To think school uniform has had its day

[Grumpybutfunny]

Okay I'm northern like this poor kid, tho not that close to the Scottish border. Is it unreasonable to say, when schools start saying kids should wear an inappropriate coats, just because it is school uniform that its time for parents to fight back.

I've left for work at 7:30 and it has been minus 2-3 all week. When I'm scraping ice off the car, a kid shouldn't be walking to school in a summer fleece with a rain jacket over the top. I've been freezing in my duvet coat.

Uniforms were a great leveller, but in the age of social media they still see what kids are wearing outside of school or what car the parent does the school run in. Surely what's more important is that they are comfortable and warm.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/jesmond-park-academys-uniform-policy-26016890

I love the idea of uniform but I hate that the crested official stuff is expensive whilst being poor quality and washing like rags.

I do really love that on our school website it lists the uniform requirements but then says 'above all else the child's comfort and warmth is paramount so dress for the weather'. It strikes me as so flexible and sensible.

Schools without uniforms normally build a uniform culture through the school with no designer logos or short skirts etc.

All the schools I've seen without a uniform have girls and boys mainly wearing jeans and hoodies/plain jumpers, warm coats and boots/trainers on cold, rainy days. Same as adult men and women wear.

Nearly all the schools I've seen with a uniform have girls with rolled up skirts to belt length, tights and open front shoes on rainy days. It's not hard to see uniforms don't work, especially for girls.

All that says is that you don't know every school, hardly a surprise, at my children's secondary theres no uniform for A level students and there absolutely are branded clothes

Where are you that teenage boys don't live in labels?

I am a teacher and I think school uniform rules are ridiculous. I'm sick of being told to fight teens over the most picky, silly rules: "yes your shoes ARE mostly black but because of that one stripe of red I'm afraid they aren't allowed so please make sure you are wearing all black shoes tomorrow"; "no you can't wear that jacket with the small, inoffensive logo - it needs to be plain or one with a school logo"; "that skirt is the wrong style...yes, I know it's to your knees but please cast your eye over the selection of skirts the school have deemed appropriate and yours isn't there...". As if I don't have enough to fucking do, I end up spending half the sodding lesson arguing with teens over what they are wearing. It's utterly pointless and a huge distraction from what we all should be focussing on!

In my opinion, uniform should be as follows:

• schools can pick their colour and sell a blazer with their logo in that colour. The blazer should be worn in assembly and for smart occasions eg school photos and events. The rest of the time, it's optional (sick to bloody death of being asked 'miss can I take my blazer off?' why make them ask???).
• the rest of the uniform doesn't need a logo. Pupils should wear plain clothes in the specified colours. Get rid of shirts and ties - they are always messy. Untucked, unbuttoned, being messed about with. Kids hate them. A plain t shirt or polo shirt, plain jumper/hoody and plain trousers. Joggers included. Honestly I'd be tempted to get rid of skirts entirely but I know some girls much prefer them so fine - but I'd specify knee to maxi length to get rid of the too-short ones. Emphasis on everything being plain - no patterns, garish logos or slogans. I'd be fine with small, barely noticeable logos though and allow teachers to use common sense with this.

-Shoes - flat and closed toe. That's it. Let them wear trainers. Who cares. I work much better when I'm comfortable and I used to hate school shoes with a passion. I now wear flat, fur lined boots which are a godsend in the cold. I think the kids should be allowed the same.

• outdoor coats: whatever as long as it's warm!! Ffs no one else has to justify what they wear to and from their place of work. Again, using common sense, nothing with offensive slogans or wholly impractical for moving around the school site eg floor length faux fur or whatever, but other than that, wear what's warm and comfy!!!

At primary level, basically my son's current PE kit: hoody, t shirt, joggers or leggings, trainers. They all look so much more comfortable on PE day. That's it. Again, maybe a smart jumper with a logo to buy for smart occasions. They are small children, they don't need to look smart every single day.

Basically, comfort and practicality should be the main point, not making kids fit some ridiculous aesthetic. I know there are issues with some kids wearing more expensive stuff, but that happens with uniform anyway - someone in crazily expensive black shoes and someone is asda's school shoes range. I'd try to counter it with everything being plain.

This has been a bit of a rant - uniform is a massive bugbear for me

Teachers don't set the uniform rules.

Just had to post this for the benefit of others living in “man’s not hot” zones around the place...

(cultural observations on the North Face jacket - I found it funny)

As I said our school has no uniform and I’ve never heard of any children being bullied for what they wear. By removing uniform it makes less of a ‘thing’ from a young age of what children wear. It also allows parents on a low budget to prioritise better quality clothes that can be used at home and at school instead of buying essentially double. I feel strongly that removing uniform would be so much better across the UK generally.

I don't mind whether or not schools have uniforms as long as they are practical. Ds's school, primary, has a blue tracksuit, with a white polo shirt. They have a formal uniform too but almost noone wears that. And while there is an official school tracksuit,the principal is fine with generics. They can wear whatever coats they want.

I am hoping DS gets into a uniform free secondary school though. As most of the secondary schools around us have stupid uniform policies.

I disagree about uniform, as think it's a good leveller and builds identity; BUT uniform requirements should be basic and limit themselves to key items of clothing.

