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?

Fortunately the head at my daughter's school is fairly relaxed about uniform, they got rid of the blazer last year and replaced it with a jumper. In this hot weather they don't have to wear the jumper and the boys can wear shorts if they want to. Ties will go too if it gets much hotter. How can you sit and learn if you feel uncomfortable, it's mad to insist that kids wear a blazer all day in this weather.

My daughter was recently suspended for 5 days because she refused to put her blazer back on, it’s absolutely ridiculous. I received a text this morning from school saying they expect pupils in FULL uniform today.

Mine are in PE kit during the hot weather so shorts and tshirt.

Usually it's blazers and ties but the kids have always been allowed to remove their blazers in class if they are hot.

I personally wish that the uniform was more casual. I don't feel ties are necessary at school in the modern world. Children learn better if they are comfortable. I'm pleased though that our school does generally show some common sense and flexibility. I would not be happy with some of the school rules written on here and would doubt the overall quality of a school that was so fixated on uniform.

The school that consistently tops the charts (St Paul’s Girls) doesn’t have uniform.

If anything a strict uniform policy seems more like a red flag for window dressing for a school with serious problems that aren't actually being fixed.

A lot of the kids at my DC school (DC included) arranged a rebellion and all coordinated not wearing jumpers/blazers etc at the same time last time it was boiling hot.

Policy was quickly changed when the teachers obviously CBA with managing detentions for about 60 angry kids 😬

Our school has done away with the blazer since May half term, they can wear a jumper if they want to.

Wearing a blazer in this heat is ridiculous!

Agree.

It would show really poor leadership and judgement

We had a message last night that PE kit could be worn throughout the hot spell. Such a sensible decision. There’s been no blazers all week anyway but my poor son has been melting in trousers…only a handful of classrooms are air conditioned and there is so much glass. If teachers can’t show common sense and adaptability as well as kindness, I’m not at all sure they should be teachers at all! I’m the biggest rule follower in the world but the rules need to be sensible.

Any school which slavishly sticks to inappropriate uniform policy in very hot weather should expect to feel parental wrath. I simply wouldn’t accept it, nor should you. My kids’ school has had summer uniform for weeks - shorts/skorts and normal polo tops with trainers. No tight shorts. Eminently sensible decision. Rooms are very hot still even on the cooler days.

I would not accept the rule of wearing a blazer/jumper in this heat. Absent air con, I wouldn’t let them take/wear those items into school while it’s hot and I’d send a suitably worded health and safety email to the highest level, cc tutor and all that day’s teachers. If there were any repercussions for my child, I would complain to governors/trust/council and insist on policy change.

im a strong advocate of uniform but that’s just daft. And potentially dangerous to health.

Ours have agreed pe kits

Shirt Sleeve Order has been declared by our son’s headmaster since the beginning of this week. When Shirt Sleeve Order is declared they need to wear blazers in and out of school but can take them off the minute they are in the school gates, they can unbutton top button and take off their ties. Thankfully private schools seem to be a bit more sensible in the hot weather. Children can’t learn if they are over heating.

And what have you done/are you doing about this?

Once more.. ‘teachers’ have no say in making the rules about iniform

This is still hilariously Dickensian (both in its title and its content) and just a show - they are trying to police the very time they aren’t entitled to - when the kids aren’t actually in school! Schools cannot stipulate what is worn outside the school gates. More fool the parent who complies.

Ours have just emailed to say no need for blazers tomorrow but must be back on on Monday. Some of those classrooms must absolutely stink

Maybe suggest teachers should remain in suits in the heat and see how that goes down?

Tbh it would really colour my view of the school if they were this rigid about something that could very easily be adapted, it would massively put me off because it seems like it’s harsh for no other reason than to exert control where it simply wasn’t necessary.

School children can’t possibly learn if they’re nearly passing out in a blazer, they aren’t “in public” and therefore it’s not like they’re projecting an image of not being a formal/ smart school to the public, so what is the need to make them this uncomfortable? Simply to be difficult? Not particularly caring is it.

DT’s went to a UK based non uniform school from ages 4-18. High performing school with students going to the top Uni’s around the world. Both DT’s got all A’s. Their cousins in the US, Canada, France and Belgium - also non uniform schools (as is the norm in these countries). All got great grades on graduation. Comfortable clothes during the school day assists with good learning and behaviour - it’s a positive not a negative.

Wearing jeans and a hoodie or shorts and a T-shirt is much more comfortable than blazer and tie!

Of course rhey should. Apart from rhe the physical danger of overheating and rhe fact that being hot ajd uncomfortable doesn't really help with thinking and learning I think kids should also learn their physical well being is important and certainly much more important than wearing a particular piece of clothing. I want kids to learn that clothes are for utility purposes and if they make you too hot then they are not serving their purpose.

Totally ridiculous where someone else determines whether you can undo a top button. Let children decide for themselves if they are too hot or not. No wonder children are leaving school unable to think for themselves

Teachers, headteachers, governors…people in charge of young people shouldn’t be in charge of them then. You take my point.

Really? Then why are there so many countries where there is no uniform and yet they have schools which get similarly excellent results. What is so different about young people in the UK that they need to be squeezed into outdated caricatures of office dress to achieve?

Respect is about behaviour. The obsession with style over substance in this country is ridiculous.

Definitely. But I think the whole idea of a strict uniform policy is ridiculous anyway
It is nothing to do with education.

Wearing blazers at all is still mad. DD is at a private school, she wandered off in a skirt and shirt sleeved blouse this morning. No blazer or jumper either in school or out.

Just had SLT come around to every classroom and announce that we don't need to have ties on now, all students and staff.