To think this a ridiculous uniform list for 4 year olds

[FinnFrey]

Been chatting to my SIL, she is sending her DD to a private school next year (gets 60% off as her husband works there). She mentioned the uniform list and I asked to see it. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a list with so much stuff for 4 year olds, any item marked * can only be bought from the school wear shop.

AIBU to think that this is quite a bonkers list? Is this just an every private school thing?

Right down to only being able to buy the hair accessories from once place and which length of socks they can wear!

This is just the girls list, boys is similar (trousers and shorts instead of pinafores and dresses and a felt cap instead of the girls 2 hats).

Obviously they wore what was suitable for the weather, DD wore cords and super thick fleece lined leggings in the winter, long sleeved T shirt, warm hoody. Leggings in spring/autumn, shorts in summer.

Yeah I thought so too, it’s a 3-18 school with Pre-school, Infant School, Junior School and Senior School all on different sites but close to each other.

No

I think prep school kids look utterly adorable in boaters and capes. I wish I could send my kids to the local prep, but it costs a lot in both time (just shy of hour there and back) and money (currently three kids and counting..!).

Not sure I understand your point. If there’s no uniform you can spend your money exactly as you like. Buy from Tesco or a high end boutique, up to you.
I just don’t see the point of uniform, having experienced a primary school without it. Secondary might be different, but not as different as people always suggest, given that so many countries don’t have school uniforms.

Then don't choose this school for your children. Simple

Completely normal for private school. Only my shoes had to be red too.

Leggings are fairly ubiquitous...

DD goes to a prep and their list is a bit shorter - no blazers or felt hats, and hair accessories have to be a certain colour but can be bought anywhere. Polo shirts instead of blouses (softer and easier to dress for younger kids). But otherwise quite similar. We get ours mostly from the secondhand shop and I pay less for a year's uniform than buying all new for a state school. Things like hats and bags last until Year 6 so although it's a lot to pay when they start, you don't have to buy that much every year, and we usually got a couple of years out of some items.

Our prep is probably fairly relaxed with uniform compared to others. They have coats and winter accessories on the uniform list but in practice I see lots of non-regulation items in the same colours and the school doesn't make a fuss about it. They also let them wear boots in winter.

I think with the exception of the blazer and felt/straw hat that's pretty much what DS school had - ordinary state primary.

They didn't specify requirements for things like colours of outdoor coats or swimwear but that "kit" was all still required - I think that's all that makes the list look longer?

Yeah same. I bet they look adorable. My mum wore a boater to school (1960s). Unfortunately she married down so we're all state school scruffy urchins.

It is where I live in South East London -although some have (thankfully) calmed down in the last couple of years.
But branded blazers, ties, specific style socks, hair scrunchies in specific colours, branded book bags etc are still very very normal.

I dont think its that different from a state school. This is the current list from the bog standard state school mine attended

Winter Uniform
School logo V-neck jumper * or plain navy knitted jumper / cardigan
Plain white shirt (not polo)

School tie (elasticated ties are available for Year R /1; children are encouraged to wear a regular tie from Year 2)

Long grey ‘school’ trousers / grey skirt / pinafore

Grey, navy or white socks / grey or navy tights

School coat or plain dark coat (waterproof)

Black or navy school shoes (not trainer style or trainers)

School logo woolly hat (optional)

Summer Uniform

Navy/white checked shirt * or plain white short-sleeved shirt (not polo)

Grey ‘school’ shorts / grey skirt
Navy blue and white gingham summer dress
Grey, navy or white socks

School logo V-neck jumper *or plain navy knitted jumper / cardigan

School coat or plain dark coat (waterproof)

Black or navy school shoes

School sunhat or plain navy, white or black sunhat

PE Kit

School PE T-shirt: Navy with red shoulder fleck *
Navy shorts or Navy skorts

Plain navy socks for EYFS and KS1; red and blue hooped socks are suggested for outdoor winter sports for KS2 *
Navy tracksuit bottoms or plain navy leggings

Hooded pullover with logo *

Trainers for outdoor use

School Bags

All children require a suitable navy waterproof rucksack or bag large enough to take A4 folders and a range of books and equipment. Bags should not carry overt brand logos such as football teams etc.

