Football kits as school uniform

[harveyluna789]

In my nephew's school there is a young lad in his class who doesn't like the school uniform (he finds it itchy) therefore the school allowed him to attend in a polo shirt and jumper rather than the shirt, and jogging bottoms or sweatshirt material shorts but he told his parents he will only attend school in his football kit. Because his attendance was so bad he now goes to school in his football kit every day. In the playground he has been telling the kids if you shout and scream enough and make a fuss people let you do what you want. There is now a massive exodus of kids turning up to school in their football kits - my SIL spoke to the school as she point blank refuses to be swayed by my nephew and the head says it isn't worth arguing about - the boy and others need to be in school and if in football kits is the only way there is nothing she can do. When I picked him up on Friday 3 boys in his class were in their football strips!!!

AIBU to think that I know there is a massive attendance problem in schools but this isn't just letting children control the situation. He feels exceptionally hard done by when other kids are in their football kits and he is in uniform. What is the point in a uniform if teachers are scared to enforce it in case kids don't turn up?

I'm assuming this is primary school? If so I'd be surprised at a child saying that in the playground off his own back, more likely he's parroting it from a parent or someone is just spreading rumours.

Eitherway!

He wasn't attending school & now he is, so that's good.

Personally, I'd do away with uniforms. They aren't cheap, they aren't a leveller & they often aren't even good quality. Inflexible school 'shoes' can do one too. There not even any good data to show there's any value at all in terms of wellbeing or education.

Hang on - lots of people here seem to be assuming that 'in his football kit' means in his Manchester City/Liverpool/Arsenal/whatever replica kit when I'd assumed it meant his school football kit.

One seems like a relatively reasonable accommodation for a child with sensory issues. The other seems completely inappropriate. Even in a school with no uniform, I'd probably have a rule against outfits quite so calculated to be divisive.

Can you clarify, OP?

I certainly don't agree with having to buy uniform that has the school logo on from an expense point of view but
IMO, having worked in a school the wearing of a school uniform makes a child feel included.
Having seen many a non uniform day not every parent/carer can afford the big brand named clothing that their children wear.

Who gives a hoot what children wear to school?

If this is serious then the head has list control of his school. It is utterly ludicrous to have a uniform if you do not enforce the rules. Giving an adjustment for send is fine. Allowing the child to choose what he will wear is nonsense. Where is this place?

on particularly bad sensory days my daughter wore her (school) dance kit of leotard/crop top and shorts.

it kept her in school and she got a excellent GCSEs & A levels.

All those saying oh well he is in school and what is the point of uniform are missing the point. Students who push boundaries on this way will push the next one. They often disrupt lessons for others by pushing these boundaries. They make the playground and corridors unpleasant by pushing the boundaries there too. E.g they use their phones and refuse to keep them switched off. They are persistently late for lessons. They argue with adults about seating plans etc. This lack of consistency by the head denotes a problem. I would not want to teach in a place like this and I wouldn't want my children educated in such a school either.

It sounds like they made a reasonable adjustment for one kid and that others are jumping on the bandwagon......not causing any major harm. At our local infant school the uniform is now PE kit every day, far more practical, more comfortable for the kids and cheaper for the parents.

My daughter has several "football kits". I say it as "-" because they aren't for any team. They are just generic coloured ones bought cheap from Sports Direct.
Many school PE kits are basically the same style..Shorts and a top in that shiny material.
Children are going to be so much more comfortable in shorts and a top - like a "football kit" - and when comfortable they will learn better. Plus they will likely be more active when out on the playground.
But no - instead they have to dress like little 1980s business men.
Quite frankly - I like that kid. He found a way around the nonsense.

Yeah, it’s not fair my child has a lifelong disability either. Sometimes things “aren’t fair” and I’ve got extremely limited sympathy for NT children who are jealous of my child’s reasonable adjustments or think they’re hard done by. I’ve had all sorts of parents poking their nose in and questioning why my son gets what he gets and it’s beyond rude. It’s between child, parent and school, absolutely nothing to do with other parents.

Sounds like a necessary reasonable adjustment for the original child. The children he was telling about it on the playground should have been told that asking about someone’s adjustments for disability is rude, it’s none of their business and no they can’t have football kit too. What exactly do people expect the original child to say about why he’s in football kit? My child would be absolutely mortified to have been asked and tried to make something up to sound cool.

Parent should explain to nephew that there’s a good reason why X is wearing football kit, it’s not his business what that reason is and to put his own uniform on and get on with it.

