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?

Totally agree with this. My primary school had a uniform (which was the generic stuff available in supermarkets), but it was optional. Most kids didn't wear it and no one was teased because of the clothes they chose to wear. High school did have an incredibly strict uniform policy (including ties for the girls), and the principle used to stand in the corridor and check we all had the "regulation" coloured hair elastic in our hair! Big bollocking and detention if not.

It probably is coincidence.

What you wear has no relation to your intelligence or your ability to remember.

I'd rather teachers taught, instead of wasted time checking the colour of socks. It makes no difference.

Fwiw I've never had to wear a blazer at work, it's probably even less common since COVID. I bet a lot of people have worn tracksuit bottoms to work frequently in the last couple of years!

I voted YANBU based on your title, then read your OP and I actually disagree - I don't think there's anything particularly physically restrictive about what kids generally wear to primary school.

But I do think uniform is a load of crap, because it's totally unnecessary and as a teacher of many years' standing I very strongly disagree with the theory that it in any way improves behaviour or attainment, or that it makes kids identify with the ethos of their school. Utter bollocks. How do people think that other countries manage perfectly well without it?

If anything being forced to wear a blazer would make me think "fuck this" and want to leave quicker. It didn't make me think oh I must try harder.

It used to be that uniforms were cheap and hard wearing, but now they are expensive and crap, and far worse quality than regular cheap clothing. Plus it makes you do more washing to ensure specific items are ready. And kids would be better in cheap trainers than expensive school shoes that scuff and are grown out of quickly.

Could it be that the best schools in the country have small class sizes, amazing facilities, can attract better teachers, have pupils from stable well off homes with parents who invest in their education? Poor performing state schools cannot replicate this just be sticking their pupils in ties and blazers. It's a distraction from the real issues preventing their potential in state schools.

And you might not want to work in tracksuits but millions of professionals have WFH in their comfy clothes for two years plus now. I work in the NHS with consultants who don't wear uniform. Are you suggesting it is not possible to be professional unless you wear uniform/tailored office wear??

Well quite. Formal uniform appeals to aspirational parents (that's why schools have it) and to keen new Year 7s for the first few weeks. That's about it. It's an absolute pain in the arse to enforce, and parents soon tire of it once they have had to fork out for it and their dc lose bits of it or are given detentions for not wearing it properly!

It is no coincidence that the above is the expectation at many of the best schools in the country.

That's not cause and effect. The uniform is window-dressing and has nothing to do with making them the best schools in the country. I've worked in everything from inner city comps to a top private girls' day school. Believe me, the latter would have been just as excellent if the girls had been wearing jeans and r-shirts. Conversely, putting kids in a bad school in smart blazers is not going to solve anything.

I used to buy into the clichés about uniform, but then worked in a non-uniform school and loved it. The pupils were comfortable, and had nothing to prove and were less stressed. Zero time wasted on issues like when is a black lace-up shoe a trainer, or is that skirt rolled up. Clothes were decent and pupils respected the sensible boundaries and I lost not one second of teaching time on policing clothes.

I have an autistic sensory child and fortunately our local primary school has a relaxed uniform where as long as it's uniform items of school colours, it's fine. He's been comfortable in shorts and polo shirts. Every secondary school in the area is a sensory nightmare of blazer, tie, stiff collar and trousers with no shorts options for boys.
Secondary uniforms are uncomfortable, impractical, and hopelessly out of date (unless you have a burning desire to work in Sales). Many high earning, creative/ technical industries have become far less formal. Most businesses requiring uniform are of the more practical end with polo shirts. Young people don't need training for years to wear clothes.

I haven't worn a blazer or tie since leaving school... well maybe not so much on blazers as I did own a suit for a while but quickly stopped wearing it as I was never comfortable in it and that did reflect in my personal presentation. I wore it in a stunt to try to look grown-up and professional, but I actually felt smarter in dresses and cardigans.

I think your proposed uniform would be a disaster- tracksuit bottoms are for lounging around at home, not for a work or education environment. I’d hate to have to work in tracksuit bottoms

I wouldn’t want to wear a dinosaur tshirt or spend my lunchtime hanging upside down on a climbing frame, but I’m not 5. I think clothing expectations in primary school and an office should be pretty different, no?