Book bag with school logo - compulsory for years R, 1 and 2 *

PE bag (with or without school logo)

Waterproof coat and wellies (Year R)

Hi-vis jacket with school logo - compulsory for all years *

• is only from school shop and they don't.mention swimming kit but do swimming from year 3 and has a similar amount to your list.

Only thing I noticed is a hat is not compulsory.

I am one who used to be very pro school uniform until finding schools enforcing it to a stupid level (e.g. blazers to be worn in 30⁰ heat unless given permission to remove). There were other things too, and I am no longer as wedded to the idea.

That list is ridiculous, though you might get away without getting all of it and there might be a second hand shop at school.

I suppose I should add that my three went to state schools, on of which was a grammar. Certainly the grammar school also had a list of stuff as long as (or longer than) your arm.

Right, that’s your opinion and it’s absolutely fine but I personally think uniforms are wonderful and if you can afford to dress your children in fancy uniforms I say go for it!. I wished our state school had a much more elaborate one tbh.

i think uniforms are a great leveller and stop children feeling inadequate about what they have or the brands they wear. It also saves a lot of time in the morning deciding what to wear. It is also creates unity and a sense of belonging. My DD often wears her school sports kit outside of school because it is very nicely designed and she feels pride wearing it. I expect she’ll keep wearing into adulthood tbh.

i love seeing the little prep school kids in their fancy uniform. I used to wear a boater hat and beret as part of my primary school uniform and I wish children still wore those!

The two schools our area have second hand sales every term and a there is also a Facebook group for the parents to pass on/sell second hand uniform. The kit is like new and for the fraction of the price still very much get passed on to another child as it’s excellent quality. I don’t know what the issue is. It’s cheaper to buy the uniform than buying branded non uniform clothes.

Just been chatting to my BIL. He is a deputy head at the school and has said all the items are absolutely mandatory. The Infant and Junior School won’t let the kids out to play if they don’t have the right hat/blazer. Kids who have the wrong hair accessories are made to remove them. All seems awfully strict, which can’t little girls even wear a plain red Alice band or little bow on their ponytail!

The only items which are additional to our state infants is the blazer and the felt hat.

The real rip off is how much - state and private - which has to be sourced from a school supplier not a supermarket!

I agree, although I think that with some prep schools that’s what parents are actively looking for. Not all though, of course.
I’m a big fan of uniform as a concept but strongly believe that - especially at primary - it should all be geared around comfort and the ability to run / play. No child should ever have their movement limited by their uniform in any way, especially as it’s inevitably girls who this affects the most .

Wearing only specific types of hair bands or bobbles etc is normal in pretty much all schools with uniforms (state or private).
My daughter's state one specified black or green (or the checked ones) hair ties, scrunchies and/or hair clips.
All the supermarkets sell little sets of hair ties, scrunchies and clips in the various typical school colours.
That's really not unusual for school.

I really don’t like blazers and ties for little ones, I think they should be allowed to be comfy. Thankfully our school doesn’t have them until prep and they ditched the hats anddddd added trousers as a winter option for boys a few years ago. There’s a school near me that still has a really old fashioned uniform like that and it put me off even visiting tbh. But each to their own, I know some people think the exact opposite!

DT’s went private from ages 4-18 - thankfully non uniform so jeans and hoodies or shorts and T-shirt were the norm.

In my experience none of those things happened, though. No one cared what anyone wore. No fuss in the morning, sling some clothes on. Really good school community spirit.

It’s a bit odd to care so much about what kids wear. Very superficial.

I don't know, it looks lovely but I work in reception class and they have enough trouble not losing their jumpers, never mind hats.

I swear there's a black hole where all the jumpers/cardigans go at that age. I can just imagine hats vanishing into the same void.

Private or state, the school is right to be setting clear expectations of what to wear to school. It simplifies everything and saves parents the morning dramas.