There's no justification for overcoats, blazers and ties, and some school's zeal for over-elaborate uniform policies make me wonder if they're trying to compensate elsewhere.

I'm lucky that my children don't have ridiculous uniform rules - in fact I don't know of any schools, including private ones, that insist on particular coats!

Finally, I don't get your comment that uniforms were a great leveller and that social media is a reason for this not being so. Back in the 80/90s when I was at school, we met up outside school and had angst about who was wearing what, and I used to be so embarrassed about my parent's car I used to ask them to park around the corner from the school!

School uniforms were brought in so that there was little peer pressure to wear brands. They are expensive if they're not grey black or navy blue and need logos and you need several sets. Do they mean you buy fewer other clothes? No. Do they look nice? Yes. Are they comfy? Mainly, no esp if a child has ASD or other sensory issue.
School shoes are a nightmare if your child has ASD.

Pushing uniform to coats is stupid and as in this article, a risk to health. Why hasn't the local authority stepped in and required the school to show coats are warm enough in this horrible cold spell we're having?

I'm with you OP, I am not a fan of school uniforms, looking back on my school days, it was so much nicer to choose what I'd wear than to put on a uniform, though wearing a uniform didn't affect my learning cos we were at least allowed to wear sweatshirts.

I understand the high end school uniforms with all their extras going but aside from that I can never understand why school uniforms are seen as a bad thing! They put our children on a far more level playing field (and I’m not talking about bullying, I’m talking about children caring how they look and wanting to have similar clothes to others) and make leaving the house ten times easier in the morning. The issue is the non practical school uniforms, my children have a lovely plain navy top and trousers or tracksuit bottoms that can be purchased anywhere and then a crest is put on for a fiver in our local town. In my older sons’ school there’s the ‘jumper and short must be worn at all times’ and I disagree with it because they sweat so much in summer but a tweak would fix that!

I’m in a Central European country. No Uniforms at any age.
There doesn’t seem to be any issues. And all children wear suitable stuff for the weather ie yesterday the school playground at home time everyone had snow appropriate clothing. When it’s Hot they can choose shorts/ T-shirt/ trainers

My Ds is in the nursery. The cloak rooms are massive and every child is expected to have thick coat, salopettes, hats and gloves. Slippers left there and changed into on arrival. That’s for all the school and nursery which is 2-10 years old.

School uniform always seemed either too hot, too cold, shoes rubbish in rain, polyester, and then you have to buy another whole PE kit.

UK parents are very into uniform. It is not going to change any time soon because the majority of parents (wrongly) believe it is a leveller and improves cohesion/behaviour.

It does not surprise me the far-right in France are currently campaigning to bring uniform in.

I think uniform is completely pointless. I didn’t have it, my DC doesn’t have it, the rest of Europe doesn’t have it (with about 2 exceptions). If you look at children who don’t have a uniform, they are usually far more comfortably and appropriately dressed. Once you haven’t had it , you realise that it is completely unnecessary.

One of the other things I love about Dd’s currently HT is that her policies show that she thinks of the children first.

She actively encourages bright coloured coats - because they help make children seen better when they’re walking to and from school.

Same with school bags. She encourages them to be bright and one of the coveted prizes for her “Head Teacher awards” (which she gives out randomly) are reflective stickers to go on bags or bikes or scooters etc.

School uniforms were brought in so that there was little peer pressure to wear brands. This is cute, but bollocks. Uniforms were always intended to control and identify.

I whole-heartedly agree with having a school uniform as a leveller. But I disagree with the stupidly high prices. It should be cheap but purposeful.

Not sure re the derision re British parents (although no matter it seems elsewhere is better).

The primary schools in this area without uniform are very popular and oversubscribed.

I grew up o/s and even more schools had uniforms and stricter too.

I like primary not having it but Ds at private I prefer him having one.

I don't think school uniform has, or that it will become a rare thing in future.

I do think that guidance on matters such as generic clothing and choice of skirts or trousers should become law. At least schools not being able to insist on expensive single supplier clothing and sanction/send home children where this is not worn.

As part of that coats should not be considered part of uniform.

School uniforms were brought in so that there was little peer pressure to wear brands

This is indeed bollocks. Did Eaton and Harrow with their Littke Lord Fauntleroy and top hat uniforms bring them in to stop peer pressure 200 years ago?

Ive got an MA in anthropology and Fashion. Uniforms are there to suppress individuality but identify the wearer as belonging to something.

Uniforms are well past their sell by date.

I notice a marked change in behaviour when students are not in uniform.

Is there an option not to wear that?

Personal opinion but I hate joggers and sweatshirts, as does my daughter. She wears a dress every day.

I guess there is no pleasing everyone as she would choose a pinafore over joggers any day. I know some kids like it but not mine!

It does takaway the 'you have been wearing that shirt all week don't you get washed'stigma?
As nobody would know as they would with distinctive own clothes choice.

That’s because it’s a change from the norm.

When children who normally wear uniform are not it’s usually because something is different, either an event so the atmosphere in school is different (often more relaxed), or because they’re in conflict because they should be.

An entirely different scenario to non-uniform (or relaxed uniform) being the norm.

What do you mean? Uniform as compared to non-uniform schools?