To wish schools didn't have uniforms?

[bluebird14]

I hate them

Why? I think it’s easier all round. That way there’s no bullying about clothes, no issues around what to wear and it’s all straight forward.

Oh it makes life so much easier. The only thing that annoyed me when I had to wear one myself was that girls had to wear skirts but thankfully that's not the case anymore

I disagree.

No decision making in the morning. No arguments over what to wear. No competition.

Are you a parent or a pupil?

Uniforms are excellent, if they’re not over the top.

Free for all dress codes are horrific all round.

Yes you are being unreasonable. It puts all children on an equal footing, avoids the stress of dressing in the morning, is easier and cheaper for parents, give the kids a sense of community and identity.

Obviously I am not a pupil

Money
Hideous
Uncomfortable
Stupid, petty rules
It's obvious who the poor kids are anyway
Time spent sorting uniform indiscretions that could be spent teaching

Cheaper

ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaa

What IncyWincy says.

No arguments in the morning, no bullying, fast & efficient. And they are inexpensive becaause they are produced by the million. Brilliant.

I fought against mine my entire school career, but as an adult I completely get why they’re a good thing. Less competition about who’s wearing what, no confusion about what’s appropriate, just easier than having to come up with new, exciting outfit options every day... being a teenager is hard enough already.

I do think uniforms don’t need to be as strict as they are though. Smart trousers/skirts/long shorts with a shirt or polo t-shirt and some sort of pullover would be fine. Ties and blazers are a bit unnecessary.

Also - real adult life often requires dress codes and uniforms. Nothing wrong with preparing kids for this.

I love them - the prep is easier day to day, they are a great leveller. Mornings are hard enough already, I can't imagine how stressful they would be if they didn't have uniforms! Definitely cheaper than buying the branded clothing mine would want to wear instead.

Our secondry school, I think blazers are £28 and ties are £14, that's without all the other stuff required.

I do agree with uniform, but think they should find cheaper suppliers and make allowances when it gets lost/stolen as not many people can afford to keep replacing it.

I like the fact that there is no competition over clothes, as I hate expensive brands, so totally agree that they shouldn't wear coats/shoes with "superdry" or whatever splashed all over them

YANBU.

Does nothing to prepare the DC for RL (unless they plan to go into the military or ASDA).

All for the (supposed) benefit of the parents.

Treats children as objects, to be numbered, micro-chipped and tattooed.

My school didn't have a uniform. I agree with you OP. I never saw bullying around clothes although I'm told its common on "no uniform days" at schools that do have uniforms. I guess thats because if everyone wears their own clothes everyday its not a novelty to be picked apart but i assume it would be diffenent at different schools.
When i did have to wear a uniform (I worked in a supermarket while studying) i did have problems from grown adults funnily enough. I am pretty tall and the uniform didn't fit me properly and i couldn't find shoes (big feet!) that were allowed or fit me at first. I got called "freakish".
My children have to wear a school polo and it doesn't bother me or them but a strict uniform can highlight differences in pupils I think - size and shape as well as those wearing hand down uniforms or second hand. I don't entirely see the point personally.

I went to school with no uniforms, and the angst and drama around what to wear each day - ugh. Far too time consuming and took up way too much brain space.

Sending my dc to school in uniform is a breeze in comparison, although I do agree about cost - schools should be much more relaxed about where the uniform comes from. Generic uniform is best imo.

I find it absolutely baffling that uniforms seem to be standard, and cannot begin to understand why anyone thinks that mindless conformity is desirable. Hate seeing my kids dressed in their uniform, get pissed off that so many items go missing every time they get changed for PE (would be SO much easier if they had their own, recognisable, clothes). And then the school insists they bring a change of clothes whenever they are doing anything messy - which I cheerfully ignore on the grounds that I care a lot less what their uniform looks like than most of their other clothes.

I'm all for sensible uniforms, nothing logo, no fancy ties or specific tartans, just basic shirts or polos, and trousers or skirts in navy, grey or black. All stuff you can buy in the supermarket and bung in the washing machine.

Uniform is way easier than having them destroy their clothes. But I wish it was easier. If all schools simply wore black trousers/shorts/skirts and white polo shirts or shirts and then a coloured jumper (possibly with the logo) and black or white trainers, life would be waaaay easier. All the extra guff is so uneccessary and often not very practical.

Meh. I wear a uniform for work. As does DH. The kids wear a uniform for school. Can't see the issue myself, as many other posters have said it certainly saves arguments in the morning.

I used to think they were pointless when my DD was little but now she's 11 I totally see the point. Especially after the drama we had on the last non-uniform day because she didn't have the "right" sort of clothes

I still hate over fussy/formal uniform though, especially on v little ones. No 4 year old needs to be wearing a shirt and tie!

I agree with you. I have identical twins who are starting school next year and I hate that uniforms will make it that much harder for everyone to tell them apart.

I also disagree with the concept of it equalising kids. As a single parent it’s going to put a huge dent in my budget to come up with uniforms for 2 kids in one go. They are expensive.

I love uniforms. Its cheaper, easier and there are no clothing drama/ arguments.

Here in Canada most schools don't. Private ones tend to, or Catholic ones, but otherwise not.

I would not have supported uniforms, I think a reason dress code worked for us, and our parents, it will work for our kids too.

To me uniforms mean a whole other set of clothes to buy , store, laundry and replace as needed, just for the sake of making your kids match.

Clearly, from the hundreds of threads on Mumsnet, uniforms do not stop bullying, don t make kids all accept each other, or increase discipline in the classroom.
Those issues all still happen, in nearly every school.

Im not saying our Canadian schools don't have issues too, just that uniforms don't even come into play.

Easier not to have uniform. There's always something clean to wear in the morning, you don't have to worry whether their limited no. of uniform items are still wearable. Kids will find something to bully about, uniform or not. And there's an infinite way of establish a pecking order through minute differences in wearing your uniform.

I agree with you. DD's (bog standard State) primary has a stupid uniform that includes ties and proper shirts. At least the girls get to wear dresses in the summer, the boys still have to wear their ties.

Children should be in clothes they can run, jump and climb in that are also comfortable when they are sitting down and that don't matter if they get dirty. I'd be all for a uniform if it was leggings/ tracksuit bottoms + t-shirt and sweatshirt. That would also be much cheaper than DD's uniform. And, importantly, practical shoes (trainers).

I think the idea that young kids have to be 'smart' at school is totally ludicrous and will hopefully fall out of fashion in the same way flogging/ using a slate and chalk has.