are you only visiting the school now? If you don't like something as significant as uniform policy, or any other school matter that is important to you, then choose a different school when making your application!!

Hygellig · 02/05/2017 16:21

My children's school have a shirt and tie from Nursery but it can be a polo shirt and elastic tie. Some parents go for the stiff collar option which I personally don't like for such young children.

It seems ironic that ties are becoming much rarer in the workplace yet 3-year-olds are expected to wear them. The Mayor of London seems to manage fine without one!

FunkinEll · 02/05/2017 16:22

Same at my DC catholic (and all of the catholic schools) around here. My 4 year old can even do a half Windsor knot (his older siblings couldn't at that age mind you). I think they look great and very smart.

M&s do 'skin kind' cotton shirts. Not sure about size 2-3 but there's a good few months of growing until September and they definitely do size 3-4.

Hygellig · 02/05/2017 16:24

I also think that children being comfortable for playing and learning is more important than whether they look like smart mini-businesspeople.

leccybill · 02/05/2017 16:31

I was totally in the 'polo shirts/comfort' camp until DD's school changed to shirt and tie. I had a massive grumble about it and refused for the first few weeks of Sept but then saw how smart and crisp all of the children looked, which really did reflect well on attitudes to learning and the school ethos in general, so I did a massive about turn.

And yes to M&S shirts with the velcro top button, a godsend.

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 02/05/2017 16:32

I had a shirt with proper tie from reception. I think I got the hang of the tie in year 2.

DS has struggled with learning to dress himself properly and still would struggle with shirt buttons at 6. Fortunately his uniform is polos and sweatshirts.

AuntieMay · 02/05/2017 16:43

Shirts and ties from age 3 at Nursery school here. Very smart uniform, excellent Catholic primary - has been the uniform for many years. My 3 children including youngest with special needs coped just fine with buttons and ties ( elastic until year3).

liz70 · 02/05/2017 16:49

"They have to wear PE kits to school on PE day."

That happened in DD's school under the former headmaster. The children went to school in polo shirts, sweatshirts and joggers on gym days. The headmistress now insists on full uniform every day.

DeleteOrDecay · 02/05/2017 16:56

YANBU although it isn't uncommon. Personally I feel a polo shirt is much more practical for infants/primary level and even at secondary level to be honest. They are students not mini business people.

brasty · 02/05/2017 17:14

I had to wear one from 4. And there were no elasticated cuffs then in the shirts. We all just accepted it as normal, because it was. And it didn't stop us playing at all.

jmh740 · 02/05/2017 18:12

My younger 2 have worn shirts and ties from reception I think it's much smarter.its not a academy and it's not the only ly school in town that does shirt and ties. Eldest went to a different school and worn polonium shirts and sweat shirts and I do think they look much smarter in a shirt and tie. Imo polo shirts look tatty and grubby after a couple of washes.

ShelaghTurner · 02/05/2017 20:29

Polo shirts look tatty out of the packet. All the schools round here wear shirts and ties without exception but the horrible polo shirt/sweater combo would put me right off. I don't remember having any issues at all with shirts and ties as a kid and my dds aren't bothered either. It's only a fuss if you make one.

Hygellig · 03/05/2017 09:49

I think a lot of the kids in shirt and ties at school look scruffy, when they have got grubby playing, have their top button undone and shirt hanging out of their trousers. I don't think shirts and ties are a guarantee of smartness, not that I think smartness is particulary important in four-year-olds.

When I was at infant (state) school in the 1980s, we didn't have a uniform at all. We only had one later on in primary school. We could also wear jogging bottoms to make changing easier when we had school swimming lessons up to Y6 as far as I remember. To this day I don't know how to tie a tie as I've only ever worn one once in my life, when I took part in a horse show aged about 11.

chocolatesavedmysanity · 03/05/2017 10:30

Ours is the same.. it annoyed me at first but it has grown on me and I think it instills a sense of pride.
Other kids in our street who go to schools where they wear polo shirts and round neck sweaters don't look half as smart as the kids from our school. They look slovenly especially the further into term they go and the more washed out the polo shirts get.
I'm definitely not a snob... when I see my dd and her class mates all lined up they really look lovely!

newfor2017 · 03/05/2017 10:39

I hate it - shirt and tie (not allowed elastic ones either) from reception at our school too.

All mine could tie them themselves by the beginning of Y1 so no big drama there.

Just seems like unnecessary faff and they'd be so much more comfortable without them. Plus our school makes a huge thing about how much 'forest time' the kids get - they are always up trees - and I really don't think it's that safe for kids to be up trees wearing ties.

I reckon it's worse for older girls though....buttoned up shirt and tie with tits...underneath a boxy blazer....not a great look imo.