Just read the bloody uniform policy!!!

[flingoringo]

I've just read an article about a school in Gateshead where lots of kids were sent home or out in isolation on day one of term because they were wearing the wrong shoes. The offending shoes seem to be mainly a Vivienne Westwood ballet flat (with a big silver VW emblem on the front) and a Nike walking boots. Lots of kids wearing the same, from yr7 to yr11.
Parents are up in arms, obviously. One mentions the CoL crisis so the need to scrimp and save to spend A HUNDRED QUID on the Nike shoes. One mum said her yr7 daughter won't be going back she's finding her a new school.

The school (taken over by an academy in 2019) says the policy is clear, plain black shoes with no logos. That they have done their best to help yr6 parents understand what was to be expected once on yr7.

Now I don't necessarily agree with schools being overly strict with uniform policy. But I do accept that I have to agree to follow the rules at the schools that I chose to send my kids to and if we chose not to then of course they'll be consequences.

AIBU to think it's it's completely ridiculous that this happens every bloody year?!

I’m all for school uniforms but also appreciate the expense of them. It cost us hundreds and not just once a year. Lost kits, trainers etc.
I do think schools should allow the purchase of cheaper/plain options and just insist/sell/provide sew on badges for the blazers and jumpers for example. It is encouraging that a lot of schools and community charity organisations are offering very cheap if not free second hand uniforms.

The logo thing is also about preventing competition and comparison between kids as to who are the haves and the have nots.

Kids aren't thick. They know who has what. Dehumanising the lot of them is too high a price to pay for having them tease each other about something other than shoes, imo. But I think the factory-farming ethos of UK secondary education is completely outdated and toxic, and am that it is getting worse, not better.

I totally agree. Some uniform policies are very clear, others change at a moment's notice.

The government could actually do something useful before it leaves office and ban schools from requiring anything other than standard issue uniform from supermarkets and at a push a logo'd badge. School specific sportswear could be an optional extra.

otherwise there is zero need for any of it.

However sensible shoes should be a given. You don't send the kids home though, you just email all the parents concerned. Shoes comes under health and safety, like not wearing earrings for PE etc.

What’s wrong with the Nike hiking boots?

Totally agree.

I don't think uniform violations actually affect learning. DD is at a girl's grammar which outperforms every other school in the city. The things they get away with...skirts around their bums, shirts hanging out, too much makeup and jewellery which goes against the official rules. One girl in DD's class had bright pink PE trainers last year apparently. And they never get pulled up for it - when most of them get 8s and 9s in their GCSEs and overall they behave I guess the teachers figure it doesn't matter. It's just used as a form of control in schools where it's the one thing they have any control over.

But it doesn't actually work because you can see the person who is wearing an outgrown and bobbled jumper compared with the one who is wearing a brand new one that fits.

I agree. If you have a specific health related reason to go against the rules just talk to the school. You just look like an obstructive dick otherwise.

For example, at our school kids have a polo shirt and a jumper over the top. My daughters eczema was being aggravated by the jumper against her skin, but a quick call with head of year and she has permission for a plain black long sleeve top under her polo shirt when she wears a jumper. There’s a note on her record that she has dispensation.

if your request is reasonable I’m sure the school will be reasonable.

I thought you were going to complain about having to wear blazers in this heat and I was going to agree!

Following instructions and attention to detail are important life skills. Parents should be encouraging their children to learn these skills, by working with the schools and getting appropriate shoes for their child.

When it says "no logos" that means everyone.

Conforming to school rules is good practice for children, in life there are loads of things that there are rules about - driving on the left (in UK), showing ID when buying alcohol, returning library books on time, wearing swimwear at pool.

My son has orthotics you can easily take the sole out of clarks shoes and startrite the thing we didn't know at first was you need to measure his feet with the insoles

The schools uniform policy clearly states no logos. They have a bloody great big Nike tick on them.

But theres no reason kiddo couldn't walk to school in his hiking boots if he is indeed climbing bloody Snowdon to get there, and then stick them in a bag until hometime and wear proper shoes at school.

I found that schools uniform policy in under three seconds. The parents have zero excuse here.

I'm fully expecting my Y9 DS to come home and say he's been in trouble for wearing the exact same shoes he wore all last year. They are Clarks, sold as school shoes, polishable leather, but don't look like "wedding shoes" which is what they seem to want the children to wear, which are entirely uncomfortable and impractical for walking 35 mins each way to and from school. If so I will have to kick off.

Overly strict uniform policy makes literally no-one happy. Why on earth do they persist? What a bloody waste of precious time, money, energy and good will.

I've just read an article about a school in Gateshead where lots of kids were sent home or out in isolation on day one of term because they were wearing the wrong shoes.

As someone from outside the UK, this boggles the mind. Isolation? Poor kids.

We didn't have much money growing up, and I can sometimes see the argument for a uniform, but they also seem like so much money, so what's the point? Also, I agree with this from PP: you can see the person who is wearing an outgrown and bobbled jumper compared with the one who is wearing a brand new one that fits.

I thought the whole point of a school uniform was to make everyone equal. Bloody Vivienne Westwood shoes, really? And what happens to the kids whose parents cant afford to shell out for designer brand names?

@MariaVT65 children with a Medical need can have uniform exemption but as the parent you talk to the school in June/July, explain the situation and come to an agreement on what shoes/shirts whatever adjustment needs to be made. You don't just let them rock up in the wrong uniform in the September.

School uniform rules are just there so parents and students that feel the need to rebel can do so on an insignificant matter, following rules is essential in a school community as otherwise someone could be hurt so the school hold the line and assert their boundary which helps hold more important safety boundaries later and then can get on with the important work of teaching our children. Its also handy as it shows which parents are going to be an issue as most are able to follow the uniform rules.

The point of school uniform policy and the need for plain items with no logos, is in part to reduce the bullying that goes on connected to designer labels.

I wish schools would put as much effort into social and emotional education to prevent and deal with bullying, as they put into policing their scratchy, uncomfortable uniforms.

On my local village Facebook group there is a ranting post about many children being sent home because of uniform violations. Some girls were sent home for wearing trousers that were 'too tight', when the exact same trousers were fine on other kids.

Clarks are no good as most of them you can’t remove the insole. He really needs drop heels, as recommended by his physio and very ‘flat’ traditional shoes are no good and very uncomfortable for him. He also has a very narrow ankle, so loads were ruled out for that.

the best for him are Sketchers, the shoes not trained. But they have a black small logo on the side, which is not allowed. same with Ben Sherman. The logo is same colour as the leather, but no logos are allowed.

he’s only a shoe size 6, so we can’t buy adult shoes yet. We went to every shoe place near to us in an attempt to find some.

What is completely bloody ridiculous is that we live in a society where folk have been conditioned to believe that these uniform policies, and the literally insane sanctions posed on children because of the policies are normal. This is not a uniform policy, is is a way to control people, and not for their own good, make no mistake.

It can make a difference if you are the real poor kid who can't actually afford the logo branded shoes because kids can be pretty nasty to the poor kids and it singles you out

It's not rocket science to just read the uniform policy but some parents can't even seem to carry out that simple task. The town I live in is full of these posts complaining about their kids being sent home for wearing a pair of 100 quid designer shoes. Scroll back a few posts and these are the same ones who ar complaining about the COL crisis and they are having to use food banks to feed their large and still expanding herd of kids.
But it's not their fault of course........

I think the uniform policy is just to stop kids wearing tracksuits

It’s nonsense though. It doesn’t stop bullying, kids aren’t daft, it’s still pretty clear who the poor kids are.

Most of the world doesn’t wear uniform, how do they manage this rampant bullying?