School uniform policy

[CuntyMcBollocks]

I'm interested in people's opinions on this.

A couple of years ago my niece got into trouble at school and was put into isolation for taking off her school blazer. It was in the middle of a heatwave and she took her thick blazer off as she was too hot. The schools policy is that students must wear them at all times, which I personally find ridiculous for reasons such as this.

I understand that the school wants students to look smart and abide by their rules, but surely a bit of common sense should be used also.

No, I wasn't, @TizerorFizz. I guess there may have been a few schools around in my youth with bad heating systems and cloaks on the uniform list

@EthelTheAardvark
I guess you are right! It’s a piece of clothing you don’t really grow out of so it has longevity. DD had a blazer too but no hat as the cloak had a hood. I’ve never seen another school with them but they do cost a fairly serious amount of money.

I’m somewhat surprised that schools insist on DC wearing blazers in school. It simply isn’t what private schools do so why do state school heads think it matters? Private schools like to advertise themselves outside the school and certainly want DC to foster a sense of belonging and loyalty. However uniform in class isn’t really how they do it. It’s a much broader concept than a uniform.

Don’t send your kid to a school with strict uniform then criticise when they enforce the dress code. Don’t send your kid to a church school Then complain that they talk about God all the time.
Don’t send your kid to a school that have a reputation for being ‘traditional’ then complain that it’s too stuff…
It’s not that hard!

@BloodyloveGeorge

Don’t send your kid to a school with strict uniform then criticise when they enforce the dress code. Don’t send your kid to a church school Then complain that they talk about God all the time. Don’t send your kid to a school that have a reputation for being ‘traditional’ then complain that it’s too stuff… It’s not that hard!

Actually it is that hard - the local schools all have the same approach to uniform rules - there really is no choice.

And the concept of school choice on any level is flawed. For most - you get what you are given.

This is very wrong and should not be allowed. Why do parents accept this if it is so common? Are there no agencies advocating for children's rights about issues like this in school? What on earth are we doing to our children here in the UK! You can't you learn effectively if you are too hot and uncomfortable

@KeepAgnusSafe

One of my friends worked in a local private school - having a dc a local state school obsessed with strict uniform, she was quite surprised to see how little the uniform rules were enforced. She was told - the pupil's attitude to their studies and their extra curricular activities was where the school directed their energies, if the pupils wanted to rebel and wear short skirts and lose ties - did it really matter? The parents are paying for results. First day of lockdown - the private school kids continued to attend to their lessons online seamlessly...my friend's dc's school never did engage in online lessons - even when mandated by the Gov. Weak leadership puts the blame on parents and kids for all their woes rather than focusing on the teaching and the school and you can see why, it's easier!

I hear the same about private schools being less obsessed with this sort of issue. You could almost assume it is all about keeping the poorer classes over controlled and uneducated. Perpetuating the status quo and all that.

Training state-schooled kids to put up and shut up...you could easily believe this is intentional.

Google the governments "Heatwave plan for England 2020" - section 3.3 is about schoolchildren.

I went to a high performing school with a relaxed uniform. No blazer, no tie and no rules on when we could take off jumpers. I think I looked smart and I was comfortable too. I hope it won’t be too different for my dc.

My daughters school has actively chosen not to have a blazer - shirt, tie and jumper and no problems taking jumper off when needed.

@Volhhg
It’s not remotely about class. It’s about SLTs thinking control is best done via a uniform and it’s down to each school to make its own decisions. It’s a mistaken belief that private schools are uniform obsessed.

The SLT of state schools will be mostly state educated so they impose this on DC from their own backgrounds. It’s down to each individual school and SLT write a uniform policy, a behaviour policy and set rules. It’s nothing to do with anyone else other than that individual school community. Bizarrely too many teachers think strict uniform rules will get better results. Wise intelligent people know it’s good teaching that gets results. Uniform is about control.

Wise intelligent people know it’s good teaching that gets results. Uniform is about control. Teaching is harder to improve, less wise people are impressed by strict uniform.

@KeepAgnusSafe
I’d love to know why. I prefer a school uniform but the rules around when it’s worn should be flexible. Why should girls wear ties? Why can’t they choose trousers or skirts? Why can’t they wear a pullover or not depending on temperature? Why do schools impose cheap nasty blazers when they are not remotely necessary? It baffles me as to why common sense goes out of the window. I can only assume SLTs should have been in the Forces.

Absolutely it’s harder to improve teaching. However that’s what counts.

I read today that 2% of schools have never been Good or Outstanding when inspected. Over 100,000 children are in these schools and older siblings before them. What would be the point of worrying about uniform rules when you are letting children down for 20 years?

@EthelTheAardvark

Why have you addressed your post to me, *@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius*? I didn't say what you are quoting. If you read my post you will note I was disagreeing with it.

Huge apologies, @ethel - I got mixed up and shouldn’t have tagged you at all. I am sorry.

Thanks, @SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius

I’m somewhat surprised that schools insist on DC wearing blazers in school. It simply isn’t what private schools do so why do state school heads think it matters? Private schools like to advertise themselves outside the school and certainly want DC to foster a sense of belonging and loyalty. However uniform in class isn’t really how they do it. It’s a much broader concept than a uniform.

Agreed. I was at a private school where we had blazers, but we were never expected to wear them in class - we had jumpers and it was completely up to us whether we wanted to to take them off. We only wore blazers occasionally out of doors, generally in the summer when we didn't need a coat.

I’ve got pictures of DD and friends having a bit of fun in the snow in theirs. They were too thick for summer.

[quote TizerorFizz]@Volhhg
It’s not remotely about class. It’s about SLTs thinking control is best done via a uniform and it’s down to each school to make its own decisions. It’s a mistaken belief that private schools are uniform obsessed.

The SLT of state schools will be mostly state educated so they impose this on DC from their own backgrounds. It’s down to each individual school and SLT write a uniform policy, a behaviour policy and set rules. It’s nothing to do with anyone else other than that individual school community. Bizarrely too many teachers think strict uniform rules will get better results. Wise intelligent people know it’s good teaching that gets results. Uniform is about control.[/quote]
Yeah that's what I was saying. We agree

Yeah and I remember it being said on MN many years ago, by a wise poster, that these policies are mostly implemented by male headteachers with a school uniform fetish. It could be classed as a safeguarding issue and may be worth notifying Ofsted, especially if you could link it to the Heatwave Guidance that someone posted. Many of us thought years ago it would take a pupil dying for something to be done; pupils have fainted from heat exhaustion and been taken to hospital but these ridiculous policies remain in place.