Strict uniform policy-skirts but no shorts

[Sleepdeprived42long]

DS moving up to high school next year. Received details of the school’s uniform policy and word from parents with older kids is that it is strictly enforced.

Uniform is trousers or skirts, shirt with collar buttoned to top and tie visible at all times, blazer worn at all times outside class.

My DS lives in shorts to school. He hates wearing trousers-finds them too hot all year round!

AIBU to think that it seems unfair that girls can wear skirts and trousers but realistically most boys will be restricted to trousers? Or am I missing an obvious reason why skirts are acceptable and shorts aren’t?

My DS has sensory issues with clothing and noises (but no ASD diagnosis as no other symptoms) and is already hating the no shorts, the button to neck requirement of the shirt and the tie!

School say this is policy and children not in uniform will be sent home to change or given change from clothes school have as spare.

To be clear-this is a state school.

No shorts is very standard at secondary school.

Send him in with a skirt and see what they say. Maybe you can push through a change in policy if you don't like it.

There are very many jobs that won't allow shorts though, so it's worth thinking whether it may be time to start tackling his clothes issues with him.

I didn’t realise that this is standard @NuffSaidSam.

No way I’d get him in a skirt but would prove a point!

What jobs are no shorts? I work in an office and a pair of smart shorts on men would be completely acceptable nowadays! Perhaps in the business suit type jobs might not be acceptable but this is a school not the stock market!

I was thinking about this the other day that girls get to wear skirts in the summer but boys can't wear shorts. Mind you my son is autistic and wouldn't be seen dead in a pair of shorts to school so I don't know how many boys actually want to wear shorts.

And it could be worse in my son's school they have to keep their blazers on at all times no matter how hot it gets.

It really is standard. If you fight this you will only make your kids life a misery at secondary.

Is he ready for a large state school? Maybe a small private is better.

It's a vast change from primary. Shorts are the least of the issues.

I think I had naively thought that schools these days were more inclusive and adaptable. In the same way that many workplace uniforms have changed in the last 30 years!

I’m in Scotland and I keep hearing about GIRFEC-getting it right for every child. But no, it appears I will have to force my round child peg into the square hole even though I cannot justify to him why I’m doing it!

ps a small private school is not an option for us and many people!

Some schools do allow shorts but ours doesn't.

I don't think the comparison with workplaces is fair given that kids are likely to run around playing football at lunchtime still wearing their uniform.

I would say even less inclusive than ever with higher numbers of ND children not coping .

it is standard though no shirts . Where I work we wear uniform skirts - tights are required - no shorts for anyone

State school in Scotland - I’m surprised the school won’t adapt. Though your DC will stand out, I’ve known boys who wore shorts year round for primary but as soon as S1 can round switched to trousers. Blazers outside class is common and to be fair it rarely gets hot enough for that to be a concern.

Secondary teacher here. He would get teased if he wore shorts to school. We allowed them in one school I worked in and the ones that wore them didn't have a good time they were removed from the uniform list. I've never worked in a school since where boys wore shorts even if they were allowed

In Scotland maybe... we are in London and yes it is hot during a heatwave to have to keep a blazer on.

Our Secondary School does allow shorts. However, I've never seen any child, boy or girl, wearing them.

To try to reassure you OP - my son also was / is a total shorts wearer. Wore shorts all the way through primary school. He did have trousers but only wore them once or twice when it was actually snowing, under duress. He still wears shorts all the time at home, out of school. But he wears trousers to high school. It was the thing he was looking forward to least. He was pretty miserable buying them. But honestly it’s been fine. He felt weird wearing them for the first day or so but he just got used to it straight away. He doesn’t mind at all. Absolutely nobody wears shorts at secondary school. Our school actually say you can wear shorts in the summer but I’ve never seen a single child in them.

So I’d recommend the approach of “yes, it’s annoying, but that’s just what you wear in secondary school. You can change when you get home. You’ll get used to it. Yes it’s unfair that girls can wear skirts but frankly girls have it a lot harder with clothes rules than boys, shoes are typically far less comfortable, people will be judging them on their legs, most clothes have no sensible pockets etc so don’t be too jealous”.

Also, I can’t say I agree that shorts are normal for men in workplaces now. I work in a pretty massive office, thousands of people on site, generally pretty relaxed (we’re not usually customer facing). A couple of men wear shorts, maybe just one. Obv that’s just my experience but I think trousers are by far the norm for men at work.

Yes because we can all afford that!

Non of the high schools round here allow shorts. Last year when it was really hot quite a few of the older boys did a one day protest and turned up wearing skirts for the day. I think they just did it for a laugh more than anything and nothing came of it!

I have never seen a secondary aged boy in shorts where I live.

I agree with the teacher that he will be teased if he is the only boy in shorts.

The OP is in Scotland so was focusing on Scotland norms. From the threads on here the approach in England to enforcing uniform is crazy - blazers in July when you’re melting is just wrong.

All schools with uniform round here sat no shorts. DD goes, to a no uniform school but they aren't keen on shorts.
DH works in grounds and mantinence for the council and they are not allowed to wear shorts. DH would like it if they did but those are the rules.
I suppose you could challenge it or see how many families would back a change in uniform. Otherwise I'm not sure what else you can do, bit crap for DS though.

And I made my comment before the op mentioned she was in Scotland.

I’m in Scotland and I keep hearing about GIRFEC-getting it right for every child. But no, it appears I will have to force my round child peg into the square hole even though I cannot justify to him why I’m doing it!

Wearing uniform isn’t legally enforceable in Scotland - you could speak to the school and request shorts as a reasonable adjustment for your son’s sensory issues (no diagnosis is needed), or complain to the education department of your local authority. It depends on how far you want to push things and whether in doing so you might inadvertently make things harder for your son.

it appears I will have to force my round child peg into the square hole even though I cannot justify to him why I’m doing it!

In saying you could challenges the school on accessibility, I’d also say there are going to be many times your round son will need to fit in a square hole, and your justification on this one is simply that those are the rules of the school.

Just wanted t9 point out yes girls an wear skirts but often in my dd school fornexample need to wear 60 denier black tights with them , even in summer. Most girls wore the trousers in summer as it was cooler!

Fireman
Paramedic
Nurse
Many offices
Police officer
Refuse collector
Supermarket assistant

Just because your office allows shorts, it's not widespread.

@Sleepdeprived42long OP You're getting yourself in a flap about nothing. When your boy sees all the other boys, big and little, wearing long trousers, he'll likely be glad to look the same.

My son’s high school has just introduced shorts for summer uniform only. Annoyingly they have to be bought from school at £13 a pair whereas trousers can be bought anywhere. So I’m not buying them unless my son really wants them.

i haven’t seen any child wearing them yet but admittedly it’s Yorkshire and the weather has been pretty awful post the Easter hols