Thoughts on school uniform?

[Twiglett]

I think school uniforms are excellent

inclusive, socially leveling and giving a huge sense of belonging so fostering respect

completely agree spidermama

thank god i'm not only one

Phew.

QueenOfQuotes I work in an environment similar to the one you describe and my experience is that the very poor children still stick out. It is heartening that this isn't always so. In the work I do (relating to poverty) school uniforms are a huge issue because of expense.

"enforced dress code symbolises anti-individualism on a larger scale" I'm sorry but I'm PMSL. Wearing a school uniform from the age of 5 - 18 did not squash my individualism and it certainly hasn't made a dent in that of my sons yet.

DSs certainly aren't expensive, they're not made of nylon and believe me, you can't tell from DSs Ladybird shorts, Adams/Tescos polo shirts or Clarks shoes how much their father earns.

!

blows my mind that anyone can be so bothered about uniform either for or against.

I rather like it - cheap, easy to wash, no thinking required. But if they wore their own clothes I probably wouldn't mind that either.

am I weird??

I'm with Twiglett on this one. I do think that they foster a sense of belonging, at DS1's school anyway.

It's now DS2's school too (as of yesterday) and he's gone in uniform even though it's strictly required at his age. I thought they both looked really good yesterday morning as they were setting off for school.

My DS2 has a huge personality and I think it will take more than a bit of navy blue and white to repress it!

Lots of reasons too lengthly to go through here spidermama. It wasn't a decision we took lightly as there were lots of lovely things about the school, but in the end there were too many egos (children and parents) screaming for attention at once! Treating children as individuals is wonderful, allowing them all to believe that they (and they alone) are the most important thing on the planet is (in my view) not. Also, because it was a fairly new school it was very much finding it's feet and although the teachers were absolutely lovely, I personally didn't find the standard of teaching up to scratch. My child is now at my local, fairly big, state school and thriving.

philippat, I think you make a very valid point.

oops I mean "not strictly required at his age"

Enid, if they didn't have it at the DSs school, I wouldn't be campaigning for it, I am pretty happy either way, so you're not weird or at least, not weirder than me.

HATE/ HATE/ HATE uniforms (sorry)

Was brought up in countries where uniforms and "unisex" school was unheard of. All my friends and family from home feel sorry for my children....
Luckely ds school is not to strict , so grey/dark trousers=jeans
dread to think about uniforms at secondary school as considering private scvhool with ties etc
BTW, I'm not a good "observer" wouldn't notice if someone has shaved of beard or started wearing glasses, but ewven I can see the "rich" and the"poor" children in ds's class...

but I am biased as dd1 looks gorgeously chic in her navy mini skirt, white shirt and royal blue sweatshirt with long socks and little shoes.

I think they are too expensive (In NZ you can spend $1000 per year per child, and that's for a state school)

I think high school uniforms discourage exercise (anyone go for a brisk walk or a run in a long pleated wool skirt and a fitting polycotton shirt?)

I actually think that by the end of the day they look scruffy.

but arent they sitting down mostly in their uniform bobbybob? I presume they change for games?

uniform cheap here, much cheaper than dd1 and 2's 'real' clothes anyway

DSs school fosters individuality and self expression through the way that they teach and encourage the children to seek the information themselves, right from KS1 and even to some extent, reception. What they wear makes f-all difference.

"Three eminent alumni - that's great, but what about the other 1797? "

Succesful singers and sportsmen in the states, many "Rhodes Scholars", lots of accountants, one's a brain surgeon in Birmingham, lots of "national team" players (both for Zim, UK and SA) for various sports. Many start their own businesses.

That was just the three that came to the top of my head. Oh - anyone that's been to the Edinburgh Festival in the last couple of years may have seen a Theatre group called "Over the Edge" - a couple of years ago they got a 5* review and wowed the critics, both there and in London - all ex alumini.

Oh and least one has come to the UK and started his own business here, still in it's fledgling stages at the moment, so still has to 'work' a 'proper' job.

Maybe it's a 'culture' thing out there - but at nearly all of the 'decent' schools (government) the pupils were actively encouraged to find their own skills/talents and be individuals.

the idea of my kids learning more individuality and self-expression makes me feel very, very tired indeed

sorry QoQ, I can understand why you're being defensive about your school, but it's making me pmsl . i just can't help thinking... 'I wonder if wearing a school uniform is the reason Hicky is usually a big girl under pressure'... [gran]

oops pmsl

enid, yes, you're weird

btw, enid, I saw some Enid Snails at London Zoo the other night

LOL Philp - what your saying about your gran

Back to point in question - maybe it's a 'culture' thing as I said

aah!

were they nice?

I wish I'd never got involved with this one! The point I am trying to make is that our system (in the UK, I don't know about elsewhere) is, in my opinion, set up to produce a few winners and many losers. A rigid national curriculum allows for little individual personal development, and, I believe, leads many children to feel like failures because they happen not to fit in with what some government body has decreed 'should' be achieved at each stage. Uniform in itself is not an evil.

natch

(it was at a Giles Andreae book launch in the bug house, both dd's were thundering round screaming at bugs/snails with painted faces in manner of lord of flies..scary)

havent got time to read all this thread as I have to pick up dd from brownies in a moment.

A couple of points.

Fully agree that no uniform does not equal bright little individuals....it equals kids 'tribes' who don't get on, why labour the point.

Without a uniform kids do get bullied about their clothes uniform doesn't get rid if this 100% but it helps a lot

Re 'you are just a number....sorry, insulting to the staff. I teach kids in uniform and trust me they are individuals. Don't insult the care I give them.

When we tighten up on unifor the behaviour improves. Sorry, but I have seen this over and over and over again.

It also stops some of the girls dressing like 'working gals'. Do you think it helps people to concentrate if you have a 16 year old wearning next to nothing? No, me neither. And you can't say 'office dress' as you will spend hours arguing the toss with them.

And a funny to end, one time we had tightened up the dress regs a very nice young girl told me that she couldn't concentrate when she ewas in uniform. So I said, 'I must tell that to my husband when he is flying a £100 million aircraft'. Even she had to laugh! Oh and BTW dh wears a uniform and that doesn't make him a mindless, baby eating moron either, and I resent the implication that because he wears a uniform that he must be.

No offence intended to teachers. I'm not criticising teachers, most of whom do a magnificent job under difficult circumstances. It is the underlying ethos behind our education system that I object to.