...to wonder how effective/useful uniforms are at school?

[azert]

I'm from a different country, where children wear their normal clothes at school. There have been talks in my country about whether we should make a change and start wearing a uniform, and some trials in certain regions but it never happened on a national level and I doubt it ever will.

I can see some benefits to the uniform for parents: not having to think about how to dress the kids each day, being able to pass uniforms down to younger children etc. But I don't see many children who love their uniform, I feel like they'd rather wear their normal clothes?

The rules around school uniform seem silly sometimes, and strict about things that are truly not going to be distracting to children's learning. On top of that, the cost of buying uniforms seem to be quite high and on top of that parents have to buy clothes for evenings/weekends/summer holidays and half-terms, so it's like buying two full sets of outfits for each child.

As a parent and as a former teacher, I don't believe it actually does what it's supposed to do, as in put every child on the same level and avoid bullying and comparisons between children whose parents earn more or less money. Kids know these things and talk about them whether they wear uniforms or not, in my eyes it's more about teaching them kindness and respect.

If you're a teacher and pro-uniform, what do you think it brings to children? And if you're against it, why is that?

I'm ready to hear all kinds of thoughts as I don't want to be unreasonable to come from the outside and question a whole system that's been in place for decades!

How are you coming in from the outside if you’re a parent and have been a teacher?

I have 3 primary school kids. It’s definitely cheaper to have school uniform as the younger 2 ruin it so often. I’m glad I don’t need to get annoyed with them for ruining clothes when they’ve clearly had fun with paint/mud at school.
I also appreciate no arguments in the morning with my daughter over which fashionable outfit she’s going to wear (weekends are a pain).
I also like that it doesn’t show the rich kids/poor kids quite as much as other clothes would. No one needs to feel self conscious as everyone looks the same ish.

As a teacher I think uniform is a good idea but it needs to be more comfortable and more casual in style. Ties and blazers should be dumped in favour of polo shirts and sweatshirts that are plain and unbranded.

I love uniform. No arguing over what to wear!

I meant that I wasn't born in this country and grew up somewhere else, and I haven't been a pupil/student here. I'm still learning about the UK so I don't want to judge things and act like I know everything, I feel more like an outsider even though I've taught in primary schools here.

Agree with getting rid of blazers/ties/shirts. The best performing school near us has polo shirts and joggers and- much to the envy of my kids- allows Nails and eye lashes!

Yes, totally agree with this

I love the uniform, I wish it was cheaper for all but really like that kids here wear uniform. It unites them, makes mornings easier, I don't worry about it getting mucky because that's what it's for. I can buy less out of school clothes which are more expensive. My kids won't feel a pressure to wear "branded" or cool clothes all the time. Same with shoes! I think they look smart and other than the cost and some schools taking the mick with price etc then I wouldn't want it any other way!

I'm a teacher and I've worked in the UK and the US, been a parent in both and a pupil in both. Uniforms are crap and achieve none of the stated goals. If they make things a little quicker for parents in the mornings that's great, although I'm sure they cause arguments as well. I really, really hate them. In fact, as part of my MA, I wrote a short paper about all the evils of them with academic citations and the whole shebang.

Uniforms suck.

I think most primary schools have it right - polo shirts / sweatshirts / cardigans - plus trousers, shorts or skirts. Comfortable and usually can be bought cheaply. Most primary schools I know have logo'd cardigans / sweatshirts that are reasonably priced, but also allow non-logo's items. Lots of families have a mix of both.

Secondary schools, with their kilts, blazers and logo'd PE kits are another story. We don't live in an affluent area but most schools here have blazers, ties and expect girls to wear a kilt or other specifi skirt - it is uncomfortable and expensive.

I agree about blazers and ties etc at secondary school but in fairness I didn't mind mine as I used the inner pocket to store my iPod and pens 😂

I remember hearing a couple of teens moaning when they discovered that there was about to be another non-uniform day. I think they were happier with just throwing on the same uniform each day and knowing that nobody was going to be looking critically at what they were wearing. Admittedly that's probably more of an issue when non-uniform is an occasional thing.

I do think (sensible) uniform is a useful leveler, taking pressure off both kids and parents. Everyone knows what to buy to "fit in", and uniform needn't be expensive - although some unfortunately are. I've seen people throw up their hands in horror at the idea of sending their child to nursery in the same outfit two days running - with uniform, provided it's clean, nobody knows if you've worn the same thing for three days running.

Unfortunately it's difficult to remove all the pressure - the "right" shoes can still be an issue, and I was horrified to read on here that some people think it's necessary to have new uniform in September regardless of whether last year's still fits.

I taught at a secondary school with a polo and sweatshirt uniform. The kids said it made them feel like 5yos and wanted a shirt and wool jumper/blazer style uniform. That was 10 years ago though.

I think teens would be happy with tshirt/hoody and jeans/leggings/joggers these days.

