To think school uniform is a bunch of crap?

[Ahurricaneofjacarandas]

So to be clear, I don't think the principle of uniform itself is crap. However why are we allowing our primary aged kids especially to spend the majority of their childhood in such restrictive clothing?! It's almost always restrictive trousers/dresses at least and some in my area even proper shirts and ties. We have evidence in the importance of learning by moving in this age group. Most kids this age have a degree of sensory processing immaturity. Many even have spd and this is arguably discriminating against these kids. I do understand the importance of uniform and learning to adhere to uniform standards but can anyone give me a reason why the uniform isn't just a simple pair of leggings/joggers and a tshirt and hoodie? Maybe I've overlooked something but it seems to me it's entirely for the benefit of the school and their pockets not the children.. why do we accept this?

What benefit is a blazer? They look ridiculous and no one dresses like that now - i work in the City and much less formal now. DH is a doctor - he wears chino’s or jeans and a T-shirt.

But many, many don't. Many have specific trousers in a slightly different shade, kilts/skirts in a slightly different shade, logo'ed everything, specific PE kit. At one of the schools locally only the white shirts are non-specific.

It's actually used by some schools to influence who applies to their school as a subtle entry criteria - people who can't afford £100 blazers and £40 skirts don't apply, even when it's their local school.

Yes, my point was really that there is no need for expensive uniform. Children can be smart & cheaply kitted out. Plenty of schools do it so there is no reason the others can't.

My children attend a non-uniform wearing school. I thought I'd love it, but my God, the amount of laundry I now have to do is staggering!

How does that work then? Surely whatever they're wearing, the amount of dirt and therefore the frequency of laundry is the same?

They also fall apart super quick, go shiny, have ti be washed separately as u cabt use softener, the pockets and lining easily rip and despite being available in asda fir a tenner u have to pay iver 30 quid for a logo one.

Biggest con going

Children don’t need to look smart and professional at school - they should be in comfortable clothes.

Why would you want them dressed like mini Jacob Rees-Mogg’s?

How much does a blazer cost?

Surely there'd be less as now you don't have uniform to wash as well? Unless previously your children stayed in uniform after they got home from school? I always changed into my own clothes as soon as I got home from school so was going through double the amount of clothing during the school week.

Even if there was more laundry, although i don't see how as surely their uniform gets equally as dirty, at least its still a bit easier..I mean I cant speak for anyone else but it'd really annoying putting a wash on for 3 or 4 shirts as we don't own anything else white .

I'd rather have clothes that make a load up than constantly sticking the machine on witg hardly anything in it due to the colour or washing requirements that are different to the other clothes.

Our school's blazers were £35 and to be absolutely honest they did wear and wash extremely well, linings held up etc. But a lot of schools charge north of £70 for poor quality blazers that fall apart and need dry cleaning.

And amazingly, hoodies also often have pockets, as indeed do jeans!

Children don't need to look professional. They aren't at work, they're at school. School isn't their job, it is something they have a right to.

I've never yet had an answer, let alone a sensible one, to the question why British children need 12 years in strict uniform in order for them to be able to dress appropriately for work when the time comes. Children in countries with no uniform seem to manage it - so do we think British children are so much more incapable than others? I rate our children higher than that.

And do we think British teachers are so incompetent that they need to police petty uniform rules in order to manage behaviour when teachers in other countries manage without? I also rate our teachers higher than that.

Children already have clothes for evenings, weekends and holidays. And I always find the idea of having to have designer gear so shortsighted. Firstly my teen wears Primark and H&M and hasn't experienced this apparent universal peer pressure. And secondly many families like mine simply couldn't afford designer clothes. So, no we wouldn't be spending more money on designer clothes, we would be spending less as not having to buy expensive uniforms. It is only that you can afford expensive clothes that you don't see a problem with expensive uniforms.