AIBU to think that parents should buy the correct uniform and stop moaning

[Loveluck7]

I am getting increasingly irritated by people on FB moaning that their child's human rights have been violated because they were put into isolation for having the wrong uniform.

I understand that some rules can seem ridiculous but unfortunately some bad parents who have let their child wear spray on trousers and tiny skirts, have necessitated schools stipulating the exact items they need to wear.

Isolation does seem a harsh punishment when it is the parent's fault but how else can schools enforce the rules when some parent's think rules do not apply to them? The child cannot attend class without trousers and parent's would be angry if the child was sent home.

You also often find that it is these parent's who also complain when a school is no good at discipline, yet will not follow the rules themselves.

Don't get me started on the stipulation of white polo tops for primary age DC either. Don't they realise that small DC and white clothing do not mix.

Not to mention pure white logoed PE tops at £12.50 a pop for secondary age DC who play sport on fields. FFS.

You'd expect highly qualified professionals to have an iota of common sense when deciding the uniform requirements wouldn't you?

Just checked the uniform policy for the school we plan to send my LG to next year, hopefully it stays the same as currently no logo and school colours are white, royal blue and black. So white polo shirt, Royal blue sweatshirt or cardy, black trousers/skirt/dress.

I really don't see why it would have to be any more complicated than that to ensure a smart group of kids who can focus on their lessons.

Common sense flies out of the window when power walks in the door

YABU. They're there to learn, not to have the right shade of grey which costs almost three times the price of perfectly serviceable supermarket trousers. Schools that value branding over learning suck. No child should miss out on an education because their parents can afford Asda but not the preferred supplier. Isolation for wearing cheap clothes is a humilation. It's a disgrace.

DD Blazer £110

DD jumper £38

DD SKIRT £29.99

Certain types of shoes only must be leather brogues £45

Tie £18

Certain colours only of hair bobbles.

Sports kit all branded under armour stuff. And similarly £££
I am a single parent who earns £7.50 per hour. And I just had a letter to tell me that my voluntary contribution of £200 per year is due.

State school.

Tell me please where the equity is in that level of expense?

PortiaCastis
If schools have to go single supplier then i think they should be more affordable.

I'd be happy having a dress code instead of a uniform. Sadly, my experience in some schools is that there are some people who can't be arsed to kit their child out in a basic non-single supplier uniform so I'd tale bets that said people wouldn't ensure their kids follow a dress code either.

Unfortunately there are too many people of the view 'I dont like this rule so it shouldn't apply to me'.

Mrs Hathaway - "Nottingham Post:Mum complains about the cost of ‘official’ school trousers with sewn-in logo that can only be bought from members of the school trouser cartel"

Same mum stood there ... I wonder how much is ok to spend on beuty treatments nails/brows etc but complaining of the 'cost' of uniform! Can afford it but pretends/chooses not to... priorities

I love the angry/sad faces they all pull in these uniform stories - welcome back to school

This thread has come at a great time for me, I'm about to make a complaint to my dds school regarding their uniform policy. They have one supplier and everything is logoed and very expensive, £40 for a size 10 skirt, £45 for a size 12 or over, blazers are 40-45, even the p.e bag is £29. You even have to buy the shirts there as they have a special collar. We used to be a 2 income family but since exh left (have to chase and argue with the abusive twunt for maintenance every month let alone help with uniform) I had to save for months to afford this years uniform and that's with the girls making do with what they can from last year. It's not the only school in the area but the one we were given as we're in the catchment area.

Worse than having to scrimp the money together was the fact that the uniform arrived today despite being ordered weeks ago. They went back to school yesterday!! I've had no reply to emails and voicemail messages left enquiring where my order was, yet when I contacted the school to ask what to do and the school contacted the supplier they replied to them straight away and told them I'd ordered late and they had contacted me to apologise. No they fucking hadn't and no I didn't. I have forwarded screenshots of my order to the school but no response.

So with extremely shit service and overpriced clothes that don't generally last more than a year, in 12 months time I have to suck it up and smile and say here's my money for next years clothes as I can't go anywhere else and the girls would be heartbroken to leave after all the upheaval they've had already.

I'm sending the headteacher the governments statutory guidance on uniform pointing out where they're breaking it and when that gets ignored or brushed aside I will be going to the governors and then the DfE. I've had enough. My youngest will hopefully go somewhere else as I'll be pushing like crazy for it. Only 4 more years of this shit.

Well if stupid rules are made then they'll be broken.
Make uniform affordable not profitable !

I love the angry/sad faces they all pull in these uniform stories - welcome back to school
Same. Always makes me laugh.

It also makes me very grateful for the fact I work in a school where almost all our parents send their children in with correct uniform (only single supply on a couple of items).

ExpemsiveUniform yep, state school here too, 'voluntary' contribution to social fund of £60 required today, each, or chasing emails are sent

The "your voluntary contribution is now due" emails make me mad.

Sorry that's to jammydodger

Yep who's profiting from rip off uniform prices?

Sounds like you have supportive parents in your area MaisyPops - shame some of the other parents in the newspapers don't realise how unreasonable/stupid they look!

ExpemsiveUniform complete with guilt trip about everything being cancelled if people don't pay up.

I helped out recently in a reception class where all the children had to wear ties as part of their uniform. It took more time to help them change into and out of their P.E. kits than they actually spent doing P.E.

The notion that uniform supports learning at any age is beyond me.

Make uniform affordable not profitable !
I agree. I think the cost on some of them is ridiculous.
Well if stupid rules are made then they'll be broken.
That's the attitude that has caused schools near me to go single supplier.
Aka. School say plain black school shoes, people say 'plain is a stupid rule' so send them in in non plain shoes.
School say non fitted trousers, but I'll send them in leggins style trousers because 'it's stupid to monitor trousers' .

It's an attitude that causes havok in schools becauae it createa a culture of 'my mam says i only have to do x y z and I don' have to do... because it's stupid'. Again, when that dominates then schools end up having to have really pedantic behaviour policies.

Portia kickbacks wouldn't surprise me at all at dds school. Their first response to me contained a passage about what great feedback they normally receive about the supplier. Er... no. I know lots of parents have complained about the quality!

user1489675144
We do. It makes it hilarious when someone tries to start the crap you see on here/in the press.

Our line is 'don't like our rules, go somewhere else'. (And when you go somewhere else you can see what a full single supply uniform costs and realise we are very, very reasonable)

I hate the specific uniform DS has to wear as it's so expensive (state school), but I really like that there is a uniform, even if it's ugly, as it takes away one visible marker that differentiates the kids by class and income, which is needed in his school as there is a really wide variation.

I would love the op to tell me how I am supposed to afford the uniform? It's easy now I only have DD at school but I had 3 at the school and it was prohibitive. DS TROUSERS were £45 and his blazer was £125 (men's sizes) in the sixth form.

I wanted my kids to get an education and I wanted them to go on up through school but the cost of the uniform used to make me cry. I have refused to buy DD black under armour joggers and am sending her in her black joggers that she already has (canterburys). i expect to get a phone call later this week or next.

Such a waste of time and energy and money.
Surely no other country does this.