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 love school uniform. I’d send my son (if I had one) to Eton for the uniform alone.

I buy ALOT of school clothes throughout the year. When they're on sale or if I just see a reasonable price for shirts/skirts etc so half of her wardrobe is just uniform. Luckily since shes been back its just been cardigans, gingham summer dresses, socks and white plimsolls. All machine washable so as soon as she gets home, its all in the machine (including plimsolls) and ready for the next wear.

But if you weren't having to buy two lots of clothes you could afford, say, seven £2 Primark t shirts more readily. Buying uniform on top of what he wears anyway is more expensive.

@emmijay wait until secondary school. It's a fucking nightmare.

Buying uniform on top of what he wears anyway is more expensive. I agree. The point is that he already has the uniform, including shirts and trousers that will likely fit for the next two years. It's not a case of buying it. No uniform and I will have to buy more clothes I otherwise wouldn't have bought, fine if it's a long term thing, expensive for a few months.

He's in school under keyworker provision at the moment and we haven't been told anything about clean clothes daily so he wears a t-shirt for a couple of days, shorts usually for the week.

@Lineman are you saying I should start buying shirts from now for secondary?? (Thats actually a good idea lol)

I think from a Covid perspective and the need to be more hygienic, then yes you have a point. No blazers would be great and go down to basics. PE kit (joggers and sweatshirt) or the like. Don't see how blazers can be washed everyday.

I don't see the big issue with blazers- most schools expect them to be worn at all times throughout the day. The DCs' school only lets them take them off if they are invited to do so in a lesson by the teacher- that only happens on one or two days a year. They're not allowed to take them off in the canteen or corridors.

As long as DC keep their blazers on all day and they are not being put on backs of chairs or on the floor, there should be no problem with virus transmission and they should not need to be washed on a daily basis.

@EmmiJay no. If I was saying that I would have said it. To spell it out, you may have a different perspective re cost, ease of washing, ease of buying and so on once your kids are in secondary school. Especially once the boys get to six foot plus and you have to buy men's dress trousers for them, as well as the forty bloody quid blazers, just so that they can access education

You don’t want to live in s country without school uniform, believe me (I grew up in one). fine if you are rich, but otherwise you will spend £££ (significantly more than the most expensive school uniform) or your kids will be bullied mercilessly.

Sush nonsense. I grew up in a non uniform country too. But bullying exist in any school. With or without uniform. Because you can wear all the designer clothes but still be bullied for being shy, or having red hair, or being overweight, or too skinny, or to many pimples, different hair, smell, weird family. Need I go on? I was teased for different skincolor and not wearing the good brands of clothes. I just didnt give a fuck. I loved being able to stand out and be different!

You can still be bullied when you wear a uniform. Because they can be newly bought. 2nd hand. 3rd hand. You can still have a squeeky voice, too many freckles, too skinny legs, etc etc. A uniform will not save you from bullying. The popular kids will still be popular and the unpopular ones, unpopular.

In my opinion it shaped me for life. Because in real life we aren't the all same. We come from different wealth/upbringing/familids etc.

Plus: I see that girls here (not UK) have to wear skirts here. How unpractical when you wanna play. Also: how sexist and outdated.

I don't understand the obsession with school uniforms here! My dd is 16 and only wore a uniform for 2 years in one secondary school - much worse bullying there than in the schools without uniform funnily enough, and a lot of IMO time wasted on 'uniform infringements' . This is a hobby horse of mine lol. The teenage years are a time for experimentation and self expression, a time to experiment. Why are we hell bent on forcing our kids to wear outdated unfashionable uncomfortable clothes and look exactly the same? what is the problem with pink hair, or a nose piercing. I found that in the secondary without uniform appearance became more about expressing yourself. it was the kids in the uniforms who were obsessed with brands!!! JMO. In primary it was a godsend not to wear uniform. No expense in September - just continued to wear shorts and sandals well into October usually, then leggings and tights and warm and cosy clothes for the winter.

PS the argument that uniforms prevent bullying is just nonsense - I was bullied at school for not wearing my socks in a particular way, I was bullied for not having the 'cool' brown leather shoes. Bullying is bullying its not about uniform. To me its a bit of a power trip for the principal or vice principal whoever enforces the uniform rules. In my daughters school they went around measuring the length of the girls' skirts. And no visible bra lines allowed. The rules were endless and to me pointless. Power trips for the people in charge.

I don't agree with DC wearing polo shirts and tracksuit bottoms etc to school at all. Both items are leisure wear- they have no place in a professional workplace so they certainly should not be worn in school.

