School Uniforms?

[tearsandtiaras]

My socials are currently filled with anxious posts about being able to afford the correct uniform required for their children.

ND children who won't wear it- parents are anxious how this will be received.

I myself have had sleepless nights considering the cost with zero support from DD father. With added worry that as a full time worker I cannot access the uniform shop in opening times- which offers no option to click/ collect.

I work with families/ children/ teenagers daily- uniform is consistently an adder stressor to their lives.

I cannot understand why in 2024 when most office workers wear smart casual- we inflict this on to our children/ parents. Uniform is outdated.

Aibu?

Uniform should be simple and - with the exception of logoed items - obtainable from supermarket/high street. Tie wearing is ridiculous. Learning is what they are at school for so they should not be wasting their time on tying a tie. Other countries think we are bonkers

Amazing how the majority of the western world manage non uniform without problem

I went to school with a high number of children from disadvantaged backgrounds and a few genuine oddballs. All of them managed to turn up each morning in a school uniform.

As a nation we are getting pretty damn pathetic.

My kids went to their non uniform 6th form in hoodies, floppy jumpers and flannel men's shirts. And managed to get good A levels. Amazing! When it's non uniform, they wear their own clothes and if everything is clean and covered, it's suitable for school.

I fully agree with this. The UK curriculum doesn't serve anyone. Again, we should be looking at how other countries do this. A child with a massive talent for automotive engineering doesn't need to cram Shakespeare. There's nothing wrong with specialising according to aptitude, as long as it's done well and means all kinds of talent are valued, not just academia.

I personally think a uniform is a great idea because it helps kids from poorer backgrounds who may only have one pair of shoes and a couple of outfits to wear. If they turned up in the same outfit every day, you can bet your bottom dollar they would be badly bullied. Likewise if a child doesn’t have the latest, coolest clothes all of the time. Having a uniform prevents that nonsense.

The only issue I have is the price of the logo things. I think schools should get rid of logo jumpers/blazers and just have a plain coloured one.

My brother got a degree in electronic engineering - he couldn’t write for toffee - didn’t pass his GCSE - the technical college fudged a module to give him an equivalent qualification to allow him to enter Uni. He did need to be able to write though and he taught himself by copying people at work - I’ve seen the same in the engineers and mathematicians we employ - they can’t express themselves adequately in written form and they need to be able to - but at work they find it purposeful communication and it’s a skill they want to pick up - most manage it - if they don’t it’s career limiting.

Thos is why we need to value skills education more. In the Netherlands, if you go the vocational route in school, you absolutely do take English, Dutch and maths. They're compulsory. But the courses are tailored to the training the students are taking. So no Shakespeare, but learning how to write and read business correspondence, technical writing, bookkeeping. It's functional and aimed at equipping students for work.

Kids can still be bullied for being poor, they can be the ones who's uniform is falling to bits, doesn't fit right and often hasn't been washed. It makes zero difference having a uniform to bullying.

Think back to your own school days, and I bet you can remember who the poor kids were whether you had uniform or not.

This. K8ds will bully. If uniform were a preventive against bullying, the UK would have lower rates than in comparable countries. We don't. You tackle bullying by coming down hard on it, not by bringing in a new badge or blazer.

YABU - uniforms are cheaper than most clothes/brands for children - particularly teens who really care what ‘label’ they wear or what style.
I love uniforms because it’s simple, stops arguments about what is and isn’t suitable for school, and is a great leveller.
As one of the many ‘poor’ kids at school InHATED non uniform days because my clothes were a mix of home made and 2nd hand. Found it really stressful.

And as for the ‘safety’
Concerns - get a grip. Our kids are the most coddled,
protected and watched over ever - we can’t start adding dressing then all in none identifying clothes too

I agree with this. I do actually think uniforms are good- I grew up in a chaotic, poor household and it was a leveller. That said, it should be affordable and accessible; black/navy/grey trousers/skirts/shorts, plain polos/t shirts/shirts, plain jumpers/cardigans and black shoes/trainers.

Nah I disagree, sure was still called povvo and it was obvious, but the relentlessness of day to day being bullied and berated for not having decent clothes would have been infinitely worse- regardless of the bullying for being poor. I agree it doesn't stop it, but it does make one small aspect of life slightly easier. It doesn't mean uniform should be so formal and pricey though.

I went to a non uniform girls' school for 4 years back in the late 80s early 90s and there was definitely daily, low level unkindness, based on what people wore. 20 years or so after I left, the school introduced a practical, smart uniform. Much better in my view.