School uniform logic

[familycourtq]

Why is a (school) logo required on a PE polo shirt? Also why are boys not permitted to roll up their shirt sleeves but are permitted to wear short sleeve shirts? The rest of the uniform seems reasonable but I can’t get the logic of these. Btw I am not going to be having a go at school or embarrassing my child - prepared to accept there are reasons, just haven’t figured out what they are.

(and boys are allowed to roll up sleeves as well)

Rolled up sleeves look far less formal (and more scruffy imo) than short sleeved shirts. Logos on polo shirts is daft though.

The NHS thinks rolled up shirt sleeves are smart enough for their dress code. If it's formal enough for a consultant, surely it's "formal enough" for a fourteen year old?

I don't love uniform but its existence isn't enough to put me off a school.

I do think ties on girls look strange (and in fact I know very few men who routinely wear a tie to work these days).

DS and his friends all refuse to take their jumpers off (no matter how hit it is) because the teachers will make them tuck their polo shirts in. And it’s much less comfortable when tucked in. So they choose to boil instead.

What a great rule.

Why would schools not allow polo shirts then moan kids take to long to get dressed after pe.

Why would they expect logos on.shirts or polo shits when kids wear jumpers over the top of them.

Why do they ask for book bags so kids have to be part octopus to carry everything in when a back pack.would hold everything.

@3GreenFrogs funnily enough, our school has (based on parents wishes!) just gotten rid of the tracksuits for nursery and replaced by proper trousers/poloshirts. and all kids are in proper shirts as early as allowed (reception). they just look awful in the tracksuits, and as parents we refused to send our kids in clothes that make them look scruffy. trousers and shirt are equally comfy, but don‘t look scruffy (and poloshirts look good for about 30 seconds in the morning)

I don't agree with uniform full stop, but surely it could be adapted to make it more affordable and comfortable, especially as in many places traditional workwear is slowly disappearing and becoming less formal. For example, in the last four places I have worked men didn't need to wear ties at all.

Why is it easier to put on a poloshirt than a shirt? same 2 buttons to open at the top (and top button on most school shirts us velcro anyway)

Actually yes, I do agree with Crustaceans. Having weird rules that make children less comfortable is stupid (and counter productive).

There's a school near here which enforces (horrid) blazers and ties for girls but doesn't appear to care about skirt length or whether their shirts are see through. So a load of the girls look like they are off to pull at School Disco rather than actually going to school. I have no idea how they get through the day without showing their pants.

Well because one logo polo shirt is £5.50. They need three for the week so that’s £16.50 per child just for three polo shirts. I can get a pack of three plain ones for £5 from Sainsbury’s
Well, if we all did that how would the person on the board of Trustees of the Academy/Academy Chain (delete as appropriate) who also happens to own/have a financial interest in a school uniform shop/supplier make their money?

Do schools make money on logo uniform sales? I don't understand why they are so keen on them otherwise. Would be much better to just pick a colour or sell the logo for parents to attach themselves.

I went to school abroad, and there was mufti at primary school. So we only had 'school tops' which were only worn when competing against other schools. They were bright orange so the local schools definitely knew who we were but the shirts also had the school logo. From what I recall the board of trustees paid for the shirts.

I am not a particularly big fan of uniform, especially at primary. I don't really like dressing kids the same, at primary I liked being able to decide what to wear, experiment etc and I didn't care what others wore, I came from a particular poor background myself.

I don't really see the point in ties either for girls, I had them at my secondary but my secondary uniform was most uncomfortable (heavy kilts), tights etc.

It’s not even that the uncomfortably tucked in polo shirts look smarter/better than untucked. They are both more comfortable and look better untucked, frankly.

My BF is always amazed at how crap and petty school uniform is. Especially as wearing a shirt and tie is not indicative of how ‘good’ your job is anyway. He works for a large, global corporation. His entire floor is full of very high earners who turn up to work in jeans, trainers and T-shirts. That includes extremely senior staff. And clients have complained in the past if they’ve organised a meeting and someone has felt the need to wear a suit.

Yet, we’re supposed to believe that 14 year olds benefit from being made to wear polyester blazers and cheap shirts all day.

And, before, the ‘well you chose the school; never dare to question its petty, tyrannical rules’ crowd show up: school choice is largely a myth. 1. You get what you’re allocated based on where you live (unless you’re lucky enough to have the genuine ability to express a realistic preference) and then often find yourself in a feeder system with no chance is changing track later. 2. All the bloody schools in many areas have similarly crap uniform policies and (if secondary) appear to be run by petty bureaucrats, so it doesn’t matter what you choose anyway. You’ll get some variety of stupid uniform with petty rules regardless. 3. Home schooling is not an option for most people because they need to work. Similarly most people can’t afford private school (although those are often worse for uniform anyway).

