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?

My DCs school has no specifics on trouser (or skirt) colours- anything goes. Most children wear grey (charcoal grey) trousers/skirts but there are plenty of children in light grey/black too. I have never seen blue trousers though, but I know the school wouldn't have an issue with this. Is it possible your school is the same OP and the WhatsApp mum has heard that most kids wear grey m&s/next trousers?

What colour is the jumper? If it's blue I can see why you might think navy.

Our school is grey or black although no one would mention navy (it's just not a natural choice with red!)
I suspect most of us go with grey (by which we probably mean charcoal) because it shows up less fluff and toothpaste!

I think you are reasonable to feel this should have been communicated better. It's basic information that should be readily available. It's unfair to expect you to magically know

@LegoVsFoot just say the name of the school and someone will get the info
gour stressing over nothing really but I would advise against be confrontational with the school over some ropey info gleamed from a parent…

I’d just pop back to the shop and ask if you can exchange them for grey.
It seems highly unusual for a school not to have a phone number, who would you authorise an absence or contact them in an emergency?

In fairness to OP, when you're not familiar with uniforms it must be a total minefield. Also, primary schools aren't often as good as secondaries at putting this information on their websites.

I've just selected a random central London primary school - Thornhill in Islington. Their uniform page simply directly you to an online shop without describing what is expected. On the website there are no trousers available, but skirts are available in black or grey.

The school telephone number is available through a slightly long winded contact page, but I doubt anyone would answer in the holidays anyway.

Another local school - St Mary's Bryanston Square only has photos of kids from the waist up, but their uniform policy is pretty comprehensive and says black or grey trousers.

There is, however, no easily accessible telephone number on the website. It does, however, show a telephone number on google.

@LegoVsFoot I've found in all the cases I've looked at that the uniform information is under the "Parents" section of the website. Schools can be a bit behind the times in their website setup, so if you can, look from a computer instead of a phone or tablet. If it's still not clear, send your DC in black trousers, rather than the blue, then await the conversation about their lack of communication if it's not acceptable.

Schools (acadamies and maintained) must have a contact number on their website:

www.gov.uk/guidance/what-maintained-schools-must-publish-online#contact-details

Call/email/visit the school tomorrow. There will be staff in on inset day.

They should have had a meeting with new parents months ago which should have given all the information you need and a hand out sheet with that info on.
The also should have emailed you regarding what you need for September. Awful if they haven’t done this and how they are outstanding with such rubbbish communication I don’t know - when they next get an OFSTED and ask parents / get evidenced they very well might not be.
Anyway, for now you need grey trousers. Exchange, beg or borrow. He needs grey trousers and that’s the end of it. Even if it’s just one pair for now. He needs them and it’s your job to supply them, however unfair that might be.
Longer term, see if you can exchange the other trousers for at least a credit note in the store. See if the store will take pity on you if it’s gone over the 28 days on the receipt and you explain.
After that, I would be visiting the school in person and asking how I am able to contact them. What is the best number to ring and email address that gets answered. You have 7 years now at this school, you will need to contact them many times.

I think our official uniform recommendation was that boys trousers came from the official uniform suppliers . I got DS' from Asda .

If the school hasn't stipulated a colour then blue/black/grey might all be acceptable. How has the other parent got her information?

I'd purchase one pair of grey trousers and assess the situation during the first week

Ahhh, "outing", the magical get-out-of-jail-free-card for any nonsense MNers want to spout.

What are YOU talking about??

it's the summer break between school YEARS, not bloody half term, which, unsurprisingly, just as it sounds, is in the middle of a term! 🤦🏻‍♀️

It's so hard sending kids to school in a foreign country, don't worry about it. Of course you wouldn't know that uniform means identical and also means specific colours if they didn't tell you that. I think you should just buy some very cheap grey trousers or try to exchange the ones you got for grey. He will stand out and feel very self conscious in the wrong uniform and he will also get in trouble. They may put him in detention for it. Starting school is stressful enough without instantly being marked as different.

You will just have to buy a cheap grey pair and make do. My boys only ever wore one pair, would be rare that they would get so grotty that they couldn’t keep wearing them for the week and where we are kids sit on ground to eat recess/lunch. If there was a catastrophe such as they sat on someone’s meat pie and squished it into their pants then emergency wash and dry that night for next day. Stuff like dabs of paint - meh, if it washed out in the weekly wash it washed out, if not it didn’t and would remain Neil they grew out of them. No harm.

@ArmWrestlingWithChasNDave. That outing that we could work out who her child is living 20 mins away in London. 😁in an outstanding school nonetheless.. this op has found out but not uniform code or telephone number

Also I can't believe people are encouraging you to post details of your child's school on the internet, obviously don't do that!

Oh and if you have an Aldi or Lidl near you it’s worth checking their uniform! I got my DS a two pairs in grey for £1.75 each

How did you even find blue school trousers though?! Don't think I've ever seen any in the shops.

Did you not visit the school?

OP if you can’t take the blue and black ones back and can’t afford to buy new grey ones.
have a look on Uniformerly and see if your school is on there. It’s a second hand uniform website and you may be able to get some very cheap grey trousers.

Otherwise just send him in the black ones until you can replace them. Schools are often terrible / last minute with communication to parents.

Do the school go around the pupils and ask to look at the label, seriously if plain they will be fine.

It's common for nobody to be in the office during the summer holidays so you shouldn't expect responses until the start of term. But they should have clarified uniform requirements before the end of last term. You could, however have looked at the website in general, which probably has photos of the kids on it, to see what colour the trousers are. The mum who said they have to be from Next or M&S is talking bollocks, just get the right colour from any shop that suits.

Regardless, your dc needs grey trousers or they will probably be sent home. Primary age trousers are a few £s. Swap the blue/black ones, use them outside school or give to a charity shop if you don't want them.

I'm just wondering how the other parents got your number to add you to the whatsapp group?
You must have known one of them for this to happen so surely you would have asked them the uniform code.
You could have also asked them the school phone number, there has to be one, who do you call if you're running late for pick up etc.

Our school is grey trousers but once I couldn't get my sons size for love nor money so I got him black and no one said anything. Send him in the black.

Or you could just admit you're wrong or live where people are all a bit ridiculous. It is ridiculous to say people can call things whatever they want. WORDS HAVE MEANINGS, it's kind of the point of them!!

@LegoVsFoot

so the school cancelled registration day, they haven't answered emails, their unifirm
policy diesnt state a colour, they have no photos showing kids standing up & there's no phone number for the school.

I'm very sorry, but you're either really not looking properly or you're making this up.

on the slightest of slight chance you're genuine, just go & buy a couple of pairs of grey school trousers, they're dirt cheap in supermarkets.

All I can say is under 'Contact Us' they only had email addresses, nothing in the fine print at the bottom of website, no results for ctrl+F '07,' nothing listed on Google

I will try and get in touch with them again but 9/10 of my other communications have not been responded to

As long as they are the right colour then am sure it is fine! Like the teachers are going to have time to check the labels for details of the retailer!