Children wearing jogging bottoms to school ...

[LittleMissUnreasonable]

Aibu to find it irritating seeing more and more primary school ages children walking to school in branded jogging bottoms and trainers. I think it looks really scruffy and it's just a case of laziness.

A pair of school trousers costs about £3 from supermarkets. Shoes from primark about £8. It's not a case of not being able to afford a proper uniform as some of these branded joggers cost about £20+ quid!

I think school uniform is a good idea because it means that the less well off kids aren't left feeling uncomfortable about their parents not being able to afford designer trainers etc. It gives a sense of equality. Having said that,I do think that uniforms should be comfortable,and reasonably priced. A polo shirt and trousers/skirt with a jumper or cardigan is fine. I think ties and blazers are a silly idea and unnecessary for primary school aged children.

Joggers are very practical for primary age children and even when trousers are the uniform, some children may wear joggers because of sn or medical reasons.

My DD wears jogging bottoms to school and changes when she arrives. For her, it is more about warmth than social trends. She is in her proper uniform during school hours.

It never occurred to me that I should be concerned about strangers judging her slovenly ways...

DD's (English state) primary doesn't have a uniform. Leggings and jogging bottoms are visible in force - a relief for us as DD (in reception) would struggle to get tights back on after PE.

She also wears trainers - warm and sturdy, so she can run around and climb things.

Interestingly, said primary school has the highest academic results in our city (though it's not the only one without a uniform). So clearly you can wear leggings and still be bright....

I don't see a problem with black leggings. They are warmer than tights with a dress!

I can’t understand why schools have uniforms at all, barely any of the countries with the highest ranked school systems have them. Children should be dressed in comfortable, weather appropriate clothes that are suitable for whatever activities they’re doing - I can think of very few times when the answer to that might be restrictive smart shoes, a blazer you can’t even take off in the heat of summer and a tie

If it’s a cool winter morning and a long walk who’s to say they don’t have better school trousers and shoes to change into??
My gd goes to a school and is expected to wear a dress year round, I can guarantee you I’ll be sending here tear away sports pants to walk to school in.

YANBU re brands but I do agree with other posters that children should be dressed as comfortably and practically as possible. This doesn't include nylon trousers and scratchy non-iron shirts in my view!

The good thing about uniform though is that it equalises everyone. I think school uniform should be a good quality school issue tracksuit - everyone in the same, but everyone comfortable and dressed for an active day.

Where I work we are full on suits every day, no signs of this relaxing yet but I hold out hope!

Anything but the scool uniform! It's so itchy; the child scratches himself all the time. You just can't buy school trousers which are 100% cotton or 100% any other natural fiber. Little children should be allowed to be children.

Anything but the scool uniform! It's so itchy; the child scratches himself all the time. You just can't buy school trousers which are 100% cotton or 100% any other natural fiber. Little children should be allowed to be children.

DD can't wear anything with a waistband/button/zip - she has CP and sensory issues, can't bear the feel of them and can't undo them for the loo.

So she wore black leggings under a jersey pinafore dress or plain black joggers all through primary. She was happy and comfy and didn't wet herself and therefore I couldn't give a fuck if anyone feels it makes me 'lazy'.

We've managed to find elasticated waist jersey trousers that happily her secondary are fine with her wearing. She absolutely can't wear anything tailored so it would have been tricky if they weren't accommodating.

In my opinion, leggings and joggers have no place in school and look completely chavvy. My children's school have a strict dress code and it teaches them they have to abide by rules in life, all this giving children too much freedom is a nonsense! How will they function in the real world when they grow up if they just do what they want?

What’s the point in having a uniform if no one sticks to it? Surely it’s meant to be so all kids are wearing the same so no one gets picked on or judged for what they wear?

Yes, some kids have sensory issues, my dd has sensory issues so I buy her the jersey school trousers from next, they have a stretchy waist band and are soft to wear but look like school trousers rather than jogging bottoms.

My children's school have a strict dress code and it teaches them they have to abide by rules in life, all this giving children too much freedom is a nonsense! How will they function in the real world when they grow up if they just do what they want?

Where to start?

What’s the point in having a uniform if no one sticks to it?
Joggers are part of the uniform in loads of primary schools.

Small children should be dressed comfortably, in unrestrictive warm/cool clothing that allows them to sit comfortably, run, climb, play, etc. If I ran the world ALL primary schools would have a unisex 'jogging bottoms/ leggings and sweatshirts' uniform.

I’d vote for you! Our school doesn’t have a uniform which made me a bit sad at first but it makes life easier and cheaper, my children are comfortable and I don’t really care that much it turns out. I’d support any school doing a uniform in whatever colours but comfy and practical joggers/leggings/shorts and t shirts with jumpers personally

Our school recommend joggers for nursery. Wish they could wear them on PE days too in reception

Lweji Go on then start!

You clearly think your opinion is better than mine?

Everyone is entitled to their own view and that's bloody well mine so there!

Don't move to Sweden, I had to force my DS age 10 out of joggers twice last year, a wedding and Christmas. Does come in handy though, -16 today.

"My kids primary school doesn't change them for PE - the whole way through from P1 to P7 so there would be kids in jogging bottoms/leggings, trainers heading in most days. It doesn't make me feel particularly sad in fact I find it very handy."

That's how our DDs' primary school did it when the previous headmaster was in place, but since then the new headmistress has a rod up her jacksie about uniform, so it's full shirt and tie etc. every day. It was a lot easier in the past.

I wore a track suit (jogging bottoms and zip up jacket) to Primary school in the early 90's. It was in the school colours with the school badge on the jacket and was so comfy. I can't understand why they didn't become a thing as they were so much more practical for kids than a traditional stuffy uniform. We seemed to be the only school that had them though, and even then only a handful of us had them so maybe the demand wasn't there?

I really hate school uniforms though. There is a state school near me that insist that even the nursery wear proper shirts and ties. It's ridiculous and IMO makes the school seem like a bunch of pretentious wankers.

I actively WISH my kids' school allowed jogging bottoms (outside of exceptions as a reasonable adaptation for someone's needs, that is!)

Normal school trousers are NOT warm in winter, and my poor boys are half frozen by the time we got to school. But since stripping them down in the play ground to change from warm joggers to uniform trousers would be worse (and seriously frowned on), my poor kids freeze on their walk to school.

I have rebelled a bit and removed their shorts from PE kits and replaced with joggers in school colours. No-one has said anything to the boys, and a few others are doing the same now.

When my daughter starts next year she's going to be wearing something other than uniform on her bottom half - she's beyond tiny and they don't make uniform trousers nor skirts small enough for her. We can get away with age 2-3 for her top half, because big and baggy doesn't matter in tops (not going to look smart though!) but when it comes to trousers or skirts, staying up and not having the crotch around her knees are kind of important.

I'm planning to source leggings (and yes, probably joggers for winter months) for her in school colours, purely because she needs to wear things that fit more than she needs to match the other children.