To ask if this is normal for nursery school children??

[Spudthecat]

I applied for my son to join the nursery at the school my children go, it's the first time any of mine are going nursery and it says he is expected to wear school uniform, is this normal? All seems abit formal to me?? Don't know whether to look for a different nursery

[juliasalinger]

Ps I too, think it's ridiculous having 3 year olds in uniform but I'm not from England and want my child to fit in, so when in Rome...

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Dd had a jumper, which she refused to wear so I didn't buy the polo shirt. It wasn't enforced at all. Completely a choice.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

As it is private can they legally enforce this? Primary schools cannot.

[DeleteOrDecay]

Yeah it's normal at my dd's nursery.

The uniform is actually compulsory but the large majority of kids wear it. They are also allowed to wear joggers instead of trousers or skirt if they want too.

I don't mind, it saves my dd's everyday clothes from getting mucky and she really enjoys wearing 'nursery dresses' as she calls them.

[DeleteOrDecay]

The uniform isn't* actually compulsory

[Allthecarsarelonely]

Just in case it helps anyone, Asda do school trousers with an elasticated waist and no buttons or hooks from age 3-4, and Matalan do them from 3 up to age 11.

MN told me, so I am just trying to pay it forward.

However, I have found both Asda and Matalan are quite generous with their sizes. My tall 8 year old was wearing the Asda age 6-7 until very recently.

[PeppaPigObsession]

DD goes to a Private Day Nursery (shes 2). They have a polo shirt and jumper with the Nursery name on but they're not compulsory. My Grandparents have bought her a couple of nursery tshirts and jumpers but I wasn't overly bothered.

I keep being asked when I'm moving DD to preschool as lots of people round where I live think the uniforms are "cute". School Uniform would be a nightmare for me, DDs only in 9-12m trousers and has size 3 feet, I struggle to find trousers and shoes to send her to Nursery in as it is, smallest pair of school trousers I've seen for sale is 2-3 years which would be massive on her!

Tbf DDs nursery are very good at them not coming home too dirty, and I do love the fact she gets a chance to express herself through her clothes too.

[AceholeRimmer]

Not seen it round here but have in more expensive areas. Looks just like school uniform!

[frecklesmcspeckles]

Do some schools have a polo shirt and a tie then as uniform? I've not seen that. I've seen schools go for polo shirt and tracksuit style jumper instead of shirt and tie and jumper but haven't seen a polo shirt and a tie combo before.

Our nursery was a school branded tracksuit and polo shirt. They could wear any trainers with it. Now for starting school we're into the more formal shirt and tie uniform, wish they'd switch it for a polo shirt!!!

[Spudthecat]

Just think it's a bit formal and now I will have to go out and buy it all when I already have loads of clothes at home

[GhostsToMonsoon]

At the nursery attached to my children's school, they are expected to wear the full school uniform. DD gets changed when she gets home.

[GhostsToMonsoon]

BackforGood - our nursery has the school PE kit. It set me back about £18. Although to be fair, they tolerate the children wearing their own clothes or cheap black shorts and white T-shirt for nursery PE, whereas the rest of the uniform is non-negotiable.

[farfallarocks]

We just have an adorable smock with the child's name sewn on the front. No unofrm. Agree it's a little sad to have 3 year olds
Preparing for school

[roofio87]

Normal here. I really like it. My nursery/school make the nursery children feel really part of the whole school community and the uniform is part of that. They are relaxed about it, ie not bothered what shoes they wear and can wear jogging bottoms etc but I think it's nice to see them running in in their uniform along with everyone else.

[TheNoodlesIncident]

You might get the wear out of it though OP. My ds started in an infant school F1 class when he was just 3 (August baby) and he was still wearing them, the same ones, in Y2 aged 6 (he was on the compact side obviously)

They do get whiteboard pen marks on their tops, and I'm fairly sure you'd rather they did that on their school polos than something nice. And if anyone found ANYTHING that would take whiteboard pen marks out of clothes, feel free to say so here!

Personally I feel a tie and cotton shirt a bit too formal for 3-4 year olds, polo shirts and a sweatshirt just doesn't seem the same. The polo shirts are easy for dc to get on and off compared to ordinary shirts (although you can teach dc to only unbutton enough of the top buttons to get their head through and pull the shirt over their head like an ordinary top, rather than undoing all the buttons and taking off like a coat) and trousers are usually elasticated and easy enough to haul up and down.

[fucketyfuckety]

Yes normal, they look really cute. Usually a pair of jogging bottoms instead of smart trousers for toilet related reasons. What would your objections be?

[user1495025590]

There seems to be an urban myth on MN that primary schools are not allowed to enforce uniforms.They can

[AssassinatedBeauty]

Primary schools might be able to, but a pre-school or private nursery can't. It's too easy for a parent to simply remove their child and put them in another setting, meaning a loss of money, when they're not of compulsory school age.

[OddBoots]

"It's too easy for a parent to simply remove their child and put them in another setting, meaning a loss of money" The popular ones are oversubscribed so won't mind, and lots of settings are closing this year because of the 30 hour funding so that will only serve to make the others oversubscribed too.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

A private day nursery would be happy to ask a parent to leave the nursery and cancel their contract because the child is not wearing the uniform? Really? That would be good publicity for them, I guess.

[Nicpem1982]

My dd is at a nursery that has a strict uniform policy and dd has to wear a full uniform even though she's only in a few sessions a week.

[coddiwomple]

A private day nursery would be happy to ask a parent to leave the nursery and cancel their contract because the child is not wearing the uniform?

as above, all the good nurseries in my area are oversubscribed and have long waiting lists. There are parents visiting nurseries now to put their kids in January or September 2018. Not only a parent leaving would not mean any loss of revenue, but enforcing a uniform is one of the selling points of the places who have a uniform policy.

[AssassinatedBeauty]

Fair enough. I cannot imagine a private day nursery in my area enforcing a uniform rule like this. Very very few actually have a uniform as it's not a popular thing here. These are a variety of over subscribed outstanding/good nurseries that I'm thinking of.

[TheLittleShirt]

I live in South West England and have worked in many nurseries and pre schools ( agency nursery nurse) and I have never come across this( apart from Kindergartens attached to independent schools) The pre school my DD attended had non compulsory polo shirts and fleeces and most parents choose this for convenience and economy. These children are 2 and 3 years old, they spend enough time in formal education, they should not have to be treated like sheep from this young age.

[codswallopandbalderdash]

Oh my goodness me, I've never heard of this in either private or school nursery ... what is the point? When my children go out on nursery trip they have bibs for them to wear so they are easily identifiable.