to wonder if school uniform should be worn

[manicinsomniac]

I know all the arguments about school identity and poorer/less fashion conscious children not being teased. And I've always agreed with them. Plus I just like uniforms.

But I've been helping with a charity over the summer (a clothing bank) because it does big school uniform events where people can come and get their uniforms for free. It was a really hot day when we did the first one and, due to a combination of the number of people who turned up and Covid rules meaning only 5 could come in at once, many of them queued for 2 hours!! It actually really upset me that so many people are in a situation where it is preferable to queue for that long to avoid spending maybe £20 (don't actually know?) in the supermarket.

All the children who came in had clothes. The only reason they needed the uniforms was because the schools say so.

AIBU to think that really, when families are struggling this much, uniform just isn't that important?
YABU - uniform is important
YANBU - I agree with you, it shouldn't be needed

I wondered this too. Also a fan of a uniform in normal circumstances.

I'm told it's to normalise things. Which I get. But also seems a bit unnecessary when people are stretched.

Where I grew up, we didn't have School Uniform. We did have a bit of a dress code but it was more about not wearing spaghetti tops and hot pants or football kits and other nonsense clothing.

Didn't make a difference to me as a teenager. Even with school uniform, the better off kids will have better shoes, shirts and backpacks.

I don’t know what the answer is. I helped my my cousins dc uniform last year as she was really struggling. She also got a bit from the school nearly new shop.

Yet I’ve just spent £900 on two dc uniform

I like uniform as it means there are no arguments in the mornings, that said, our high school uniform is ridiculously expensive (£400 for my son excluding shirts/trousers/ trainers/shoes and similar for my daughter not including a blazer as I was given one)

I have a friend in Scotland who posts regularly on behalf of the school uniform bank, but she is in Scotland where it seems they don’t wear the ridiculous logo’s cardigans, even at primary.

I think what is needed is normalising schools having swap shops in order to ensure there is always plenty of accessible uniform to pass down. If it’s normalised it’s helps remove any potential stigma

I think there's a strong argument for a solid basic uniform that isn't expensive. Our local primary has a school jumper that costs under £10, and the rest is just basic kit that you can pick up at the supermarket.
Some schools have insanely pricey uniform items and it makes things incredibly difficult (Hackney, I'm looking at you)

I think what is needed is normalising schools having swap shops in order to ensure there is always plenty of accessible uniform to pass down. If it’s normalised it’s helps remove any potential stigma

Yes, that's a good point. Not sure how common that is.

I'm in Scotland so our kids went back last week.

For me, the biggest problem this year is spending money on uniform that realistically could only be needed for a month or two before cases rise and the schools are closed down again.

I'm not poor, I CAN afford it, but it just seems like a huge waste when IF the school closes they'll need lots of extra winter clothes.

I feel for poorer families if this happens.

Right now my girls are wearing last years stuff until we know for sure that schools will be named as critical infrastructure. The stuff they've grown out of that I've replaced are things they could wear if the schools close (black leggings, trainers instead of school shoes).

Just because they had clothes doesn't mean that uniform isn't necessary. They could have been wearing their only decent clothes, they may only have one pair of trousers and have to share with a sibling or sit in underwear on wash day. Can you imagine being the kid that wears the same mufti day in day out.

Yes it is expensive but I would have hated having no uniform. So intimidating.

Didn't have any in 6th form and most of us so we would have preferred if they had kept it.

I don't think uniform itself is the problem it's the insistence of some schools on having ridiculoulsy expensive requirements.

At my DCs secondary the minimum list is a school blazer approx £40, a tie, approx £5 and a pe top, approx £12. Everything else can be bought from supermarket school uniform ranges or normal clothes shops. Of course there will always be families who struggle but for the vast majority cost isn't a barrier to meeting the aims of a uniform

Spending £900 is obscene, I don't think I've spend that much on all my uniform put together over the years

I would keep the uniform (I find it quite handy!) but look at a back to school grant for lower income households. Also our primary keeps the uniform as simple as possible and the PTA has set up a swop shop.