My DDs school doesn't do non uniform days as they found it caused stress and bullying.

I went to a comprehensive school in the late 80s/early 90s.
It wasn't an especially amazing school. Not brilliant but not dreadful. Just average . It was considered the better of the 2 comps schools in town. We were the bigger school.
We had a uniform for the first 3 years. It was very casual. Black, grey or navy skirt/trousers and jumper or cardigan. White shirt. Ties for boys (which were worn thin style and very short in my era). No blazer. Shoes you could pretty much wear anything. Converse style shoes/boots were trendy for a bit (usually cheap versions bought from the market).
From 4th Year (Year 10 these days) we didn't have to wear a uniform.
That school now is an academy. All blazers and ties. Kilt style skirts. Everything has to be with the logo on - including PE kit (even the socks).
Anyway.....the school is now half the size it once was. The locals hate the school. It's undersubscribed. People send their children to schools in the next county if they can rather than send their children there. The Home Education network in the town is fairly big due to parents pulling their children out.
It apparently is (well a few years ago) in the top ten worst schools in England.
I am not an expert in these things but clearly a strict uniform doesn't necessarily make a good school.

I'm a UK teacher with 2 dc. I'm not a fan of uniform. As a teacher I hate having to reprimand kids for trivial uniform infractions. I think schools are either deluded or being disingenuois when they say that a uniform makes students feel proud of their school or buy into the school ethos. If anything, nitpicking about sock colour and exactly when you're allowed to take your blazer off just makes students pissed off with the whole institution and all its rules!

Uniform is mostly window-dressing. That's why most schools don't go for a comfy, more casual uniform. It doesn't look aspirational enough to appeal to aspirational parents. Or parents who somehow believe the lie that smart uniform equals good school with well-behaved students.

If schools really want uniform to do the one thing it actually can do (a bit), i.e. reduce poverty stigma, it should be cheap, generic, comfortable, and not too formal.

Mine all go to and have lalways gone to non uniform schools and it is brilliant. I know some people assume there is competition over labels and all that but i have not come across it at all.

I don't think it should be gotten rid of as it evens the playing field a little in terms of poverty Vs wealth. However kids still do notice who has the M&S uniform and who has the Asda/Aldi insert supermarket. I do think it needs to be much less formal in secondary. Give options of polo shirts, sweatshirts, chinos or leggings. Smart dress can be added into PSHE lessons in Year 10/11. Most workplaces do not dress so formally.

As a child from a poorer background I always hated non uniform days. I used to fret and worry about what to wear to try to look “cool” and fit in, with barely any clothes to my name and lots of handed down items. This was back in the 80s, so I can barely imagine what it’s like now for kids without designer brands in a world where looks have become everything .

DS' out of school clothes cost more than his uniform, so I'm pleased they don't get ruined at school, I would probably end up buying a job lot of second hand/supermarket clothes for school so no different to buying uniform.
It's only where schools have lots of branded buy from the school shop only items that it's expensive. DS' school jumpers are £6 each and everything else is plain and can be bought anywhere

This is the tihng though, for the one or two non uniform days you had it was all about what you wore at home but when you are in a school with no uniform honestly nobody gives a toss about what you wear at all because it is day in day out.

I think uniform is a good thing- no worrying about what to wear, it helps balance out any poverty etc. Most primary schools now are very comfortable, polo shirts, no need to wear ties.
I'm in Scotland and generally it's fairly easy even in high school, doesn't have t have logos etc but I think from what I hear of English schools where it's very expensive and very strict that it kind of negates the point of a uniform and seems really unfair.

My DC have uniforms in a primary state school (Australia). Unisex polo plus unbranded shorts or trackies of a certain colour & any sneakers & wide brimmed hat. Hard wearing & cheap. Brilliant. Seeing the clothes some students arrive in on free dress days I am glad of the uniform!

DS is off to high school next January & the uniform becomes a right pain. Everything branded, White(!) shirts that require ironing, trousers, shorts, hats, ties blazer, plus sports uniform, all bought from school uniform store. It's not a fancy school, but for enough uniform items so I'm not washing every day it'll cost over $500AUD just to start him off. Then there's winter & he just keeps growing!!

I loathe school uniform. It’s really expensive, especially at Senior school. The first poster who said it’s cheaper is just daft! How can a second set of clothes be cheaper?! I get all my kids clothes from charity shops so they certainly are not more expensive than uniform!

It’s also really hard if you have kids who are outsize the normal curve in size. And you can’t get uniform that fits.

It’s harder for kids to be cool in summer and warm in winter. Most of the school uniform is really thin.

It shows up the rich from poor at rich kids are in well worn second hand stuff.

I would have no uniiform at primary and would support a dress code, plain clothes, no branding or labels or words or slogans at secondary. kids can get clothes that are comfy for them, suitable for the weather, can be worn outside school and no designer pressures.