AIBU to question strict primary school uniform rules for children?

[aliumbear]

There are strict rules around what children can wear - in primary school. In fact it is strict in general, Most children wear black shoes and grey sort of uniforms which seem a bit depressing to me for children. They also don't seem comfortable. I must admit I don't really understand why it has to be like that? They could wear a logo but otherwise wear what they want within reason. It is much less strict for the staff who can wear colourful clothes and seemingly whichever shoes.

I wouldn't worry about it, at least there will be no competitive dressing. I had strict uniform from the age of four, so did my son.

Most primaries aren’t strict.

grey trousers/skirt plus polo and sweatshirt.

Don’t see anything wrong with it.

secondaries on the other hand…

Ours can wear black jogging bottoms or shorts, they encourage trainers (don’t have to be a certain colour), polo shirt, and school jumper. All very comfortable and easy to play in.

What you have posted doesn’t sound strict, it sounds like a school uniform!

I had to wear a pinafore dress, shirt, tie, blazer, and boater! That was probably very uncomfortable and not conducive to playing in, but I don’t really remember. Much prefer the jogging bottoms and polo shirts they have now.

Our primary has a uniform and they are quite strict but it’s good practice for secondary.

we all wore uniforms - it’s stops brand competitiveness and issues like that and makes everyone equal.

DT’s went to a school from ages 4-18 with no school uniform. No time wasted by teachers policing whether their uniform was compliant, no one was interested in what they were wearing - jeans and a hoodie or shorts and T-shirt. Saved me a fortune.

It is not very childlike and colourful perhaps but it does serve a purpose....

Uniform is a way to bridge the gap between children with different income levels. Dark colour because it is a way to make them wearable for longer so people can use them a bit longer in the week ... In case someone can't have multiple uniforms and so on...

This keep the cost down for parents and schools provide uniforms for children and also run second hand uniforms to give parents who have low income. Also it is something that can be passed down from siblings too ....

I hope people don't change this rule 🙏🏻there are so many families struggling ...

I think school uniform is a god send - easy on in the morning and super cheap from any local supermarket. If you don’t like it pay for a (very rare) private school that doesn’t have it or home school. In the overall scheme of things it is the absolute least of worries at school.

I think it sets the tone for children to learn to dress smart as adults. My boys have been in proper shirts and shorts with an ironed crease in from age 2. The girls from age 2 are in blouses, pinafore and long white socks which they stay in until 14.

I hate seeing scruffy children going to school. How you present yourself as an adult affects how you are perceived. Children need to learn this.

Going round in tracksuit bottoms is very different to a pressed shirt.

My kids’ primary school just asked for grey trousers or skirts, white polo shirts and royal blue jumpers. Cheap and comfy but with all the kids looking smart and united. Perfect compromise.

DD went to a primary with no uniform. We live in a very mixed income area (council estate next to million pound plus houses). It worked really well, no comparison of clothes and they basically all wore the same stuff - t shirt and leggings for girls and tracksuit bottoms for boys. Kids didn’t seem to notice which shop their leggings came from.

More school bashing.

If you don’t like the uniform, don’t send your kid there. School uniforms have been around for a long time. Hundreds of thousands of kids (and parents) over the years have just got on with it. When I was in reception, you had to wear a shirt and tie, not a polo. Girls couldn’t even wear trousers in those days. No black trainers either, you had to have proper shoes.

And teachers are grown ups who have been through school themselves. Why do you think they should be made to wear what the children wear? Yet more hatred towards teachers I see.

If people think the education system is so dreadful and schools are so awful, then either home educate your kids, or perhaps don’t have them at all. No-one forced you to have children to send to all these awful schools with dreadful teachers!

Sorry to go off on a bit of a rant there but this forum is just a constant barrage of people slagging off schools, the education system and teachers.

Amazingly after spending all their school days with no uniform and usually dressing in jeans and a hoodie, DT’s have successfully managed to navigate graduate jobs without any difficulty. Same as their cousins in France, Belgium and the US. They don’t need to look like mini Jacob Rees Mogs to do well at school. Much better to be comfortable for the school day.

@aliumbear Your post seems pretty general, rather than my specific to one school. Are you planning to take on the whole establishment?

if you don’t like the school uniform
policy of one school, then choose another. I think it’s alot easier, and they’re not that expensive (unless the school insists on logo-d everything).

I'm more than happy with school uniform. I've worked in schools that didn't have uniform and it eventually caused lots of issues. Either children dressed very scruffily, or little girls tweaked into frilly dresses. And later, social group distinctions in dress as well as the need to enforce reasonable standards which are then manipulated ridiculously (boys with muscle tops showing nipples and girls in scrunch bum leggings).

DC's school allows polo tops (which are just t-shirts really) and sweatshirts with logo. Easily picked up 2nd hand. And if you shop carefully, it's possible to find stretchy trousers which look smart but are as comfy as jogging bottoms.

IMO parents that kick off about uniform are those parents who will insist their little darling has done no wrong despite multiple witness to the contrary.

And yes, as others have said. Check out the school uniform policy before sending them there. Or home school.

Primary I wore shirt, tie, cardigan and skirt with school shoes from aged 4. Ds had shirt, tie, v neck jumper and trousers for winter, and polo shirt (logo), v neck jumper (logo) and shorts for summer. Then shirt, tie, trousers and blazer for secondary. School uniform around here is the norm. Much prefer it to non uniform!

It's easier to spot them all on school trips!😄

Uniform at Primary is cheap and durable.

Mine is strict and I'm not that happy with it.

Our primary school doesn’t have uniforms and I am so happy and thr kids are also happy. I get them second hand joggers and hoodies and they can destroy them all they want in the playground.

I've never seen school uniform as a problem. It helps set boundaries.

When I started primary I had to wear shirt tie and blazer. Aged 4.
I much prefer the current polo shirt and jumper option.

“…and they’re not that expensive (unless the school insists on logo-d everything”

Which they won’t be allowed to do in England as of 1 September.