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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think uniform for a preschool is a bit much?

102 replies

Frazzels · 28/04/2019 12:30

The preschool I'm looking at sending DD to in september has the same uniform as the primary school that it's attached to. Full compulsory uniform. I've come across nursery uniforms before but they've never been compulsory and usually just a jumper, maybe a polo shirt. It's a good school, I already have one DC there I just find this a bit odd, do 2-4 year olds really need to be head to two in uniform? And if DD is still as fussy with clothes as she is now it's going to be a struggle. I can hardly get her to wear anything but pyjamas and wellies

OP posts:
blueberryporridge · 30/04/2019 13:22

Bad enough for children having to wear polyester from the age of five and looking like a (badly-dressed) clone. Why does this have to be inflicted on younger children too? What's wrong with an apron with sleeves for messy activities and normal, comfortable clothes underneath? And what about not putting children in clothes which make them sweat in the summer and freeze in the winter? Other countries seem to manage just fine without uniforms at nursery and at school. Oh, and all the microfibres going into the sea from synthetic fabrics just makes the thought if it all even worse!

hibbledibble · 30/04/2019 13:25

It's the norm for a school nursery class. In fact, I haven't come across one that doesn't have uniform.

Brainfogmcfogface · 30/04/2019 13:29

DD nursery (attaches to school also) has compulsory uniform but they are very relaxed and if a little one wants to wear dress up or anything they’re fine with it.
From my daughters POV she loves it, loves to look like the big kids and would choose the uniform even if it wasn’t compulsory.

LaCastafiore · 30/04/2019 13:29

my kids school uniforms are cotton, and are perfectly comfortable. Why on earth wouldn't they be? If your kids school is a polyester fest, the issue is with the choice of garments, not with the principle of the uniforms.

Most kids seem to wear jeans on mufti days, I am not sure how much more comfortable that actually is.

Ginnylamb · 30/04/2019 13:35

I must say I find the "it stops arguments" rational for uniform odd - I've got 3 children who went to non uniform preschool from age 3 and 2 of them are now at a non uniform secondary school, 1 at non uniform primary. I've never once argued with any of them about what to wear Confused

LaurieMarlow · 30/04/2019 13:38

I'm not a fan of uniform anyway. But particularly dumb for nursery.

If it was a little tracksuit or something, I'd just about live with it. Anything more, hell no.

There's a jumped up kindergarten near us with boaters, blazers the works for three and up. What kind of dumb ass parents sign up for such shit?

LaCastafiore · 30/04/2019 13:41

what's boaters? Do you mean the shoes? What on earth is wrong with them now?
I hate tracksuits personally.

Ginnylamb · 30/04/2019 13:46

LaCastafiore boaters are hats

cliffdiver · 30/04/2019 13:51

When DD2 was at preschool the school uniform was expected but not enforced.

DD2 wore a white polo, school colour cardi, leggings (not part of the school uniform) and Clark's 'boys' black trainers.

bibbitybobbityyhat · 30/04/2019 13:51

Yanbu! I absolutely hate to see little kids in uniform.

LaCastafiore · 30/04/2019 13:52

thanks Ginnylamb google had failed me, I see now!

They are so cute! I'd love my kids to have them as uniform, it would be a nice change for the baseball caps they have.

LaurieMarlow · 30/04/2019 14:05

They are so cute!

They're ridiculous

outvoid · 30/04/2019 14:07

It’s normal now. When I was in nursery all those years ago we wore our own clothes but at both the schools my DC have attended, nursery wear uniform.

It’s probably better to wear uniform so they don’t ruin their own clothes.

LaurieMarlow · 30/04/2019 14:11

It's the only colour that you can bleach!

Why would I want to bleach stuff?

phoenixrosehere · 30/04/2019 14:12

They’re cute and that’s where it ends.

I think it’s ridiculous and cheaper to buy non-uniform clothes. My son’s school jumper alone is £24. The smallest size is massive on him and what’s the point if they’re painting, playing in mud, and using markers? The trousers and school polos in supermarkets are also too big. I had to buy more expensive trousers just so that they didn’t fall down his waist. The cheapest thing was the polos because I bought them from the girls section of H&M individually. Close to £100 for his pre-school uniform. I could have bought several shirts and trousers for that price and he could still look smart. A button down shirt and jeans or trousers can look smart.

I grew up not having uniforms through my school life (but had uniforms in other areas) and it didn’t make it difficult for me to dress for the different jobs I had or how to look smart. The way I see kids dressing outside of uniforms here is shocking compared to what I see when I visit my part of the US and the kids don’t wear uniforms.

bellinisurge · 30/04/2019 14:15

Worked really well. Got her used to life at school and the school community - worked both ways, I think. Hard wearing stuff too. Not very expensive and plenty of second hand stuff available via the school and in local charity shops.

Sparrowlegs248 · 30/04/2019 14:17

Our pre school has a uniform but not compulsory. I do send my 2 boys in uniform, of polo shirt, sweatshirt, and grey or navy joggers rather than trousers. They get filthy daily so I prefer their uniform to be grubby than other clothes.

LaCastafiore · 30/04/2019 14:17

I (and my kids ) went to non-uniform schools too. It's never an issue when you have wealthy parents and you are wearing the cool stuff effortlessly and are accepted in the right crowd.

suziQ10 · 30/04/2019 14:21

Only bought 2 school uniforms for my DC currently in nursery. They cost £16 each.

It's not about the money though, I just didn't want a 4 year old to have to wear the same thing 5 days a week. We do 2 days uniform and 3 days normal casual clothes.

LaurieMarlow · 30/04/2019 14:24

It's not about the money for me either, more that I don't want the pressure of having to have the uniform washed and ready every day.

And no I don't want to buy five of everything.

I buy DS clothes that are fun, comfortable, easy for him to manage and relatively cheap (H&M are brilliant). They get filthy, but I'm expecting that.

LaCastafiore · 30/04/2019 14:26

I just didn't want a 4 year old to have to wear the same thing 5 days a week.

why ever not? that's a very funny thing to think

Snog · 30/04/2019 14:27

Schools Uniforms for children are an abomination however old they are.

LaurieMarlow · 30/04/2019 14:28

why ever not? that's a very funny thing to think

Perhaps because it's boring?

I'd hate to wear the same thing 5 days a week, I'm not sure why kids are different.

ZigZagIntoTheBlue · 30/04/2019 14:31

My son's pre school has a uniform policy but in reality it's just the jumper, a polo t shirt and black trousers. He always wears the jumper but trousers are sometimes school ones, sometimes tracksuit bottoms. It saves the argument of what to wear in the mornings so I love it for that reason alone.

LaCastafiore · 30/04/2019 14:33

It's clothes, they can wear their own at home, weekends and holidays, it' s not like they spend so much time at school anyway. It's not really hardship to have one colour jumper for school

I wear the same-ish clothes for work 5 days a week because it's easier. Plenty of time to chose individual items in my private life.

I do love school uniforms. When you see the list of rules of non-uniform schools, it's much easier to go for a uniform anyway. It's not like anyone is allowed to dress like a circus clown anyway, or at least it wasn't tolerated in any of the non-uniform school I've known.

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