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AIBU?

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

125 replies

Spudthecat · 19/07/2017 15:49

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

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NoCryingInEngineering · 20/07/2017 19:01

This seems crazy to me, though my SiL moved her DS to a school nursery with uniform when he turned 3. She swears this is cheaper/better value, but I can't see how as he has only been doing mornings, so winds up wearing 2 sets of clothes per day instead of 1. Come September I guess that will stop being a problem, but he'll still need clothes to wear for weekends and holidays that aren't uniform.

The nursery our DS goes to doesn't have a uniform, though they have sets of hats, hi-vis bibs and rain suits that they put on the kids for easy identification when out & about according to the weather. They also have painting and baking aprons for the kids to wear when doing messy play, so it's rare anything comes back permanently stained. He doesn't really have much I wouldn't send him to nursery in maybe the white shorts his DGM bought him for a family party and I would happily send him to a non-uniform primary school if there were any round here. But there aren't

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oldtrees · 20/07/2017 19:23

Not normal round here and I wouldn't want to send my DC to a nursery with uniform. Thanksfully that's never been an issue but it would seriously put me off.

It says to me the management probably like conformity more than creativity, which is far from ideal for pre-school IMO.

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JennyBlueWren · 20/07/2017 19:25

After the princess dresses we did request "uniform tops" for nursery when I was a teacher. But we did prefer trousers/skirts children could manage themselves for toileting/ PE.

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MiaowTheCat · 20/07/2017 19:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PeppaPigObsession · 20/07/2017 19:46

Just looked on the websites of the two schools locally that have nurseries.

The one that has a compulsory full uniform and pe kit (so smart trousers, black shoes, shirt and tie) is heavily undersubscribed according to it's recent ofsted and they're advertising places for Sept 2018.

The other one has optional Polo Shirts and Jumpers and has a waiting list.

Not sure what that says about the local population or whether it's because the one that insists on uniform for 2 year olds is a church school.

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toffee1000 · 20/07/2017 19:47

Shirt and tie for TWO YEAR OLDS?? That is ridiculous!!

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coddiwomple · 20/07/2017 19:54

It says to me the management probably like conformity more than creativity, which is far from ideal for pre-school IMO.

As pre-schoolers wear what they are being told to wear, well most of them, not sure that has anything to do with it. It's not like they go shopping and chose their wardrobe to express their own style. They're 2 or 3...

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MaisyPops · 20/07/2017 22:17

It's normal if you mean a t shirt/ polonium shirt and a nursery jumper with comfy bottoms and sensible shoes.

It's not normal if it's shirt, tie, etc then it's not normal.

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peonie83 · 20/07/2017 22:19

Ours wear sweatshirt and polo shirt but can wear whatever shoes/bottoms etc they want

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Rockhopper81 · 20/07/2017 22:43

All of the nurseries I know/know of - attached to a school or not - have a uniform of some description. All have at least a uniform sweatshirt. Most are fine with jogging trousers or leggings instead of school trousers, but school nursery classes tend to like school trousers/shorts/skirts/ dresses more so.

I don't know any with a shirt and tie, I have to be honest. Even schools with a shirt and tie for the main school, all have polos and sweatshirts for nursery (and sometimes Reception too).

I think it does give a set of clothes that can get paint/glue/mud/glitter etc. all over them, and it's fine as that's what they're meant to be for. I had a parent one year complain that her daughters coat was ruined because it got mud all over it and, "it was from Next, it wasn't cheap you know!" I politely said I was sorry for the mud, but this is why we don't recommend expensive or branded things for nursery. The next coat she turned up in was Gap and we were told she wasn't to get it dirty. Clearly she hadn't listened to a word we'd said...

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oldtrees · 20/07/2017 23:58

As pre-schoolers wear what they are being told to wear, well most of them, not sure that has anything to do with it.

It has everything to do with it.

FWIW my 4 year old has strong opinions about what she wears and has been picking outfits in the mornings for at least a year now.

But it's more to do with the adults - the lovely nursey my DC have gone to value individuality, creativity and expression, not conformity and rules-for-rules-sake.

They'd be horrified at the idea of a uniform, it doesn't fit their ethos at all.

Your attitude - that young kids should do as they're told and don't have their own ideas about things like what they wear, is exactly the kind of attitude I'd wouldn't be surprised to come across in a place that demands uniform.

That's not a right or wrong thing, it's a preference thing and your comment kinda proves my point.

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oldtrees · 21/07/2017 00:00

Getting clothes dirty is a rubbish reason too. Just because some parents disregard the very clear instructions to send your kids in, in clothes they don't mind getting dirty - why should the rest of the kids have to wear a uniform?

If they get in a huff about paint on clothes that's their problem, no one else's.

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coddiwomple · 21/07/2017 00:11

Your attitude - that young kids should do as they're told and don't have their own ideas about things like what they wear, is exactly the kind of attitude I'd wouldn't be surprised to come across in a place that demands uniform.