@echt
I am not asking the school as I don't want to make waves - I doubt they will consider changing and I don't want DD to be know for having "that" parent.

and despite your hilariously snippy tone, this is actually for next year, as DD is going to secondary school and I have a thick booklet of stuff that includes their very detailed uniform rules.

Are you always so rude when speaking from a position of zero knowledge :) ?

Uniform, and by extension office dress, policies are a great example of policy not moving with the times.

As another poster has already said, the business world is full of very successful people who probably don't own a suit, or ever wear a formal shirt - much less a tie.

These policies also almost always discriminates against boys in terms of comfort. For example, I cannot wear a pair of lightweight trainers in my office, but my female colleagues can wear pumps or open shoes (and don't get me started on strappy t-shirt v formal shirt). My son is going to a secondary school which (hurrah for inclusivity) has a gender-neutral policy of trousers or skirt. Why can he not wear shorts?

The forcing of inappropriate clothing on people is a massive bugbear of mine. Makes me so angry. It's pathetic, unnecessary, and all it does is make people uncomfortable when they're supposed to be learning or working.

trousers and shirt are equally comfy, but don‘t look scruffy
I disagree on both points.
If proper trousers and shirts were so comfortable and practical then parents would be dressing their children in them outside of school too instead of the t-shirts, sweatshirts, joggers and leggings that the majority of kids wear.

Crustaceans

You forgot the New Head New Uniform

Dses primary has a logo but it's not enforced and the only rules are white polo, grey lower halves, blue top. No joggers or jeans.

Pretty much everyone gets supermarket polo's and school trousers, shorts, skirt etc but the logo sweaters, fleeces and cardigans are great quality and last ages through many children so most of us spend money on them rather than supermarket equivalents.

When I've been in Australia and seen primary school children, they all seem to wear sports clothes as uniform which looks a practical solution.

In Australia (or it was for my cousins at primary) children had to have sports kit for PE lessons, but they could go into school in their PE kit.

I quite like logo stuff, for outings/trips, it identifies the child really quickly and easily as part of the school group. The logo stuff I’ve had has been higher quality than multipack stuff anyway and if you buy big, you can wear for longer. Plus at our school, parents hand uniform around to each other once outgrown.

Ah yes, @GreenTulips.

That’ll be point 4. You thought you were choosing one thing, but you got a new head and an ‘academy’ instead. And that means purple striped polyester blazers have not available from the school shop (open between 9.01 and 9.03 on the third Tuesday of the month) and cheap primarni suits for 6th form. Plus a requirement that you buy special school PE socks at £10 a pair. The poor teachers will be forced into sock inspections before they can actually start teaching.

DDs school for September are very relaxed.

They school uniform is Navy Blue Jumper or Cardigan, White or Blue Polo, then grey trousers, shorts, pinafore or skirt with grey, black or navy socks or tights. For Nursery to Year 2 pretty much any trousers/shorts/skirt as long as they're grey are allowed. Logos aren't compulsory on anything although most children tend to wear logoed jumpers/cardigans. Years 3+ they're a bit stricter but still quite relaxed, no shirts or ties or anything. Even years 7 and 8 of the local high school are allowed polo shirts and shorts so it might be due to that (and that's an academy)

There isn't a PE uniform, it's just "comfortable clothes from home"

Agree with the person above that surely kids would be able to concentrate better when not in such uncomfortable uniform. I hated it. It’s not about the idea of having uniform, more the particular way it’s approached and chosen in the U.K.

I can never understand why school uniforms reflect 'fashion' from a long gone era. Who wears wool jumpers and gaberdine skirts/trousers any more? A nice warm tracksuit and good quality polo shirt with perhaps smart shorts in the summer is a practical and gender neutral option. I don't mind logoed stuff if the quality is good.

School logos go on PE stuff because sometimes it’s nice to have a community identity. If you’re going to an athletics meet, it’s nice to see who is who.

Short sleeved shirts versus rolling up sleeves: once kids start customing their uniforms, things get scruffy pretty darned fast, and after scruffy comes dirty, or half-naked. If you put in place a simple rule, saying uniform items should be worn as they are designed to be worn, the uniform stays reasonably consistent.

It’s control, yes, but nothing sinister.