school uniform - any evidence of benefits?

[dreamylady]

DD's primary school doesn't have a uniform and hasn't had for many years. The head and staff are keen to introduce a uniform, parents and children are divided.

I'm a governor and as well as personally thinking the lack of a uniform reflects the uniquely (in our area) liberal, diverse, multicultural nature of the school, I'm concerned that if we go ahead with a uniform it will become a huge distraction and create extra work at a time when we have lots of other things to think about.

Does anyone know of evidence either way that school uniform at primary age does or doesn't have an impact on behaviour, attendance, attainment, reputation, OFSTED ratings, or anything else?

thanks,

dreamy

I prefer uniform; it is so much easier. Ds went to a prep where no matter what your income was, most people bought second hand from the school shop, and only new when something had fallen to bits.

He is now at an international school where they don't have uniform and even with the boys you can tell who has the cash and who doesn't by the number of Abercrombie and Fitch t shirts. Luckily ds would rather spend my money on video games and books, so is happy with No Fear shirts bought from a local sports store that are cheap and cheerful.

Swallowed, that's an interesting point the governor made - although i would approach it the other way and say uniform was a way of avoiding the issue - if a primary aged child is coming to school inappropriately dressed, then i think it is a welfare issue and should be approached that way. Staff risk neglecting their duties by burying it under a 'school uniform rules' mantle.
In a school with a proportion of children from deprived or otherwise difficult homes, maybe non uniform enables staff to pick up subtle clues about children's welfare they might otherwise miss.

"I think it's an alarm bell if the school has a uniform but doesn't enforce it properly."

YES. Totally agree.

I like uniforms. Provides a sense of belonging IMO, and while I agree you can still tell rich from poor, it's so much blurrier than own clothes.

I don't like compulsory uniform at preschool though, it just seems too young to me. My DD's one has a t-shirt and jumper but it's entirely optional.

My DSDs went to a primary that was far too lax about uniform. Very scruffy, it gave a really bad impression TBH.

The overriding reasons for uniform given usually seem to be pupil behaviour, peer issues, and convenience. The pupil behaviour argument doesn't seem to have any clear evidence to back it up, especially in primary, so we're left with the other two.

Peer issues are important and I don't know much about playground dynamics but these are things children learn from general culture. Even with a uniform, your bag, your shoes, your hair, your glasses, your coat - all these can be targets for teasing, which may develop into bullying. And surely that's a symptom of something much deeper, which is to do with respecting difference and judging people by who they are not what stuff they have. From what I know these things don't seem to be much of an issue at our school. Perhaps children at a non-uniform school learn to look beyond clothing because it isn't given the same 'totemic' importance? or perhaps its just the majority of parents at our school aren't so interested in designer labels and conspicuous consumption, so the kids grow up with the same ethos. Or maybe the culture of the school / background of the kids minimises the bullying problem.

I see school as a safe environment to learn about how to get on with other people. Can learning that everyone is different, has different likes and cultural values, and yet deep down are still the same, not be part of that experience? I'm not sure you can teach that by taking it away.

If uniform makes no positive difference then the convenience argument for parents seems a bit - dare I say it - lazy. But then I'm a mum of only one so maybe its easy for me to be judgy . Although the thought of having to always have uniform clean and ready (what's ironing?) fills me with horror.

Swallowed - re the boy without a jumper, social services wouldn't be necessary - just a chat with relevant parent might have sufficed. Many schools have a specific post (parent support advisor) who's job is to deal with these sorts of things in an unthreatening way.
There's always lost property if the child needed a jumper there and then.
I think hiding behind school uniform is a bit head in the sand.

I do wonder what would happen to my DSDs in a non-uniform school - one is very trendy and always looks good (all from Primark/Asda etc) - the other is really scruffy and badly dressed, I think she's so unconfident :( she usually wears hand me downs from her mum and nan.

well - was chatting about uniform with the school secretary at the infants today (snd she was saying it's not compulsory blah blah blah, and no they didn't care that DS2 would be wearing trainers until I replace his trashed school shoes).

Anyhow - she said (this made me ) and actually isn't really relevant - she finds it easier to find children in the playground when they're all in school uniform as she concentrates on the face, whereas on mufti days she finds herself trying to remember what they were wearing

(personally I like school uniform as it makes everyone "the same" with their clothes, but that's partly down to personal experience where my parents my choice of clothes in primary school was a trigger for bullying)

I like uniform in our primary. Local supermarkets/BHS stock colours. Also 2nd hand uniform sales in playground - I'm a fan of those as my DS gets black pen all over sweat shirt so not buying new! I do feel it helps instil a school identity and pride and the kids look great. Also much easier in the mornings...

BaroqueAroundTheClock Wed 16-Feb-11 09:39:54
Anyhow - she said (this made me ) and actually isn't really relevant - she finds it easier to find children in the playground when they're all in school uniform as she concentrates on the face, whereas on mufti days she finds herself trying to remember what they were wearing

I think it is relevant, Baroque, as I feel that the uniform does tend to make you focus more on the children's faces, body language etc. I'd be interested to hear teachers opinions on this.