And plenty of work environments wear polo shirts and chinos - NHS (physios, doctors), IT (even pre-pandemic, DH wouldn’t hire somebody who turned up to interview in a full suit “because they clearly don’t understand industry norms”), and plenty of people in serious professional jobs like advertising only put a jacket on when they are meeting clients. Finance is the only sector I can think of that expects people in suits every day.

I loved our uniform-free primary.

The kids were used to it, so just wore ‘their clothes’ just like for a play date or a day out or a family visit.

There was none of the fuss people describe or fear amongst my D.C. or any friends Dc.

@mumsys my daughter's primary (local authority regular primary) the uniform is trousers/shorts/skirts/pinafore in grey. White shirt (shirts for boys and girls - no blouses allowed). School logo jumper. No cardigans. No check dresses. Plus to top it all.....blazer and tie.
Yes... blazer and tie from the age of 5 (nursery and reception wear logo polo and sweatshirt instead).
The blazers are expensive. Can only bought from one shop. Parents try to get as many years wear out of it so by Year 6 the blazers are scruffy, faded and sleeves halfway up their arms. White shirts go grey. The jumpers are awful things that lose shape. Quite frankly they look like Victorian urchins.
(The school PTA has recently tried to do secondhand sales but trying to get volunteers is like trying to get blood from a stone)

I hate hate hate hate hat school uniform - especially on primary aged children

it is not a leveller - you can see who has uniform from a supermarket, hand me downs worn out etc and those who buy Next, M&S etc.

You can see who is wearing shoe zone shoes and who has Kickers, who has an adidas bag, who has Vans and who has Primark. You can tell by coats, hair cut and lunch boxes - it is not a leveller

It is as easy to tell the haves from the have nots

People talk of the fashion parade, the difficulty choosing what to wear on non-uniform days but that is because it is a special day - aa day for kids to show some personality once or twice a year, it is important to them, they want to make an impression and be seen for who they are as they never normally get the opportunity. As others have pointed out - it is not an issue when kids can wear what they want - they settle in to it and it is fine.

DS goes to a non-uniform school - his rules are - practical, nothing torn or revealing, nothing with swearing and nothing that could be used as a weapon. He wears jeans, t-shirt and a jumper every day - no hassle - most of his t-shirts are from a multipack from Next. His clothes are more hardwearing than uniform and made from nicer more natural fabrics.

I find it far less hassle because he can wear anything that is there and clean. He is much happier because he wears what makes him feel comfortable.... and it has had no impact on his academic achievements.

Except making life easier for parents and ensuring that poorer kids don't stand out for not having expensive branded clothes 🙄

@hangrylady I don't think children are as fussed by 'labels' as we think they are.
Even teens. The only branded clothes I usually see teens wearing is sportswear - which is usually bought from Sports Direct (so not that expensive).

I prefer school uniforms but I think it should only be the blouses and the rest should be generic ie " grey trousers" or "white socks" in order to keep the cost down.
Some if my family in a Scandinavian country got peer pressured into buying their daughter Gucci t-shirts for school. The mum wad unemployed and so were a lot if the other parents but a couple of mean girls were allowed to dictate the dress code.

Maybe not but I still think uniform makes kids equal in school. They absolute drama I have with my 11 year old DD on mufti days makes me so glad she has a uniform. Don't have to think about what to wear or if it's 'cool'. I don't understand how anyone is against it.

I agree with the principle of uniform, but there is no need for such an expensive uniform. If it was up to me, I'd choose a colour for trousers/skirt, and have a school jumper/polo shirt and thats it.
Everyone in the same general uniform, but no nonsense like ties and blazers for any age and no massive outlay for uniform.

I would prefer something more comfortable for children to play and move around in. Why do 5 year olds need to be wearing a shirt and tie? People moan about childhood obesity, and children not being active enough. How about school uniform they can move and play more freely in?

but Mufti day is one odd day - of course it is important what they wear when they all look the same the rest of the time. When they can wear what they like every day, it stops being such an issue.

My DDs are both at university. No uniform. By some miracle they manage to learn a great deal and work hard.

Clothes do not make children learn - good parenting and good enforcement of actual behaviour in schools do.

Love school uniform, the kids get covered in paint and it doesn't matter, if a child has a bathroom accident they have plenty of spares so no one really notices, there's no bullying over clothes at all, we have a free clothes rail at school as our kids get older we all take our decent stuff in and swap for the bigger size including shoes etc. The school uniform is just white top, comfortable fleece sweatshirt and black joggers/leggings. Speak to your school governors, it's very easy to achieve it on a easily workable system for all.