To think that switching to polo shirts makes the school uniform look low-rent?

[Byetoshirts]

My kids' primary has announced a change from shirts to polo shirts (previously just KS1) for all years except year 6.

I just think it looks a bit rubbish - all the other (in the main more affluent) local primaries have kids that look smart, and ours now get to look like they've just rolled out of bed. My DC are annoyed as they enjoy looking smart at school.

I associate polos in school uniform with young children and others who struggle with buttons and spilling stuff on themselves.

They also wash and wear badly (as stains kind embed themselves in polos) and the collar doesn't sit properly when open so a lot of (KS1) kids wear them tightly buttoned up to the neck, which doesn't exactly seem comfortable.

"I associate polos in school uniform with young children and others who struggle with buttons and spilling stuff on themselves."

If you don't know that there is probably a good section of year R,1 and 2 (not to mention nursery if there is one) who fall into this category, you either don't realise you have extremely well coordinated kids, or have older primary children and have blocked this stage out completely!

I mean you don't want kids to feel comfortable at school. My DDs are a lot older than DS and are still jealous that he gets to wear a polo shirt while they had to wear proper shirts.
Don't understand why secondary school insist on stuffy uniform either, most jobs don't insist you wear a shirt, tie and blazer.

Both DS (yr 3) and DD (reception class) wear shirts and ties at their school. I love their uniform and do think it looks far smarter than polos and isn't any less practical at all. On PE days they go to school in PE kit with school logo hoody.

I remember how delighted everyone was when my highschool switched from just V neck jumper with shirt and tie, to round neck and polo being an option too.
EVERYONE picked round and polo, it was just so much more comfortable (rules about shirts had to be tucked, and ties worn a certain length) plus made the change after PE so much faster when we were only allowed 2 minutes before the bell for next lesson. The polo needing a logo was still cheaper than the specific branded tie and cost of shirts.

As someone on the ASD spectrum with a lot of sensory issues whom was not diagnosed during school years, I can't stand tight or restricting feeling things round my neck, can't stand tucked shirts etc, so both being an option if not just the polo, was relieving when they made the switch. With higher and higher numbers of ASD/ADHD i suspect it will become a bigger issue at some point.

And expensive

My secondary wears polos.

One of the reasons is so expensive uniform isn't a barrier to attendance.

This thread does rather illustrate that it might be!

Christ you'd have a fit that my kids school wear hoodies and tracksuit bottoms as the uniform! Spoiler alert, the school is #2 in the county for exam results despite the kids "looking untidy"

I do agree with not all polos being equal. Really annoying when the school one is twice the price of generic for half the quality and you have to pay for the school one as it is embroidered with the school badge.
Some types of dyes can also fade faster and in some cases even rot the clothes.
Like the idea you have in UK where you can sew a badge onto a shirt.

Both our local primary (and all the others around) and our local secondary were polos & jumpers when my early-20s dc were there.

So much more practical all the way through.

The 6th form college (academic selective) they went to had no uniform requirements, neither did the other 6th form nor the regional college in the same city.

Both my boys now wear shirts and smart trousers (one mainly chinos, the other suit type trousers) in their office jobs - but then they aren't now playing football, climbing trees, exploring the outside, sitting on the floor during assembly, doing science labs, practical subjects or drama etc on a daily basis either.

The polos at both schools were very good quality. I started off with 1 branded and a pack of supermarket one. The supermarket ones didn't last. I then brought 2nd hand through the PTA stalls, these went through both boys and were then given back to be resold and were still in decent condition.
The jumpers were the same.
All more expensive than supermarket stuff new, but more economical over time (and I am definitely a thrifty shopper).

I would probably be a little unhappy at tracksuit bottoms, no one in my household would wear them as feel they look a bit scruffy. Still better than actual shirts and ties and, like you say, it doesn't seem to have much impact on achievement either way.

I know my DC have had a great fun filled day at primary school when they come home with muddy school uniform which includes the polo shirts and trousers/joggers. Let them have fun!🤪

Completely disagree. Only 4 out of 31 countries in the EU/EEA have mandatory school uniform. My (SEND) child who is very resilient but has sensory needs would be EBSA if she’d had to wear a shirt, also has fine motor DCD so buttons a real issue.
It’s a battle as it is without the added worry of this, plus as a sporty child she needs to be in and out of clothes a lot.
She’s by far not the only one. And already worrying about secondary uniform. As ever, people only seem to be able to understand things from their own narrow and privileged lens. They are at school for many reasons but how they look should be the last priority. Particularly as she is unlikely to go into a profession (like many) where uniform is required.

It is really important that children are comfortable enough to not be distracted by what they're wearing. They should not have to wear formal shirts, that's totally unnecessary.

