Do you agree with school or the parents?

[Watermelon44]

Our high school has made the news because of a uniform dispute between (some) parents and the head who is recently in post.

The gist of it is that the school brought in a new rule in April that they were no longer allowing black leather trainers (eg superstars or nike air force) and instead the kids should be in smart plain black leather office shoes.

This appears to have caused ww3 with some parents, who despite having many months notice, still sent their kids in the banned trainers (100+ children apparently). The school has stuck to its guns and has isolated and then suspended those in the wrong shoes if they refused to comply.

The school has also banned girls from wearing socks, and have enforced a thick tights ruling, although socks are allowed in the summer term and if allowed by the head in any warm spells (eg the past 3 days).

Personally I think the tights ruling is worse and I have mixed views on the trainers rule.

I am interested in the real reasons behind these strict uniform rules as I feel if the real reasons were shared with parents they may be more on board with them, rather than the usual rubbish about dressing professionally eg like in an office, when my dp works in a head office in London and goes in jeans and trainers!

As this seems to have whipped up a storm locally, I am interested in other people’s views on this topic as some of the parents round here seem to have gone totally bats*it over it!!

Both stupid rules.

So many pointless hours on this topic. Let them wear their PE kit and surely a significant amount of the conflict, comms, internal exclusions, bad feeling will disappear.
compulsory Polyester skirts and nylon tights uniform is so stupid on my view.

I'd hate the tights rule, can't abide them myself so would have had a meltdown if my school had done this to me!
I think school uniforms should move to be simpler and more casual (I.e. polo shirts and sensible practical trousers like many workplaces). They could then have more reasonable grounds to enforce them strictly. I work in education and agree with the general principle behind uniforms but some have become excessive!

I think if you go to said school you follow the rules. Parents have had since April to sort it out.

The tights issue could be because the skirts are too short.
Also, saves embarrassment if a girl is on her period. Especially, if she has had a leakage.

I just don’t understand the British preoccupation with uniforms in school.

All of the countries who don’t have them don’t seem to be doing too badly. I don’t see Sweden or Canada turning out illiterate, innumerate rebels who don’t know how to behave.

It’s just another way they they to beat the individuality out of people early.

I am afraid I am with school on the tights. My dd is at a girls school and many girls roll their skirts up rediculously short and I think it just looks wrong.

Also I think it is pretty standard for trainers not to be allowed even though many clarks school shoes are almost trainers.

But also think perhaps girls shouldn’t be wearing skirts at all.

This post really shows the problem. Parents. If you don’t agree with the uniform, don’t send your child there. It’s really simple. Have you any idea how much time is wasted on this unnecessary nonsense?

Old, old teacher here who cam remember the days when parents supported teachers’ and school authority. Children came to school ( by and large) and did what teachers asked. They worked hard, took exams and passed or failed, and usually left remembering even the strict teachers with affection.

I wonder how many of you have taken note of those who have commented about the shortness of girls’s skirts. Genuinely shocking how short some of them are. If you don’t want the girls to wear tights, send them to school in trousers or do us all a favour and send them elsewhere!

I can’t imagine parents anywhere else in the world reacting the same way as some English parents.

@Watermelon44 are you based in Cheshire? If so, I think I know which school you mean. My friend's daughter goes there and said it's been horrible this week

Parents. If you don’t agree with the uniform, don’t send your child there. It’s really simple. Have you any idea how much time is wasted on this unnecessary nonsense?

Firstly, as others have said, you might not have much choice, depending on available schools.

Secondly, this is a recent rule change - so parents chose the school & had their DC there before this rule came in

Thirdly, you might love everything else about the school, other than this rule.

Fourthly, rules made for no good reason, that adversely affect the student, do need to be challenged.

I think they've got a major legal problem with the tights. If boys are allowed to wear socks all year round, why should girls be made to wear tights? I would suggest pointing that out to them. It might be worth getting the Equality and Human Rights Commission involved.

