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 Uniform is outdated.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?

Leaf....

If a gang leader/ sex offender/ or someone looking to exploit a specific child sees the logo, they can use that to track the school, watch the school etc etc ,monitor child's movements/ groom child etc

Yes that happens up and down the country. I was using the example to illustrate a risk of an identifying logo when a poster tried to use a logo as a positive identifier for a member of the public

But I don't think that any school should insist on blazers.

I went to an all girls secondary school in the 1980s and there was a blazer, but no-one was forced to wear it and hardly anyone did.

Blazers are impractical.

optional logo and grandson I think

Sorry. I was trying to say my grandson school has uniform that has a logo but it is optional. My grandson can't have the logo. As if dd ex was to see them in public he would find out what school my grandson gos to and that would put grandson at risk.

Mmworld22 thanks for the clarification. Your point is exactly what I mean. If schools just asked for a plain colour jumper this would mitigate this risk across the UK

Blazers are a great way to carry all the squillion things you need to carry round school. (Especially if you go to a school with a no-bag policy).

Most students opted to wear them on sports day, for this reason, even though they didn't actually have to.

Not trying to minimise your worries for your grandson, but I don't see how the presence or absence of a logo makes any difference here? How difficult would it be to Google "school in town x with blue jumper and grey trousers" or whatever.

I suppose that makes sense.

Are there really schools that have a no bag policy? What about laptops/tablets?

It is a big outlay of money.
But/ there are plenty of second hand options- there are in my city anyway.
And- do people really buy a whole new set of uniform every summer? I just replaced items as and when needed.

Yanbu. I don't buy the fitting in arguement either. I remember the days of a "new" school jumper that was a completely different washed out colour to everyone elses in September.

Cheaper to buy as needed through vinted. Loads of decent secondhand and branded stuff there amd more chance of hand me downs from friends that aren't school logo.

Schools won't don't as the branding is a revenue stream for them.

Amazing. Perfect, in fact.

For a Year 1 child in the school closest to me the uniform is:

kilt (£40) or pinafore (£50),
branded jumper (£23),
branded shirt (£14)

For PE days you need
Branded Polo (£10.50)
Branded shorts (£9.50)
Branded sweatshirt (£13)

Once they're 7 they are considered too old for a pinafore and must wear their house tie (£10).

Absolute madness. We drive a longer way away literally because of the daft uniform requirements.

It's got so bad that the government has even had to bring in laws to try and reduce the number of logo items schools have. Yet we are still seeing many high schools not following the news laws. I haven't hurd of any legal cases being taken against schools yet either.

Uniforms are outdated and teach children to conform mindlessly. They are also stupidly expensive. They are badly made and look cheap for the price.

Children need to learn how to wear and choose clothing that is appropriate for whatever situation they're dressing for. Picking out my schools every evening bed has created a lifelong habit. I still put my clothes out every night before bed.

I also know and have known how to dress and be presentable from a young age.

Choosing and wearing tour own clothes also let's children express themselves and begin to develop a sense of style.

And the whole argument of being bullied for not having designer gear...having been through a non uniform system, I can say I have never witnessed or have had anything said to me about what I was wearing or what others were wearing. We had already accepted from kindergarten, that everyone was different. If anything, it was the kids in the super flashy designer clothing that were looked at funny because it wasn't appropriate to wear clothes like that to school.

I know kids here who have been bullied and ridiculed because their parents buy part of their uniform from the grocery store rather than the uniform shop.

I also think it's strange seeing a child mid week in the afternoon sweaty and rumpled wearing a blazer and tie. It's just bizarre why anyone would want their kids looking that.

As for hair cuts. I let mine do their own thing. Dc1 does have a "radical" hair style. We've not had anything said to us, and if it was, I would just pay lip service and ignore. No one should have that kind of control over another to dictate their hairstyle.

Then again, I'm probably still a bit salty over having just been rinsed by the uniform shop.

They logo the uniform to stop so many parents taking the piss.

Bracing myself for all the news reports, my little angel bought designer shoes and isn’t allowed to wear them, including sad faced photo. My little darling has to be able to wear trousers that show a camel toe, it’s her right!

The sad fact is that a minority of parents at schools ruin it for everyone else, hence the school shop and logo design for their uniforms.

As for someone blaming smart uniform and shoes for fat kids 🤣🤣🤣🤣 where were all the fat kids in the 1980’s when we all wore stiff shirts, skirts and smart shoes. The fat kids come from lack of movement full stop, not what uniform they wear.