My kids wear mainly hand-me downs from their older siblings, or cousins. So no, they haven't got that much choice I am afraid.
I don't have the patience either to deal with a 4 year old trying to be creative and arriving at school wearing a ski jacket and wellies on a summer day, or a summer dress in the middle of winter. Yes, sometimes children need to do as they are told. That's life, it's for their own safety and benefits. It also makes life of teacher easier.

They have so many other ways to be creative. My nurseries didn't have uniforms, but I am completely neutral on the subject, it would be the last factor I would consider when choosing one for my kids.

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alybee137 · 21/07/2017 01:36

yeah its normal I see it a lot.

I work in a nursery but we have optional uniform

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oldtrees · 21/07/2017 02:01

My kids wear mainly hand-me downs from their older siblings, or cousins.

Mine too. I don't understand why that means she wouldn't be able have a choice about what to wear that day or that I'd let her wear a summer dress in the winter?

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oldtrees · 21/07/2017 02:06

But again you're prooving my point! It's an ethos thing.

It's important to me that the nursery my DD goes to has no uniform as I thing it signals other things that I happen to value which go hand in hand with having no uniform.

Like letting chidren have autonomy over their own body and their choices as much as possible.

You don't care either way and at the same time you put more of an emphasis on controling the kids to make the teachers' life easier and yours. That's not wrong - it's a different approach, but it matches my expectations about uniforma and attitudes.

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BigGreenOlives · 21/07/2017 05:54

Our DC went to a Montessori nursery where they could wear either a polo shirt, sweatshirt or cardigan with the nursery's logo. They had a choice of two different colours.

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coddiwomple · 21/07/2017 08:50

oldtrees

Maybe I am neutral because I have gone to schools with uniforms, and to schools without uniform. I promise you, it actually makes no difference whatsoever. Kids wanting to wear a batman tshirt because all their friends have one don't show their creativity, they just copy others. Not a big deal, but nothing about autonomy!

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missymousey · 21/07/2017 09:15

We didn't have uniform all the way through primary school (tiny rural school). I hate the idea of putting nursery children in uniform!

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MoonPower · 21/07/2017 09:17

Surely not the most important thing about a nursery or school....

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NoCryingInEngineering · 21/07/2017 09:32

DS has about 80% hand me downs as well but that doesn't stop him choosing if he wants long or short sleeves, or a picture or stripes on his t-shirt any given day.

I just do not get this thing that kids have to wear uniform at school or the whole of society will break down, and that therefore they should start wearing it as soon as possible.

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oldtrees · 21/07/2017 11:30

Kids wanting to wear a batman tshirt because all their friends have one don't show their creativity, they just copy others. Not a big deal, but nothing about autonomy!

It's all about autonomy. We have very different views on how children make decisions. Yes they are very influenced by peers at that age, but that doesn't mean all their decisions are copying others nor that they shouldn't be allowed to make their own decisions.

In any case you're spectacularly missing my point. I'm not saying children are less creative if they're in uniform.

I'm saying the appprocah to uniform gives clues as to the attitudes of the adults running the place. I don't ant my child to be somewhere rigid and rules obsessed. A place with rigid, rules obsessed management is very unlikely to be no-uniform. (Not impossible, of course, I'm talking probablilties).

A nursery run by people who value creativity and autonomy and have an ethos more in line with my own is more likely to be a non-uniform place.

Your posts keep proving my point. You don't think children's autonomy is important - or at least you don't recognise enabling them to have contol over things like what clothes they wear as them exercising autonomy. And at the same time, you're not bothered about whether they wear uniform or not.

I DO think its important that children are enabled to make their own decisions about stuff that affects them and at the same time I don't like uniform in nursery.

So we're both acting in a way that fits my idea that people who don't like uniform are likely to place a higher value on autonomy and creativity and less value on children conforming rules compared to those who like unifrom - or who don't care one way or the other.

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Yokohamajojo · 21/07/2017 12:51

Normal here too but not a formal uniform, it's tracky bottoms, t-shirt and a jumper. They then wear the same for reception which is a nice transition. Start wearing proper uniform in Y1

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Rockhopper81 · 21/07/2017 15:31

oldtrees

You talk about people running a nursery as if they're the ones making all the decisions - I have been a nursery teacher in a school nursery, it was school policy that there was a uniform, not mine as the person running the nursery. I placed a lot of emphasis on creativity and autonomy, but I couldn't turn around and say, "ignore the school policy, even though you're sending your child to a school nursery, because I value the autonomy and creativity your child will have by choosing their own outfit every day". I provided an environment in which they could be creative and autonomous in the nursery.

I don't think uniform and autonomy/creativity are mutually exclusive?

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manglethedangle · 21/07/2017 16:01

round here it's normal for nursery schools (e.g. those attached to a school) but not for private nurseries.

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