Unless they're aspiring to be estate agents, they will not need to dress like that as adults.

I'm really pleased that the secondary school here is polo shirts and sweatshirts, they are very strict about the uniform, but is a sensible one. I hate to see formal shirts, v-necks and blazers.

For what reason do they need to “look smart” while attending school?

As long as they’re washed and ironed they’re fine. Ralph Lauren makes polos too so not sure I’d call them low rent!

I think blazers are a bit silly especially for small children. I’m on two sides of this at the moment

1. child 1- state primary in polos and pretty flexible uniform. She’s comfy and it works well. I’d hate for her to be in a shirt and tie.

2. child 1 - prep school. The uniform is extortionate but very good quality. She’s got second hand bits that have gone through multiple kids that look perfect. She doesn’t have a tie but does have a blazer and I personally think the smaller children look a bit over fussy in it. The nursery kids are in joggers and a polo and I think they should change the pre-prep to the same uniform as they seem to be in their or kit a lot anyway.

The prep school pe kit is much more practical than the primary school one. Probably prohibitively expensive for a primary but i think a lot of school kids would be far more comfortable if their actual uniform was as a prep school pe kit style tracksuit. It still looks pretty smart, it’s easier for changing etc.

Shirts and ties are ridiculous on children. Blazers too. If there has to be a uniform, then make it comfortable and practical.

Our school wears shirt and tie in winter, and polo's in summer. My dc much prefer the polo's, they find them more comfortable.

I don't fund the shirt and tue combo especially smart, the ties are on elastic and are always wonky.

It can feel more expensive to have 2 uniforms as well as things need replacing at once twice a year often, rather than organically throughout the year.

I find this really funny. I'd actively choose a school that had comfortable/practical uniforms. The schools round here all have shirts and ties but one. I would've chosen that one if it hadn't have been for the fact that the school itself seemed like a bad choice (and by that I mean the quality of education and staff, not the aesthetic of the buildings). There is another local primary that goes a step further and has blazers too... It's completely a wannabe private school. It's aggressive marketing says the same. This is the school that spent thousands of PTFA money on an outbuilding to hold all their secondhand uniform (that nobody buys because who would wear secondhand uniform when you've got something to prove? Presumably that's why they have so much of it that it needs it's own building!). They however can't /won't provide meaningful SEN support (maybe because it doesn't fit with the image they want to project?). I'm aware that the funding for this would come out of a different pot... but funding the construction of a building that barely gets used when other areas are so lacking doesn't sit well with me. Considering it was presumably the PTFA that chose how their money was spent, it shows what the parents value most - I imagine there'd be utter chaos if they tried to change the uniform there! I'm truly baffled by the state of education today.

I’m not loving that so many people have accused the OP of “snobbery”. She prefers a shirt and tie to a polo shirt, she hasn’t kicked a load of kittens.

I see what the OP means, even if I don’t entirely agree. When my children were in pre prep / prep, I remember saying that I wished they could just wear their games kit all the time because it was smarter and more comfortable than the normal uniform. I’m conscious that it was also far more expensive (everything was logoed for games), to the point that we would all keep an eye out for various things at the second hand uniform sales.

At my daughter’s senior school, the girls can wear games kit if they are doing something active, even if it isn’t a PE / games lesson day. The result is that nearly all of them wear games kit every day. No one gives a monkeys.

Move schools then! The majority of the schools where live primary, secondary and prep all have polo shirts and look incredibly smart! Now the expensive independent school, one of the top in the country, the majority look a mess, shirts hanging out tie not properly tied and top button undone bearing in mind it’s around £20,500 per term!

I’d have them in polos throughout myself. Much more practical.

Yabu I think. I have two dc in primary school, y6 and y3. The uniform expectations at their school are very sensible. I just buy polo shirts, sweatshirts, trousers, black trainers. I am not looking forward to the stricter requirements of secondary school. Uncomfortable button shirts, stuffy blazers that they have to ask permission to take off most of the year. Bonkers.

I don’t wear starchy blouses and tight uncomfortable clothing to work as an adult so why we expect children to is beyond me.

I’m not loving that so many people have accused the OP of “snobbery”. She prefers a shirt and tie to a polo shirt, she hasn’t kicked a load of kittens.

I think what people are reacting to is the phrase 'low rent' (i.e. not prestigious, looks like you're poor) and the comment about schools in the affluent areas not having them. And her later comments about how she wouldn't mind polos if in her area prep schools and other aspirational schools used them. Whether or not that's how OP means it, it comes across that her worry is about social class and how high status the kids appear to people who see them in their uniform. And that this matters for small children more than practicality, comfort, and the ability to run and climb at breaktime.

And kicking a load of kittens may make you a psychopath but it doesn't make you a snob!