It's still lowers the risk compared to having a school logo /name that's shouting out hey this is the school I go to .

Uniforms are much better than them having to have the right gear to fit in. We were dirt poor growing up and I felt bad enough about not being able to afford Kickers. I'm glad it was just them. My DD is 8 and already obsessed with wearing her Nike Pro shorts and various other things the kids like.

Yes, I realise that, but given I know all the local schools just on colour I don’t think the logo is the amazing identifier you think it is. I know from a distance that red jumpers are St A, blue kilts are St B etc, I’m not reading the logos. Anyone interested in pursuing a child for nefarious purposes could very easily figure this stuff out. You’d have to entirely do away with uniform to eliminate this risk.

Since school logos and uniforms are currently everywhere and school leaders, the police, politicians etc aren’t doing anything about it I assume the overall risk is deemed very small. Obviously if it was deemed significant then safeguarding would need to take precedence and school uniforms entirely abolished - but I don’t see any evidence that’s happening.

Oh don't get me started on fucking uniform! My son starts yr7 next week and the trousers that he HAS to wear only come in one style (skinny) that are a terrible fit - he went and tried on multiple sizes but theyre just a terrible fit on him.
And they're this awful thick on the verge of denim like fabric which will be way too hot in the summer ( they're not allowed to wear shorts either) urgh I hate it!!!

I agree with having a uniform but even in secondary they should be allowed to wear 'supermarket' bottoms and tops.

Krika.....

There are 9 schools within 300 metres of me.

Think outside the box- not everyone lives in a town with limited schools that can be identified by a plain jumper.

You are minimalising what the poster said with your comment. Identifying logos are a big thing in what the poster mentions / keeping a child safe at school

I grew up in the US where you dint wear a uniform in state schools. But here I like it and my DD lived her uniform. But their first school it was cord shorts/trousers (girls could wear skirts), non branded polo and a branded sweatshirt. Second hand sale every term. The kids looked great. The need for expensive blazers (£95 at last school) and ties seems OTT.

I agree with a uniform...

If a school wants to have a uniform, fantastic.

Make the teachers wear them too.
"Oh but they're adults, they can wear what they like..."
Can't enforce the rules of you can't follow the rules.. ant kids to promote the vision and look of the school... So should teachers and staff..

But I do broadly agree with uniforms, but, they should be standardized across the UK and easily available from Supermarkets, Matalan etc.

Usual-
Black trousers / Skirt
White shirt / blouse
Black Blazer (school emblems optional)
Black shoes / smart trainers

Pe-
Black shorts
White T-shirt

Black Trainers

Interestingly, when I went to high school in Vancouver. (Age 14 to 18) We had a school assembly directly telling us not to wear our sports/team kits, school hoodies or anything that would identify the school we went to when off of school property unless at another for a match. We only had branded logoed team and pe kit. We were also asked not wear them during summer vacation or at the weekend for our safety. Everything else was non uniform.

This was in the early 00s and seen as risk then, although in a different country and system completely.

Will ask friends over in the States and Canada if this is still true.

Europeans manage to cope with none uniform

Our European neice and nephew (left UK before school age) are always shocked that our kids wear uniform.

I am a firm believer if a school is going to keep uniform then make it comfortable in secondary so polos and leggings etc. In year 10/11 career lessons incorporate one lesson on business wear. Encourage a catwalk, let their imaginations fly, make it fun etc. So few careers would you wear a suit and tie for nowadays but smart casual is harder to know what to wear for.

DT’s went to a non uniform school from ages 4-18. No one cared what anyone else wore. Designer gear wasn’t a thing. Much better for everyone - no time wasted on policing ridiculous uniform policies, much cheaper and more practical.

I love school uniform. It just saves so much worry and arguments in the morning. I have two kids at secondary. It's not that expensive, the blazers last ages and there is a brilliant second hand uniform shop run by the PTA.

My eldest loves not having to think in the morning. She's worried about sixth form because she will have to plan her own clothes.
My youngest pushes all the uniform boundaries by shortening the skirt and adding Jewellery etc. but I have no problem with this on non uniform days she takes ages to plan her outfit and stresses about what to wear and if she has the same labels (Nike etc. ) as her friends. I couldn't deal with that everyday and it would be way more expensive than uniform. I love that uniform equals every child, no making fun of someone because they can't afford the latest fashion.