If their skirts are so short that they barely cover their bottoms, then tights is the way to go. As regards shoes, def no vivenne westwood embellished slip ons

I think any school with such punitive rules around uniform needs to take a long, hard look at its ethos. So glad mine are at a sensible school where, shock horror, black Air Forces are allowed, they wear PE kit when it’s hot (so for the start of term this week) and their primary focus is education, understanding and pupil wellbeing.

Why do schoolchildren have to wear office wear?

You would certainly find plenty of people wearing trainers in offices.

I can’t imagine parents anywhere else in the world reacting the same way as some English parents.

I would hate my DC to be in secondary school in England, based on what I see here, and in the media.

Not referring to teachers or level of education.

But the rules, the onerous level of administration, the Ofsted madness, the draconian consequences meted out.

My DC school is strict. A couple of areas of zero tolerance. But it engages well with students & parents, is collaborative in approach not dictatorial, and has broadly sensible rules. It may not be ideal, I don't of course love everything about it but the idea that rules like this would be imposed, and then the school would be so determined to go into battle with its community with suspensions etc, is anathema to me.

Fourthly, rules made for no good reason, that adversely affect the student, do need to be challenged.

Genuinely my kids' school shoes haven't adversely affected them in any way. Parents feeling the need not to follow the shoe rules does though, as it takes up time teachers could be spending teaching the kids.

It really isn't that big a deal to buy and wear a pair of school shoes that meets the rules. There's a multitude of options at all price points.

Really glad to read this!

Re the shoes it is easier to say ‘no trainers’ as a blanket rule otherwise you get into the territory of black trainers with huge logos on, bubbles in the sole, etc etc. PLUS they cost a fortune and are thief magnets! If everyone is in Clarks lace ups there isn’t the same appeal to nick a pair of shoes when they’re in the PE changing rooms!

Re socks - the issue will be skirt length and underwear on show. Most teen girls deem having their cheeks on show in ultra short, tight hot pants ok as per current ‘trends’ so this is filtering into schools. Schools get so much stick for specifying skirt length - and it is hard to police and keep fair - this is probably just easier to ensure modesty and privacy of young teens, who perhaps don’t have the maturity to make the decision for themselves.

It will if they enjoy being active at lunch break, kicking a ball, playing basketball, running around. My secondary DC do all of this.

They are better for walking to school too.

I do know schools that require it but it's a stupid rule, and a stupid decision to choose to make it your hill to die on.

Thess is the shoes the school deem unacceptable. There's a few on there which are but the vast majority are absolutely ridiculous on part of the school.

Im all for a sensible school uniform policy, as I assume most people are.

The problem is the extreme rules contained within some of them. The no socks and tights rule is absolutely ridiculous and I can't believe any parent would agree with it. I also assume that girls therefore aren't able to wear trousers - again nothing something I would support.

The shoe things is also far too extreme. At my DCs school they are allowed to wear polishable black leather shoes with no different coloured logo. So black Air Forces are fine so long as the silver tag has been removed - again sensible. Forcing anyone to wear 'work wear' shoes when every adult I know doesn't wear this style of shoe to work is frankly stupid and that's why its gets peoples backs up.

Have a sensible uniform policy and everyone would agree for their child to wear it - simple.

The skirt thing is mad. Where I am, the girls wear kilt-style skirts, about knee-length or trousers.

No issue with length.

It will if they enjoy being active at lunch break, kicking a ball, playing basketball, running around. My secondary DC do all of this.

Yep, my kids also love sport and have always done this in their school shoes.

Ah come on! They can't be all that sporty then 😂
No way can you play even a casual game of soccer wearing school shoes, rather than runners. No grip, no purchase on the ball.

Instead of having a thick tights only rule for the girls, why not introduce a minimum skirt length, like no higher than knee-length, to save the rest of the population having to avert their eyes from young teenage girls buttocks on full view

That would be a start