School hair

[MooseBreath]

I will preface this by saying I am not from the UK and never attended a school with a uniform. I was a teacher in the UK for a while, and there was a uniform in those schools.

Why is there a rule about how children can style their hair? I genuinely don't see how it affects learning in any way. Is it a rule for rule's sake? If so, why aren't parents saying that the rule is outdated and should be abolished? What am I missing here?

Ive always thought that hair rules are partly to do with pupils being ambassadors for the school so they want them to look smart and not like yobs or like they are going off to a party.
The uniform exists because there can be such a chasm between the wealth pupils, a uniform puts everyone on an even footing and means no one will be bullied for not having the latest designer trend.

I am pretty square and conventional. My kids were too and have now left school. The rules were never an issue for us.

But I think the rules around uniform and hair in the UK are ridiculous. Yes, stay covered up and appropriate, and be safe in Science and PE but how can hair style and colour affect learning??

I feel we are embarrassingly uptight about all this here and need to look at the many many other countries where uniform and hair are not issues.

Hair rules have definitely got stricter since I was at school in the 80's/90's. In my day it was long hair must be tied back. That was the only rule and was for safety (and presumably to prevent nits spreading). As teens we often used to go to each other's houses in the evening to put semi permanent colours on each other's hair (and scalp, and forehead, and ears). The hair colour rule is definitely much stricter.

Don’t get me started on the absolute pointlessness of BLAZERS though. 😡

Well I work within the Financial Sector and it wouldn’t be allowed. The same argument could be why cant I get the job if I interview in a tracksuit/ with a face tattoo

All of this

@OnlyFoolsnMothers same here. I work in a Court and it’s conservative all the way with hair, make up, jewellery and clothes.

While out walking in the park yesterday I passed a group of three secondary school age girls. Not one of them had long hair. One had a sharp inverted bob, one a curly bob and one a pixie cut. It was refreshing to see.

My lads have skin fades, they look really smart with them. My eldest starts secondary school tomorrow and I've read and re-read the hair policy and it just states no tramlines so I'm hoping hes ok! I don't see why shaved back and sides is an issue at all?

I'm in the financial sector and it would be fine

My dcs school.doesntbhave hair rules (scotland) so I see a variety of styles as I drive ds to school. He has shoulder length hair.

Dh is an accountant and I shave his head to a number 1 all over. He hasn't become a thug yet!

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with following some rules in school. Most are pretty lenient and allow highlights / colours that’s a natural colour. No purple hair won’t stop you learning but many workplaces (appreciate not all before I’m jumped on with examples) will have rules that employees need to follow. Schooling is not just about getting an education but preparing kids for the adult world where rules exist. Every September you see an article in the DM about someone with the wrong hair / wrong style shoes and I just think read the rules and abide by them, or go elsewhere or home educate. There are options.

All 3 of my kids have preferred having one as they can keep their essentials (bus pass, toilet pass, house keys, planner, pens etc) in their pockets, so much easier than rooting around in a bag.

It’s all ludicrous. Ditto uniforms. I do not get the obsession with this. Other countries just don’t have this nonsense.

This.

As several people on this thread have already pointed out and the "Y my Alfee no have shaved head???" crowd are ignoring.

It's an aesthetic that goes with a particular, dangerous and detrimental behaviour pattern amongst young people and it has no place in schools.

If only banning the hairstyle stopped those kids from being like that.

As for the crazy colours etc, kids don't need to learn how to express themselves through hair/makeup/piercings/tattoos/where does it end? They work out how to do that all by themselves after their personality/identity has stabilised, and it's our job as adults to ensure their default appearance is socially acceptable enough for them to gain meaningful employment.

Just because specific parts of the notoriously hard to get into (or out of; they can't sack you for anything) "diversity-obsessed" public sector lets grown adults have attention-seeking pink hair doesn't mean it's in the best interests of young people at the mercy of the job market to be led to expect that they can do what they want and walk into a job at their local employers.

For example, teachers aren't generally allowed over the top hair either (despite the fact support staff are), if the children want to get the entry-level roles to start careers as teachers, doctors, lawyers or police officers, they can't have attention-seeking hair either, and we need to give all children a fair chance and realistic expectation of what their working life will be like.

Once they are established in their chosen thing, they can work out for themselves whether to push the boundaries or advocate for changes to rules in their workplace etc, but while they're young it's our job to stop them doing things that will disadvantage them.

Do any of those stating that a uniform reduces competitive clothing and evens the playing field actually have experience of non-uniform schools? My kids didn't have a uniform in primary while most nearby schools do. I saw very little "branded" clothing on their schoolmates (a huge amount of Penny's though) whereas the uniformed primaries had more kids in branded footwear, with a range of brands on show for any non uniform days. Maybe it was just coincidence, but it was only ever the parents of kids in uniformed schools that would mention their child was pestering for a certain brand of runner etc.

I remember asking a teacher what the issue was and they stumbled to find an answer, eventually landing on "it would distract the other pupils and stop them from learning"

Quite a few do. Australia, NZ, South Africa, most of East Asia, to name a few.

America doesn't. We see a lot of America on TV. America, with its metal detectors at the entrance of schools, its "solve your problems by getting a gun and shooting up your class and we'll act like it's an unavoidable natural disaster" attitude, its horrific bullying on sports teams including ritualised SA of minors by other minors encouraged or ignored by coaches, its horrific gangs, and its ability to fail children so badly that they leave high school with nothing and no options because they don't get the vocational routes/opportunities we have. Oh and post-18 education is only for the privileged.

Let's not be like America just because they look pretty, eh?

I was at school then and remember a friend getting detention for one green streak. My bog standard comprehensive then was as strict as anything I've heard now

Loved my blazer. So many useful pockets. You can even fit a paperback in one of them.

At my school in the mid-90s the pupils voted to make the blazer compulsory.

Not in UK either. My children attend a school no uniform, no rules for the sake of rules.

At the beginning of each year they sit down and agree their "golden rules". Being respectful helping each other out, etc. Amazingly they thrive being themselves. They are respectful to the teachers who they addresses by first names.

Respect and co operation comes when you show it not demand and control individuals.

But sure research has only being saying this for decades 😉

@SisterMichaelsHabit I'm from Canada. No metal detectors. But we not only got through our childhoods having learned to be productive, employable citizens, but also expressed ourselves along the way.

May I add to this.
I'm London based and in certain schools some children have had to have there dreads cut off because the school thinks it's not appropriate. I mean it's a religious thing.

My daughter who is mixed race has afro hair and she was told she couldn't have her hair in a certain way. I had to have meetings with the school because its absolutely ridiculous. I agree woth some of the mn's. Hair shouldn't be a problem. As long as its tied back then it's fine

My kids are young adults (UK) and there were never any rules about hair when they were younger.

Yes I went to schools with no uniforms at the start and end of my schooling. And I went to schools with uniforms. At the schools with uniforms, I got bullied for having the "wrong" brand/style of school shoes and for having unbranded sports wear for PE. At the schools with no uniforms, at the start of my schooling it was fine. Tiny kids don't really care. At the end though, they all just froze me out for not having the right stuff and being "weird". I didn't wear branded sportswear and I wasn't a "goth" either so I wasn't welcome anywhere. That was worse. I don't recommend it. Telling children to be individuals is about the worst thing you can do to them if that individuality doesn't fit within the window of what other young people will accept socially.