I have been wondering the same OP. My ds will be going in to year 9. He has grown about a foot since March and will need a new blazer, shoes, trousers and probably jumpers. School shoes and blazers were new at February half term and have been worn less than a month. I will donate these on our local fb uniform group but really and truly I can't afford to kit him back out again and then go back in to lockdown for a second period whilst he outgrows them again. Why they can't just wear comfy clothes I don't know.

We had a letter from school outlining what to do on the first day but not answering any long term questions really and then a full colour A4 sheet showing what shoes are and aren't acceptable. Ffs does it really matter?! As though their shoes are going to affect their ability to concentrate in class. Priorities are all over the place.

Cheza £900 that's not a typo???
Really?
For a state school?

I have always hated uniform. People should be able to be individual. Bullying exists with or without it, bullies just find something else to focus on

Im in France so no uniforms but the kids do create their own really. So it's jeans, Tommy T-shirts, designers sweat shirts, absurdly expensive trainers. All in I'd say they're spending 200€ for one lot of the basics. Not cheap. And all the schools are pretty similar.

Wow - exactly 50/50 split on the vote at the moment.

I know that plenty of schools do keep the uniform inexpensive and don't have logo-ed tops etc but that cost is evidently still prohibitive for many.

titchy Yes, that's true. I suppose they could only have 1 or 2 outfits. I honestly don't know whether that's likely or not.

Also a good point about the possibility of schools closing again - a lot of the stuff we had donated this year was brand new or barely worn because of lockdown.

I don't think it should be compulsory. Maybe encourage a particular colour and clothing from retailers 'school uniforms' section but just encourage not insist. No child should be denied an education because for whatever reason they don't have the 'correct' clothing. A primary school child could have a 'school' wardrobe of 2 trackies/leggings/ shorts, 3 t-shirts or polo shirts, pants and socks, trainers all from Primark or Asda for about £30.

I agree with uniform, but not when you have to get the school badge on every item. Should be able to wear generic uniform apart from a badged jumper (for secondary).

We run a second hand uniform shop on the premises, where the school retains a percentage for non academic work around the school (playground equipment etc). Plus an online page for parents to sell old uniform. It works well and I rarely have to buy anything new. Our old school did a second hand sale once a term.
Our uniform is school specific and not available on the high street. Bit I can imagine something being set up at other schools - it requires some one to take charge of the administration. We volunteer to run the shop and online page - you just need someone to step up.

A lot of the local secondary schools here give the pupils the first full uniform and PE kit which helps massively. They also have nearly new sales. Even at full price it is very reasonable.

I like the idea of uniform but think it should be basic. Everything should be plain and able to be be purchased from the supermarket. No logo items, blazers etc just a basic colour scheme is enough imo.

Our school uniform isn't ridiculous, you can wear non-logo jumpers and cardigans but they are relativwly cheap to buy.

They have just introduced new navy joggers with their logo though which all children are required to have, at £10.50 per pair. I know its not a huge amount but with so many people affected financially by Covid it seems a bit pointless to have to buy the official joggers when I saw plain navy blue joggers in Aldi for about £2-£3.

And is anyone else shocked at the price of school shoes?! DD has gone up a size and most of the shoes im Clarks/Charles Clinkard are £40+ 😯

The uniform is the CHEAPEST part of my back to school bills! I spent €300 alone on books and stationery for my 4yr old and 7yr old!!! And then I will have to give the school €40 per child for photocopying and admin fees. And then the uniform too...

High School uniform can be very expensive, it's ridiculous.
In secondary education the uniform should be just a plain black or grey pair of trousers/skirt with a polo shirt (with a logo that can be sewn on if needed) just like the uniform worn in primary schools that's available at all supermarkets/high street retailers.
And maybe a jacket with the school logo on if needed.

I always thought the staff uniform in Marks & Spencer was really good when it was just black trousers & black polo shirt. Smart but effective.