Do you think schools should relax uniforms policies re hot weather

[Cozc]

Going to be 26-31c for the rest of the month. My friend’s DD’s academy has told pupils and parents that they are not allowed to remove blazers in lessons (bar PE).

This is ridiculous. Bet the female teachers are wearing light floaty dresses, skirts and short sleeve tops. Male teachers - short sleeve shirts and a lighter coloured trousers.

Why do schools expect the pupils to wear a blazer?

Yes it’s utterly ridiculous. Not all schools are being dicks though. My ds’s school have told the pupils they can wear PE kit during the hot weather.

My sons school is letting them wear PE kit tomorrow.

I would love to know why schools insist on blazers. Why does the shirt underneath not count as uniform? Making teenagers abide by nonsensical, potentially damaging rules is a fast track to resentment and disorder, IMO.

When I was in secondary school we wore polo shirts with the school crest, and a school jumper. You could take the jumper off whenever you wanted. No big deal.

Most schools do have adjustments. It's really strange that some schools still insist on sticking to these rules. They wouldn't be able to enforce it with staff, as they would rightly leave. Maybe consider if there are other options in the local area for your child as it shows they don't really have the child's best interests at heart when designing their policies.

We could take blazers off in lessons, we would have melted in those greenhouse type classrooms.
Had to wear them walking round school and walking home though! Teachers used to drive around and check! Pathetic

I think it harks back to getting them used to wearing uniforms for work and representing the school but these things aren’t important anymore. Comfort while still being smart is fine. Surely an overheated teen isn’t going to learn well

when i was at school we had summer dresses (i went to an all girls secondary, in juniors the boys wore shorts and polo shirts)

when i was in the army we were given "shirt sleeve order" and that was it (still had to wear boots & socks though, those in offices who wore barrack dress often wore Tropical Dress though)

why are so many unform rules in UK schools so utterly batshit?

I feel very, very strongly about this. I saw on another thread a poster saying their school wouldn't allow children to remove their blazers, and I almost couldn't believe what I was reading. I didn't know this happened. The schools here have no such policy. I am appalled to read about it actually. It's due to be 30 degrees in some areas over the next few days, and children are forced to wear jumpers and blazers? This can be dangerous at worst, deeply uncomfortable at best. What gives schools the right to dictate rules that affect children's human rights and bodily autonomy? It's disgraceful. I am not the type to challenge much at school; I usually try to support the school as much as I can. But I would kick up a huge fuss about this.

I don't believe this is the full story. The default position at the DC's school is blazer and jumper on at all times (jumper is optional in summer term).

The head can and does give permission for blazers to be removed in lessons in exceptionally warm weather.

No school is going to require blazers to be kept on in lessons if it is genuinely exceptionally hot- not just a bit warm.

Have not read the whole thread. OP and other parents in the same situation, have you emailed the head of the school and the academy chain / MAT and / or LEA to ask whether the children may wear PE kit or à lighter version of uniform?
Probably most of the school staff (teachers, maintenance) think it’s silly too and are fed up with kids complaining but they don’t make these decisions and have no power to change them; this is part of why teaching is becoming such a thankless task and so many in the profession are resigning.

DC’s secondary has summer polo shirt / winter shirt and tie. No blazers when it is hot. Jumpers, as an extra layer, are optional year round.

Agree with you, it’s ridiculous.

School PE kit on hot days is the obvious answer.

YANBU - Luckily my DS's school has taken a sensible approach and they don't have to wear blazers now until the end of term. They can also wear shorts and take their ties off in lessons.

Frankly I don't agree with allowing PE kit in lessons. Few workplaces will allow staff to saunter in in shorts and polo shirt.

I also suspect standards of behaviour will plummet.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to have shirt, tie and blazer as default, and the head can then authorise blazer removal in lessons if exceptionally warm.

That’s insane. If someone is too hot they have the right to take off a layer! Whatever the weather/season. Don’t they end up with lots of sick kids?

i don’t see the difference with PE kit though. Shirt and shorts/skirt would be just as cool

I think school uniforms should be designed so they're as comfortable and practical as PE kits! Our local school's uniform is just polo shirt and trousers/shorts/skirt (pupil's choice, regardless of gender), plus optional jumper.

Really? I've never worked anywhere that shorts and a polo shirt wouldn't be acceptable, other than if you have a client-facing meeting scheduled. I suppose it depends on the norms in your industry sector.

For a while I worked in German schools, which have Health and Safety at Work policies on room temperatures (and suitable interventions for these when heat exceeds 26 degrees, then 30 degrees, which need to be things like breaks in cooler rooms, suitable dress for the heat, flexible working, shades and air con, and so on). Above a certain temperature, students were allowed to go home - although, with the interventions that were ready, because of thinking summer classroom cooling through where hot weeks happen every year, this was rare.
Days of 30 degrees or more have rocketed in the past 20 years. Unworkable clothing is surely ridiculous and counterproductive.

first thing monday morning my Kids school sent out a text/fb post telling everyone that due to the weather the whole week would be no blazers or ties.

I don't understand the schools that don't do that.

Also, sometimes when the schools start their new academic year, the weather can be in the late 20s in the first two weeks of September. They insist of not allowing pupils to wear 'summer' uniform as its the winter term.

School uniform as a kid was rubbish. Hot in the summer, freezing in the winter,

Completely agree, OP. Poor kids sweltering in the heat.

Just checked our local high school’s policy out of interest and thankfully it seems very sensible:

The change to summer uniform expectations will be clearly communicated to students and parents at the necessary time.

• Summer uniform means that students are not expected to wear their blazers in school and they do not have to bring their blazers into School if they do not wish to. (School jumpers are always optional).
• Students who are wearing skirts will not be expected to wear tights as they are at other times of the year. Skirts must be knee-length.
• If students still wish to wear blazers or tights during this time, they are free to do so. Students will still be expected to wear the rest of their uniform as normal.
• Black/White socks (no logos) should be worn with shorts or skirts.
• To note tailored shorts are within the uniform policy all year round.

Could your friend contact the Head and Governors to suggest something similar?

I've been working in offices since 2003 and have never worked anywhere that insisted on a tie and blazer, except for client meetings (and even then it was an unspoken rule, not policy).

Perhaps a few very stuffy companies in the City still have these rules, but most people don't work there...

I think many workplaces have sensible dress codes and shirt, tie, and blazer is not the standard in many workplaces so why should it be in schools?

A child wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather conditions is actually something SS look for when they do assessments. It’s wrong and it can be abuse/neglect . Schools should not be doing this.

Ours too. Anything else is ridiculous and harmful. I’d keep my kids off and write to the governors to explain why. The HT needs to get a grip.