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 Uniform is outdated.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?

You don't need to iron shirts that go under jumpers and then have a blazer on top of that or is that just me.
The white shirts are super cheap and dry quick and need almost no ironing even in the summer term when they are on display.

They all wear short sleeve shirts year round at their school.

My two usually have one jumper per week and two shirts. Maybe more shirts in the summer term.

It's all way easier to wash than their own clothes

A more generic uniform without the logos! Though still needs boundaries/guidance as some will push it with the labels etc In primary it got crazy with the bows on the girls socks! The primary school requested plain white knee high socks (or tights) As some parents couldn’t afford the fancy ribboned socks that some children came in.

Mufti day at school usually affects attendance - it will drop as many secondary students anxiety to look right among peers puts pressure on them. Some children still just come in uniform so not to wear the wrong clothes - same ones always say ohh I didn’t realise.

As a mother of autistic daughter the biggest meltdowns where the night before a mufti day - she really struggled - uniform meant she could just blend in.

Uniform should be black joggers, white polo and generic coloured jumper.

No logos.

Cheap and practical

My son did intro none uniform day fir his high school. The anxiety over what he would wear was insane. He visibly relaxed when he had to wear uniform as it it didn't involve a choice or what people thought

There needs to be uniform but it should be ok for supermarket uniform. It's so expensive with the badges on everything. A blazer badge would do.

100% agree

Dd would not want to wear joggers to school. I think there should always be options so the children can choose the one their happiest wearing.

I grew up in a country where there is no school uniform (Netherlands).
Levels of bullying in schools are not higher than in the UK. There is no breakdown of law and order in schools or society. Students get an education, no muss, no fuss. Uniform is a weird British fetish - the UK ascribes all kinds of magical and mythical properties to uniform.

Abolish it and it would only be a few weeks before students stopped worrying about clothes - it's only an issue on non-uniform days because they are made to seem special.

And if anyone bullies anyone - you deal with the behaviour, not with what the person is wearing.

The UK is honestly ridiculous on this.

I teach in a school where some kids come from very economically deprived households

So you make those economically deprived parents fork out even more money on expensive uniforms!?! 🤨

My kids' secondary only stipulates logoed blazer and tie - rest we're told to get to supermarkets for. Likewise PE kit they ask for one logoed piece of kit and the rest can be from anywhere - just keep the logos for sportswear brands to under credit card size.

Compared to the other ridiculous uniform requirements in local schools - it's refreshing.

Our local 'outstanding' state secondary now has special logo'd skirts and bloody trousers!!!! £20 each!

I love uniform.

It's a leveller. Much much cheaper than normal outfits for 5 days a week, 38 weeks a year. Much less stress for parents and kids who just want to fit in. No time wasted with what to wear each morning.

Also like that they look smartish and there's no "inappropriate" clothes issues- whether that's bad language on the shirts, joggers under boys bums or girls flashing knickers. I bet there would be far more issues if it was just left upto the kids.

My child wouldn't be seen dead wearing 'joggers'

I'm a secondary SEN TA of 20 years as well as a SEN parent & I've worked in schools without uniform, schools with extremely strict uniform rules & schools with less strict uniform rules & for me, non uniform schools are the way forward. I've never seen bullying about the clothes kids wear. In my all girls non uniform the majority wore joggers, leggings, jeans & hoodies from various labels, mail my primark. We had a few girls who wore anime based clothing but nothing was ever said to them. In my mixed schools it was the same. Converse with the odd designer trainer that the kids wore at weekends & holidays. Exactly what the kids at uniform schools wore on non uniform days. All my SEN students in the the non uniform schools have been a lot happier, particularly with PE as it's easier to change etc. I spend more on my DCs uniform now they're in a uniform school (catchment area) than I did when they were at non uniform schools. School shoes, school trainers, weekend/holiday shoes all add up. If uniform is required make it sensible. No ties, trainers etc.

@Nottodaty What the heck is mufti day?

It should be generic, a universally sold colour (no bottle green or royal purple, thank you) and not require black shoes. What's wrong with polo shirts and a black/navy bottom half?

When I was at secondary years 10 and 11 could wear any black trousers or skirt, any white shirt and any black cardi or jumper with the school tie and we were still identifiable.

That's nice and easy to say when you can afford it! Uniform is more expensive than regular clothes. £12 for each sweater, £11 for a polo shirt in the summer etc. Regular clothes are so much cheaper

A polo shirt and trousers really aren't that expensive. It's the logo stuff that adds up.

Your kid would have to wear something though so you do save a bit there. Though I guess they need something to wear outside school too in the evenings.

It's a tricky one I can understand why uniform exists. Not having it will only show up the haves and have nots more easily.

Polo shirts are 7.50 for a pack of 5 in asda

Thankfully our primary is really sensible, which I think is more common here in Scotland anyway. Either a badged logo jumper or plain blue jumper or cardigan preferred and then dark bottoms, which can be leggings, joggers, trousers, a dress. So you could buy a set for very cheaply if needed. They also have free secondhand logo uniform in the foyer of the school you can take if you need.

This with bells on!!

Uniforms are basic and everyone is wearing it.

Can you imagine the fights every morning because said child wants to only wear Ralph Lauren/Nike/addidas like all the other kids??

If you have daughters, maybe not. My DS (11) is currently growing about two inches a year, I’m lucky if his uniform lasts a year and I suspect I’ve got another four or five years to go.

Ours is cheap and simple

Black trousers or skirt
Black jumper or cardigan
White shirt
Tie
Black shoes

Everything can be bought in a supermarket

No rules about materials except no denim

The issues arise (in England) where jumped up schools start specify materials and place of purchase.

@HauntedbyMagpies mufti means non uniform.
I don't know the origin of the word though.

Secondary school is black jumper, white shirt, school tie, black trousers, skirt or shorts and black trainers or school shoes. So really the only thing you have to buy from school supplier is the tie. So again that's not too bad. No blazer requirement unless you're a school prefect or similar.