To hope schools scrap uniforms

[greengoldfish]

It can’t surely be possible to wash blazers and heavy kilt like skirts on a daily basis.

AIBU to hope this means an end to uniform, or if not, a return to some comfy jogging bottoms, polo shirts and cardis/jumpers?

I hate traditional school uniforms. They're ridiculous. Making children dress like tiny office workers...why??

The designs are cheap and nasty.

I agree that comfortable joggers and sweatshirts in the winter, or shorts and t shirt in sensible colours...a choice of red, navy say...would be far more practical and still look neat.

As an aside, I live in Oz and my kids attend a school without uniform. There are some issues with kids trying to break the very few rules...which are no big logos, no violent imagery and nothing too skimpy (that's boys and girls)

So they are thinking of implementing a basic joggers and sweatshirt combo which I would welcome as it would simplify getting ready in the morning.

My kids DO think "AAGH! What can I wear!" every morning.

I would prefer a dress code instead of uniform eg black trousers/skirts and white tops. That way there is some uniformity but nothing very specific. Uniforms penalises those on the poverty line but a simple black skirt or pair of trousers and white t-shirt or jumper can be bought at Asda

Also washing those items daily means high electrcitiy and water bills. Running washing machine daily not good for those families on lower incomes.

Our primary school has said not to buy any uniform for September as they'll be switching to non uniform for the foreseeable future. I welcome the move.

Is the daily washing requirement still in the guidelines for September? I thought it had been removed.

It has been removed. It says just to wash as you would normally.

@Cornetto69

I would prefer a dress code instead of uniform eg black trousers/skirts and white tops. That way there is some uniformity but nothing very specific. Uniforms penalises those on the poverty line but a simple black skirt or pair of trousers and white t-shirt or jumper can be bought at Asda

Yes I think this would be good.

I wouldn’t be washing items on the school’s say so. The day they come round and do my laundry and pay my bills they can dictate how often I wash things.

@Cornetto69

I would prefer a dress code instead of uniform eg black trousers/skirts and white tops. That way there is some uniformity but nothing very specific. Uniforms penalises those on the poverty line but a simple black skirt or pair of trousers and white t-shirt or jumper can be bought at Asda

Jeans and a school/grey/black sweat shirt would be fine. Kids could wear the jeans outside of school - the only school specific item would be sweatshirt. No fuss, cheap, modern, comfortable, practical.

But that's not the point of school uniform - your school wouldn't look corporate enough. Us parents are part of the problem - we fall for the bullshit quality signalling. Everytime.

Nope! Strict and smart uniforms help instil a work mindset in the DC.

Of all the arguments in favour of uniform, this is by far the most ridiculous. It is just utterly and blatantly untrue.

The vast majority of secondary schools in England have a uniform. That includes the schools with great behaviour and high achievement and the schools with awful behaviour and low achievement, plus all the schools in between. Uniforms do not make kids behave better or work harder. I could have told you that even before 25 years of teaching.

I think schools go with formal, expensive-looking uniforms to attract aspirational parents and to fool them into thinking a smarter uniform means a better school (it really doesn't). Unfortunately parents soon stop loving the uniform once they have to actually pay for it and replace lost bits of it and once the novelty of seeing it on their smart, keen year 7 wears off and their dc get told off constantly for failing to wear it properly. Then they complain about it.

Nope! Strict and smart uniforms help instil a work mindset in the DC.

As LazyLinguist says, this is just not true.

The uniforms are ridiculous and make children look like tiny office workers. Those checked dresses beloved of primary schools are even worse...they make them look like little canteen assistants.

I'd prefer it if children dressed comfortably above anything else.

Haven’t read the full thread but I kind of agree with posters who have said have a smart dress code instead, white shirt and black trousers for boys and girls.

We are in Scotland where it’s cold and rains about 80% of the year, secondary school children/young adults must wear a blazer at all times, they can wear a waterproof jacket over it but there’s nowhere to put it in school so they must carry it all day so they don’t wear it. So they wear an impractical blazer in the middle of winter getting soaked (hard to keep an umbrella up) coupled with the short skirts and tights it’s totally impractical for the weather, just so they can look nice!

Primaries aren’t as strict my DS hates shirts and ties so he will wear a polo shirt and trousers everyday, he gets a clean uniform each morning but has the one jacket.

@SussexMum2

This is quite an old thread, but..... as a teacher - I think you need to speak to the school asap about PE in knickers. That’s horrendous, humiliating, outdated practise and policy and should not be happening.