School ties

[FarewellNoel]

DD's school (primary) are insisting all pupils, including those with SEN wear ties at all times in school. DD tells me their classroom is 'boiling' and that the thermometer on the teacher's desk suggested it was above 30 last week. Am I unreasonable to send her in without a tie when temps are predicted to be in excess of 25? Currently around a quarter of parents persistently send their child in without one, with another 10% or so not sending them in with one on hot days. The school is actively cracking down though and kids have been told off today for not wearing them.

@cantkeepawayforever

My dd is autistic and the worst possible thing would be for her to stand out by having a different uniform. She's worn normal school uniform throughout including tying a tie. Not all autistic children are the same but none want to stand out as special needs!

Its just a tie, not wearing a tie and having a top button undone won’t make someone feel cooler.

It really does help @Simonjt , I speak from experience!

@motogirl

Apologies. I realise that in hastening to point out that it is not necessarily possible for all children to wear the standard uniform, I may have managed to give the impression that all autistic children can't.

Many will be able to. For some, it will be the least worst of conflicting options (different uniform vs discomfort of standard uniform). For others, it will be impossible. To be honest, I would prefer all school uniforms to be designed sufficiently flexibly that there isn't a specific 'adapted uniform', but instead either a range from within which everyone can find an option to suit OR that all uniforms are comfortable. The classic 'polo shirt, sweatshirt and some kind of plain bottoms' primary uniform, for example, is one within which the vast majority of children can find something to meet their needs. A strict secondary uniform of blazer, stiff collared shirt, tie, tailored skirt / trousers with stiff waistband - less so.

That's weird. I distinctly recall primaries not even having uniform in the 80s.

Ties are ridiculous. The world of work is moving away from them so any school that insists on them is completely out of touch.

Is this a state primary or an academy? Most LA primaries wouldn't even have shirts let alone ties. I can't think of a single one round here that doesn't have polo shirts.

YANBU, my school had ties for that age but summer uniform was open-neck blouses with no tie. I’m sure there must have been an equivalent for boys too. There’s no need for ties at all let alone in summer in primary!

Also my question for fans of uniforms: how do you think countries that don't have school uniform (and, indeed, encourage individuality in their pupils in terms of dress and hairstyle/-colour) manage to have a workforce of Stiff Collared Judges and so on? Bollocks is it about "preparing them for the world of work" and is about control.