💯

In my opinion all DC should be in blazers, shirt, tie, smart trousers and smart black school shoes. With shirts tucked in, top buttons done up, shoes polished and blazers on at all times

It sets the right tone for the day- the DC are ready to work and understand why they're in school. Wearing leisure clothes inculcates a leisure attitude

Or they could just wear clothes, like most people.They'll soon find what works. I'm sure that most children understand why they're in school and should be ready to work regardless of what they're wearing. If not then something's more wrong than their clothes.
In specialist ballet schools the students wear what you would term 'leisure' clothes to lessons ie tracky bottoms and polo shirts. This is so they can quickly change into dance gear during the day. It has zero negative effect on their attitude to school work.

Your description of the ideal school child seems more about image than practicality.

I think a school uniform makes life easier and avoids a debate over whether x is appropriate for school. surely that’s a debate worth having? Isn’t teaching your children what to wear in different situations a pretty key life skill.

If you can get through holidays and weekends then you should have enough clothes to manage to dress your child.

@FishyDuck

I don't agree with DC wearing polo shirts and tracksuit bottoms etc to school at all. Both items are leisure wear- they have no place in a professional workplace so they certainly should not be worn in school.

In my opinion all DC should be in blazers, shirt, tie, smart trousers and smart black school shoes. With shirts tucked in, top buttons done up, shoes polished and blazers on at all times.

It sets the right tone for the day- the DC are ready to work and understand why they're in school. Wearing leisure clothes inculcates a leisure attitude.

What nonsense, the majority of schools in the world have no uniform and they seem to managing just fine, and do even better than the UK. Finland as an example.

We are in the UK and my sons secondary school has no uniform, they do have a derss code which I always say is basically don’t show your underwear. There is also no midriff or flip flops. The school say they rarely have to pull anyone up for breaking the rules and so save time they would normally spend policing uniform. If the dress code is broken, the student is given the option to change to pe kit or wear black joggers and t shirt lrovided by school. If they refuse they are sent home, it rarely happens as you have to go some to break the rules!

My son is Y8. He wears mostly branded hoodies and trainers (which we get in the sale) but has supermarket shirts and non branded jeans, He has had a clothing budget since last September and is learning about money and that he has to be selective and work out what his priorities are. His budget won’t run to branded or full price everything.

I love that the school is non uniform. Kids get to express themselves as individuals. I hate that some schools insist on blazers being worn unless they are given permission to remove them. How is that teaching how to behave in the real world. I remember parents insisting their kids wear a jumper or coat at the park after school when DS was in primary. I always found this odd. I might suggest it to DS to remind him but he knew if he was hot/cold!

As for preparing kids for work, not many places insist on a blazer and tie in the workplace. I am a lawyer and a couple of years ago we had a new director who abolished any dress code and told us to wear what we wanted. Funnily enough we can all still do our jobs and can work out when we need to dress up for court/meetings 🙂

I can’t stand uniforms. They aren’t social equalisers, they aren’t practical and they aren’t a reflection of a professional work environment (let alone “real life”).

I went to a middle school with uniform and a high school without (in the UK) and the bullying over what you wore at the middle school was way, way worse than at the high school. There were people obsessed with what they wore (a friend’s sister kept a diary so she didn’t ever wear exactly the same outfit twice) but the vast majority wore jeans and a t-shirt/sweatshirt most days and generally didn’t think about it much beyond how practical it was for what they were doing that day. At my middle school with uniform, as a poor kid who got FSM and clothing vouchers I felt the full force of disapproval for my second hand or market bought uniform. Teased on the play ground and snotty remarks from teachers when I was growing out of it. At my high school I could fit in with Everyday clothes that didn’t cost a fortune and that were comfortable and practical.

Then I changed to a new school for 6th form which had no uniform and we had regular conversations wishing there was one because it would be so much easier

So you’d rather someone else made your clothing choice for you? Are you incapable of selecting the correct clothes for the weather/activity?
Absolutely at 16/17 I would have been happier in a uniform so I didn't have to make a choice. It got easier as I got older. Nothing to do with weather appropriateness but to do with having a vague idea of what might suit me or what was even the tiniest bit cool.

What a great time to try no uniform for a year.

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis

I really think they should simplify uniform - ditch anything that can't be bought ubiquitously at supermarket prices. But for many reasons I don't think they should do away for uniform entirely.

This 100%

Why would you wash blazers and skirts daily? They'd be ruined. No wonder the planet is screwed.

My children's primary school hasn't said anything about uniform change or washing daily. My kids are just going in with their normal uniform.

After a couple weeks, are people really still going to be washing and drying uniforms everyday still? I'm thinking not. If it's not dirty, no one will know it wasn't washed, so I suspect the novelty will wear off very quickly.

After a couple weeks, are people really still going to be washing and drying uniforms everyday still? I'm thinking not. If it's not dirty, no one will know it wasn't washed, so I suspect the novelty will wear off very quickly.

That’s precisely why I think my school is doing non uniform now. So they can tell if we have changes the clothes.

I don't agree with DC wearing polo shirts and tracksuit bottoms etc to school at all. Both items are leisure wear- they have no place in a professional workplace so they certainly should not be worn in school

I take it that you don't work in IT?? 😂