To say DS won't comply with school uniform?

[LegoVsFoot]

For context, school has been terrible about communication so far - not responding to any emails, cancelling a registration day only an hour in advance, etc.

I checked the uniform policy - nothing on website. On the uniform retailer page, there were guidelines, but nothing about boys' trousers and nothing for sale, so I figured there were no restrictions. I bought DS some plain trousers over the summer.

It's now about a week before school starts and a school Whatsapp has been set up. I asked about the uniform just to make sure and a parent with a child already enrolled has replied saying they're only allowed to wear grey uniform trousers from Next or M&S.

It’s too late to return what I bought and I don’t have the funds to buy all new clothes simply because school didn’t bother to tell parents the uniform.

AIBU to send him in in what I bought because there is no information stating differently?

Complain that the school requires standard grey trousers which are readily available from every supermarket at a low cost and that even if OP can't exchange the wrong colour she bought she can still kit him out for £6ish?

Not sure that's a complaint that's getting far really.

Have you not visited the school at all before sending your child there? Know no one who's children go there? What school doesn't have a phone number?!

Depends where you are. My DCs' UK primary had a uniform including black trousers but didn't comment if pupils were in grey/blue.

I wouldn't call it 'fucking pathetic' no

I’m curious where you were even able to buy blue trousers for a primary aged child!

I get that when you haven’t lived in the U.K., there are things that seem obvious that really aren’t!

The cheapest place to get grey trousers now will be Asda, I expect. If you really can’t, go for the black until you can sort it.

A lot of primary schools have a PTA (Parent Teacher Association) that manage periodic second hand uniform sales and store donations in school - so you may find someone in the school office can get you a pair quickly. And don’t underestimate just posting for help for a pair on your local Facebook page. I’d say 95% of state primaries are grey trousers - so plenty of chance someone will have an outgrown pair you could have!

Where did you buy them, OP? You will very likely be able to exchange them.

Come on now, OP isn't looking for solutions here.

In all my, many, years of buying school uniforms, I have never seen blue trousers for sale. Nor have I ever seen boys wearing blue trousers. Did you really get them in the school uniform section?

If the school doesn't have a landline phone (they obviously do) you need to find out what to do if your child is sick

Both my sons wore navy at different schools

Ring the school office, there should be staff in there by now.

Some schools are flexible on colour, some are not. The primary school down my road allows black or grey trousers and skirts. Some are stricter.
If grey is required, put them on eBay or Face book market. Somebody will scoop them up. You may loose a couple of pounds but I’m sure they’ll go. Then pick up standard grey trousers from one of the supermarkets.

This must happen all the time.

People moving due to marriage break ups or work .

People on waiting lists finding out days before they are meant to start elsewhere that they got into somewhere else.

People who get allocated a school in an area they never thought they would get as local ones are over subscribed and get a surprise school miles away that of course they didn't look at.

Its not always possible to get a tour round schools outside designated open evenings.

People move from abroad and have to take what they can get.

Ring the school office, there should be staff in there by now.

Why does OP need to ring the office?

Why would be the point? To tell them she has blue trousers

Every day’s a school day! 😉 I’ve just googled to see navy in both M&S and Asda. I’ve really never seen kids wearing them… I wonder if I have, but my brain has “seen” black?

HERE Blue/Navy trousers are readily available in the unform section!

I presume by blue the OP means navy? That's a fairly standard school trouser colour surely?

OP - I would send him in a black pair on Day 1 and see what transpires. It's unlikely to be a massive issue in a primary school reception class!

My DC started reception last year and I was so confused and stressed out about the uniform because I'm not from the UK either and I don't really know many kids at all so I had no idea what I was doing. In the end I went overboard and got loads of stuff in and still have lots. 😅It's not as straightforward as it sounds, but luckily most schools have their policies on their website or at least some decent photos etc. It's rubbish that yours didn't! I popped over to Sainsbury's to get a few new trousers and they're doing two pairs for £7 and ours had plenty left still, so perhaps you could do something similar? There are also facebook groups for buying/selling uniforms so maybe you have a local group like that? Good luck!

Primary schools are not allowed to enforce specific uniform rules - badges, shooed etc. stick with what you've got and rebel.

Yeah, make your child an example

It definitely isn't half term. You can't seriously suggest that the period over June/July was the other half of this term.

This is not quite true.

The new statutory guidance states that they must not require expensive branded items which can only be bought from one specialist shop. That does not mean they can't enforce an expectation to wear grey trousers.

The 'half term' thing has been discussed on here before. There was a massive thread and people got very cross. It seems some people use 'half term' to refer to all school holidays.

Did you check if the school website had a downloadable 'handbook'? Lots of schools have gone paper free where possible so these things aren't being sent home any more.

There would have been photos of pupils in the press, if you Googled.

You could have called the school (reception only closes for part of the summer holiday as clerical staff don't get the whole summer off) or asked on a local facebook forum what the uniform is?

It does seem harsh to single you child out by sending them in in the wrong colour trousers.

Do you have a cheap store like Pep & Co near you? They might have grey shorts, at least.

@mattressspring

Grown women being so annoyed at the idea of a child not conforming and being exactly the same as every otjer child is whats pathetic.

As I said, no wonder bullying is rife.

I could possibly understand Christmas and Easter holidays being called half term holidays (not really!!) but how can anyone call the summer holidays half term. The school starts a new year in September