It is a football kit of a premier league team he supports. He does have sensory issues and it is all he wears at home but the school have made an adjustment for him by allowing him to wear clothes of a softer material - TBF my SIL said his mum has tried everything but if he can't wear it he refuses to leave the house. But its more the fact that the other children now have decided they can wear their footie kits too and parents and teachers are allowing it. From what I have heard from my nephew this lad is quite often in trouble and a great footballer and all the boys want to be his friend. He loves the fact that his mates are in their football kits too - luckily the same team. My brother thinks my SIL should back down and stop dictating to DN what to wear and is more important for him to be accepted by his mates and not be the goody goody boy who follows the rules or he may get bullied by this boy - another point to add though is that nephews kit is a different premier league team and on mufti days there is always problems between the kids in different team strips!!

No PL etc strip should be worn.

Banned st most workplaces too. A fight will happen.

So it appears that football is his “special interest”.
the other parents are wrong but I think it’s fine for this one particular child.

I disagree. But as i said im from an area where football is intrinsically linked to sectarianism and violence.

I have a child with additional needs btw so expect school uniform to be an issue.

But (extreme as it is) if a child was only comfortable wearing a KKK outfit or nazi symbols we wouldnt allow them too. Football strip type material - absolutely fine, a garment linked to a team/tribe/group etc - no chance. Too divisive and just gonna cause fights when rival fans start wearing theres.

I think the age of the kid matters a bit. And whether this is possible sen
He does sound manipulative.
Dc2 hates some socks. Came on about age 6-7. And doesnt like school trousers so ive subtly kept her in the pe kit jogging bottoms since year 1. Now y3. Noone cares.

For her she thinks she will feel cokd in normal trousers. She started reception in joggers as they suspended uniform due to covid (2020)

I wouldnt agree woth a school letting one kid wear his team kit even if that is a sensory issue. Because there will be other clothes. And as we see here other boys (and men) are ridiculous about football.

However i do think attendance is most important the spoilt brat kid here will likely change his mind eventually as he doesnt seem to need the adjustment.

I do think other kids who dont have sen should be talked to about adjustments for other kids.
Sometimes though kids do outgrow their quirks if you just ignore them

I actually think if children are wearing strips for different teams at primary school it could be a good teaching opportunity for learning that just because someone supports a certain team they aren't a rival or the enemy.
Kids generally don't care that Joe supports Man Utd, Sarah likes Liverpool and Billy is a fan of Accrington Stanley. It's adults that put the rivalry thing in their heads.

I'm glad you said that - I was itching to.

I went to a school with no uniform and I would caution on be careful on what you wish for.

Turn up in the wrong fashion/jeans/leather jacket etc and your life would become a living hell.

I’m a huge fan of a basic uniform of a white polo shirt/shirt and a pair of grey/black trousers for everyone, ie not seeing the bum cheeks of young teenage girls.

Really can't get worked up about something like this.

My son went to a primary with no uniform policy where kids were allowed to show up in unicorn onesies if they wanted. He's now predicted 7-9 in all GCSEs this year. He never could have coped with a strict uniform school and I was lucky to find a relaxed secondary.

Maybe you ought to put the blame on the system/rules rather than a disabled kid 😕

@Frozenasarock it didn't say anywhere in the OP that the kids wearing football kit aren't NT though did it. It was only posted afterwards that the original kid has sensory issues.

I'm in Central Scotland and there are so many issues related to football loyalties. Mine went to school in a Glasgow suburb and football colours were banned from every school event (dress down days, fun days, etc) because of the sectarian issues. I now live in a town with its own football team and the team is supported by the town (I know 11 year olds who have had season tickets since they were 8).

Primary school uniforms are fine if done well. My daughters school is red and green. You can buy the logo’s stuff or the cheaper uniform (for just a few quid) from Asda. No shirts or ties or blazers, just comfy polo necks and you can choose the jumper or cardi or you can wear school shorts, pinafore, skirt, trousers, black leggings etc. so the kids all look like they’re from the same school but it’s cheaper than own clothes and they wear what’s comfortable for them. (Sadly the high school do not follow this but that’s for another thread)

i think if schools begin like this then issues such as OPs are less likely to happen. In this case through, I’m not sure why the boy will only wear a football kit. If it’s to do with how it feels then most sporting tops and shorts will feel the same but he’s obviously decided it’s his football kit he wants to wear and so that’s that. Schools shouldn’t be allowing football kit as an option for any child. It should be PE kit if it can’t be uniform. Football kits wil likely lead to rivalry and issues