If your school does decide to go for uniform OP, use your governor power to make sure it is available from Asda etc., not some fancy overpriced logo stuff. Also develop a culture of second-hand uniform sales in the school, and/or passing old stuff back to the school to be discreetly given to needy children.

For me, the main disadvantage of uniform is that it gets stolen lost even when it is labelled. The amount of scruffy unlabelld stuff in the lost property amazes me, whereas DS' (nice, clean, leabelled) kit never turns up. I'd like a policy that all unlabelled uniform in the lost property is confiscated, washed and sold second-hand.

I wonder why your school has bothered setting this to vote, as it is a devisive issue. Who/what is driving it? I think in general uniforms are better than not - mainly because it takes away the focus and angst about clothes and all the class/wealth/"dressing like a whore" issues that brings with - but I don't know YOUR school. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Maybe it is broken, though, and you don't realise it?

I can see what students gain - even if it's but a small one - from having a uniform, but I really can't see what they gain from NOT having one. The benefits seem more intangible still. I think not having uniforms marks out a school as a bit 'bohemian' in a pleasantly liberal and probably kinda middle class way. I'm not saying that's a bad thing! But is that really the fundamental reason non-uniform schools want to stay that way?

In my own area, all schools have some kind of uniform. However, at least at secondary level, the presence of a very formal school uniform (ties, blazer) is a good indication that this is a school that needs to worry about such matters as attendance and discipline; the more confident schools can afford to be more relaxed.

Dreamylady: back to the link I posted: I agree about its shortcomings. But it was on the DCSF website, and I hope that the reponsible department of state would only publish worthwhile information with a sufficient background (even if not all the available data was contained in that one document).

cory my own experience is exactly the opposite, have worked in an appalling state comp where bullying and intimidation were rife, uniform badly enforced so the "bad" guys would go to lessons totally in mufti, non- uniform days the kids without lables had a really hard time, although peversely they were often from the less poor homes(all things being relative there).
now teach in lovely comp, really, really strict on uniform - we are encouraged to call kids in on it - behaviour is so much better, kids are nicer to each other, far less bullying etc
Ok so a sample size of 2 really tells you nothing, but my gut feeling backs up that a strict interpretation of uniform is a good idea

We have had one of our termly non-uniform days today and, as usual, it has been awful - there is always marked deterioration in behaviour and attitude towards work as well as a number of bullying issues/pupils very about upset about comments on what they are wearing. I love uniform if only because it avoids the pupils in my form from poorer families being picked on or made to feel inferior because they aren't wearing the latest fashions.

Meant to say I am secondary but lots of pupils coming to us in Y7 having never worn uniform struggle with the idea and this causes a lot of additional stress at what is already a stressful time for many of them. Wearing a uniform in primary prepares them for secondary and the expectations of dress codes later on.

My DD is at a school with a very strict uniform policy and I have had au pairs from France in the past. All my APs have been 18 to 21 in age so young enough to remember school.

All of them remarked how nice it was to have a uniform and what a nightmare it was to dress for school each day in non-uniform schools particular at the 15,16 and 17 ages.
These girls ranged from one who barely cared she had clothes on to another who thanks to her now excellent english shops in Chanel and Dior. They all felt that in french schools pupils spent too much time worrying about how each other looked.

I attended a primary school that had no uniform. It did create a lovely, liberal atmosphere. But that was in the days before sweatshirts - the other uniform options were ties.

Actually, when left to choose we were all very conservative and generally always wore the same clothes day after day. I always wore a pink and grey ra-ra skirt number!

If I were you I'd stick to the no uniform system - be a bit different!

I went to primary school in canada with no uniform. It was fine. There was always one girl in a frilly dress and patent shoes but most of us just wore normal clothes (and lots of them in the winter!).

It was more obvious who the poorer children were, that is true.

I also know that teachers find it much easier to keep tabs on kids when they are out of the school (eg on school trips) if they are all in uniform. Easier to look for the red sweatshirts in a busy museum etc.

It is easier to get kids dressed in the morning if there is a uniform - no arguments.

I still think that if I was in a non-uniform school I wouldn't be voting for uniform. It's the.... uniformity of it that depresses me!

I am Italian and there was never a uniform at our school, at any age.

The pressure of wearing trendy clothes (not necessarily expensive clothes, just trendy ones) was there all the way from about 9-10 years old onwards, and I remember it well.

HOWEVER - standards of my education, both academic and in terms of behaviour were extremely high. So in my own personal experience there was not a link between the two.

I think the UK has a bit of an obsession with uniforms!!! Although I can see that from my own selfish point of view as a parent, it makes life much much easier and certainly cheaper!

PS I agree with freshmint about uniformity of it - it is a little depressing if you are not used to it, ie it's not in your culture!