AIBU to think it's not school's decision?

[GlitteryRainbow]

Somehow I got volunteered to organise the Year 6 Leaver's hoodies. When I looked into it there was a discount available if we ordered by 31st January, so seemed perfect. I got a shop setup everyone ordered on time. I got the order delivered to school because it seemed easier. It was due to arrive in half term so I got it rescheduled. I let the secretary know they would arrive this Monday.

I told my daughter they were coming Monday and she was excited. No hoodie when I came home yesterday. I've been told today that the children can't have their hoodies until May. The parents paid for the hoodies, so AIBU to think that school can't decide when the children get their hoodies? I realise it's their decision when the hoodies can be worn at school. Other schools get them early on and wear them for the entire year. We've never been told that there is time they aren't allowed to wear the hoodies before.

Would I be unreasonable to ask the school to give the hoodies to either myself or the children. We'll agree that the children won't wear them to school before the date the head stipulates. In hindsight I should have just got them delivered to my address.

That’s super sad. Having organised the hoodies myself it is quite an endeavour.
at my children’s school we had to order them at the start of year 6 as they got them in time for their residential week. They then were allowed to wear them all year instead of their school jumper. They were coloured the same shade as the uniform though. It made the year 6’s feel like the top of the school and they were super proud of their hoodies!

Yes but she’s only telling me because she’s my friend. I’ve not been told officially.

I let them know it was being delivered there they could have told me not to. Or they could have said it had arrived and I’d have given them out.

The other half of the class is year 5 so if it’s too early for year 6 it’s far too early for year 5. All year 6 have ordered a hoodie.

My kids school are miserable won’t let them have leavers hoodies at all

In my child's school we order (parents- but with the schools permission) the hoodies at the end of year 5, ready to be worn for the whole of year 6. It's an interesting thread as it seems our school is in the minority doing it this way.

DS2's class were able to wear theirs one day per week from Easter which meant they actually got some use before they left and mentally moved on.

DS1's class weren't allowed to wear them until the last minute which was beautifully timed for 40⁰C weather 🙄

The communication seems lacking on both sides and I'm not really clear how this was all conceived.

You say you "got volunteered" but by who? Random parents chatting? Or is this done through a formal school-linked organization? Do they use the official school logo? And was there really zero communication on either side about when they should be ordered for and when students would get to wear them?

When were they given out in previous years and how? Have the school always held them to give out on a specific date/milestone or did they get given out as soon as they came in last year?

They can’t actually stop you. Only say they can’t wear them at school and I guess not let you use the logo. If a parent organises it all outside school what can they do?

They are the year off/leaver of 00/00/00 for the whole school year till they go so what's the point of not being able to wear them? Long way off this but seriously spend whatever amount to wear for a couple of months???

“pinkroses79 · Today 22:09

Our Leaver's hoodies have always been given out close to the end of year. That seemed ok to me, and made it seem part of the celebrations. The order didn't even have to be in until April though, so I'd never really considered what it might be like to wear them so early on, it's just never been a thing at our schools.”

This was my experience too.

And both my DDs have continued to wear their leavers’ hoodies (and in my elder DD’s case, also her BF’s leavers’ hoodie) in the years since leaving. That said, their leavers’ hoodies were for the end of secondary so they’d done pretty much all their growing. I can see how a primary school leavers’ hoodie could be quickly outgrown. But for me, they are leavers’ hoodies and get handed out close to the end of final term. It seems a bit off for them to be given out sooner.

I fully appreciate the head and the lady in the school office. I’m very involved with the school. I volunteered there last year when I was off work.

The head can totally say when the hoodies can be worn in school. I have no problem with that but the kids know the hoodies are there. They should be given out to wear outside school as the time they will wear them for is limited.

In our school year 6 hoodies get ordered 1 week after they start year 6! Due to timings and organising they get them early October and can be worn all year. We used to do it later but felt they didn't get much wear out of them towards the end of the year due to the weather being warmer. They will only really fit in them this year! I believe year 5 have got their order ready to have the hoodies from day 1 of year 6. It's all organised by parents (me this year!) but school helped with collecting money in and sizing, making actual ordering easier (and the school pay the invoice) I didn't have to handle the money. I did have to collect them as the uniform shop we have to go through isn't nearby (we are furthest school they supply) the kids love their hoodies, they are logo'd and in our school colour (navy) perhaps get a collective group of parents together to fight this... power in numbers.

wow

Yes each of the year 6s has a hoodie. There was provision if a family couldn’t afford it. We are a very small school.

We got ours early for this reason - near the start of year 6 I think. But round here kids don’t seem to get to wear them to school, only on mufti days or year 6 residential for example. So the school didn’t care when they were given out.

I think the leavers hoodie is quite a big deal. I know in our school they’ve been ordered and just waiting for delivery. We paid half and ppg paid half. I’ve made the suggestion that someone speaks to head about allowing them to be worn in school. In all honesty they don’t seem to wear much uniform in p7 (Scotland) although they do in lower years.

That’s my plan for tomorrow morning.

Absolutely - go and collect them. The school didn’t order them or pay for them, it’s theft if they don’t give them to you.

My son’s class got theirs at the end of the leavers assembly on the last day of term and it was afternoon by then 🙄🙄

If they are given out late, the weather will be too warm to wear the hoodies! Mine wore his once only. He had outgrown it by the following autumn.

I should think the school office will be happy to get rid.

Receiving a delivery doesn't give the school ownership.

I agree, ask for the package, so you can check the order.

Then, email the school to ask whether they’re allowed to wear them in school - and when.

Oh for heaven's sake.

Talk to whoever in SLT is most likely to hold the decision on this. Tell them you didn't realize that they would be held and explain that you had thought the students would be given the hoodies when they arrived and why you think that would be better than waiting. And listen to their reasons for waiting, because there are good reasons for both approaches. Then see if there's a collaborative solution. Perhaps ask that the hoodies be distributed at the end of Spring term, or that they go out early this year and next year if the school is set on a May tradition then a more summer-appropriate option is offered. Sure, parents could probably legally demand to claim them as their purchased property but why on earth would you jump to that when this is supposed to be an exciting school tradition?

If this is something organized through an official school organization with the school logo, they're usually allowed as a special dress code exception, and it was organized with school communications then it's not unreasonable for them to view this as a parent volunteer taking charge of this school activity on their behalf, rather than parents going in on school hoodies independently. If the school sees the handing out of hoodies as a school event (particularly one that probably has some tradition and meaning attached) then it's unreasonable for one parent volunteer to unilaterally decide how it will be done. And from their perspective they may simply be following their normal routine - a parent volunteer is asked to order them, they're delivered whenever that parent gets around to it and held, and the hoodies are handed out in May. Why would they have told you there's a problem in that case?

Our school were pretty good with allowing them to be worn. However, they didn't get them until after Sats and there were occasions they weren't allowed to wear them. My biggest regret was not buying an adult size for my son who had a massive growth spurt and couldn't wear his at all beyond the beginning of the summer holidays. They do come up small IMO so bear that in mind. He was bitterly disappointed and despite now being in year 9, he's kept it for memories 🙈.

My favourite memory of the hoodies was the parent who shouted at me because her son didn't have one. Like it was my fault. I was also just a parent, No she hadn't checked her emails so she didn't know she had to order.

OP, I'd get them off the school now because you want them to have some wear out of them.