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Original poster

Would you think twice

70 replies

lionhearted · 23/01/2006 12:25

Thinking of sending ds1 to a private school, a very good school which I like a lot except that the boys uniform even in the Winter consists of shorts (cord ones). Playground is quite open and though they do look smart they also look like they freeze. Would something as superficial or minor as this make you think twice about the school? Would you wonder whether it represents a slight affectation on the part of the school and that they put appearence before comfort/protection?

OP posts:

WigWamBam · 23/01/2006 12:29

It would make me think twice - one of my dd's friends (they're in Reception) had chilblains a few weeks ago because his mother insisted on keeping him in shorts for the Christmas term despite the fact it was so cold. He has been in real pain with them and is now likely to suffer with them again in the future - I wouldn't knowingly want to do anything which would inflict that on my child.

Hulababy · 23/01/2006 12:29

All the boys prep schools here have shorts too. As do a couple of the church schools. I suppose it is no worse than girl's wearing skirts with no tights, which many do.

It wouldn't put me off the school.

puff · 23/01/2006 12:35

It would bother me, but maybe I am fluffy hearted - I've spent many hours on playground duty in the depths of winter with small children complaining about how cold they are because their coats were too thin, no hat, gloves etc.

I think it is affectation to expect children to wear shorts even in freezing temperatures.

Hulababy · 23/01/2006 12:38

The boys round here have long socks on with their shorts BTW.

lucy5 · 23/01/2006 12:40

If you wanted to be continental, you could put him in tights.

BudaBabe · 23/01/2006 12:41

Well it was -13 here this morning so any one in shorts would struggle!

FWIW I think shorts for children as part of a uniform in a country where it gets cold is a definite affectation! WHY????

Ours have shorts for summer uniform and trousers for winter but have to have snow trousers as well for playtime.

GDG · 23/01/2006 12:43

Ooh, shorts in this weather?? Mind you, I know when I was in primary school the boys wore shorts all year round - how bizarre!

Nooo, wouldn't like that. Might not put me off the school - depends what the other options were. YOu can always but long socks on and have shorts that are knee length. Then really just like skirt and socks, no?

daisy1999 · 23/01/2006 12:44

I can't stand being cold and it seems callus to do this to children.
I would think twice, try talking to the school about why they insist on it.

LIZS · 23/01/2006 12:45

I'm sure they're fine. ds' school has long trousers in the winter (from half term in October to Easter) but they still do sports in shorts and I've seen teams from other schools where they have unfiorm shorts all year, even older Prep boys . tbh they get used to it and some girls' schools don't allow tights in younger age groups which is not much different. No, it would not put me off.

WigWamBam · 23/01/2006 12:47

I wouldn't put my dd in skirt and socks in the middle of Winter either - although the point with that is that the child has the option of wearing tights if they're cold. Boys wearing shorts don't get that option.

Seems unnecessary to me. The male teachers would presumably refuse to wear shorts on the grounds that it was cold so it seems cruel to inflict it on the kids.

Hulababy · 23/01/2006 12:48

Agree - skirts and socks are no different to shorts (most are the slightly longer tailored style) and scocks. yet the former always, somehow, seems so much more acceptable. And many schools don't allow little girls to wear tights either, so IMO no different at all.

Feistybird · 23/01/2006 12:50

I think it's odd. In the 50s, shorts were acceptable apparrel for boys, but they're not now and I think it's all a bit strange - it's like dressing your daughter in a bustle or something - just not necessary.

WigWamBam · 23/01/2006 12:51

My dd's been wearing trousers all over the winter - much more practical in the cold and wet than skirts. It just seems odd to me that while some schools have taken years to get to the stage where they have accepted that girl's legs get cold and trousers are sensible, others don't allow boys to wear trousers either!

RTKangaMummy · 23/01/2006 12:59

At DS school in the year below him 2 boys wear shorts all year

My bro wore shorts at infant & junior school

At high school we were not allowed to wear tights so socks and skirts -- no trousers either

I have also noticed how few children come to school wearing a proper coat in the winter with no hat some parents are mad imho

The school send home letters asking for the children to be properly dressed

It is not a poor area and the parents are all dressed up in their coats -- just don't get it

So in answer to your question I would still send him to the school

put a vest on him and long socks if possible and a coat that covers his bottom and a hat

daisy1999 · 23/01/2006 12:59

I would refuse to send dd to school in winter without tights. There is a girl who gets sent all through winter in skirt and socks and I always feel sorry for her.

puff · 23/01/2006 12:59

have never worked in a school where warm tights with skirts or trousers were not an option for girls in winter, but have only worked in the state sector

frogs · 23/01/2006 13:00

I think is a bit arsey in the 21st century to have a uniform that harks back to the 1950s. So to that extent I would find it offputting. But in some areas parental demand wants the whole Christopher Robin meets Molesworth aesthetic and schools are simply catering for that. So if in every other way I thought it was the best school for my child, then no, I wouln't be put off. But other things being equal, I would prefer a school with a sensible uniform.

daisy1999 · 23/01/2006 13:01

I would be a little concerned and look very carefully into the schools general attitude towards the childrens welfare. Personally I would want to know that were nurturing towards little ones and not too disciplinarian.

Anchovy · 23/01/2006 13:05

It would bother me, actually. I would never dress DS in shorts passed about late September and I would expect hime to be cold if he was, particulalry if he was playing outside. I would also find it hard to take seriously other things which a school puts forward when it can't even dress its children sensibly and appropriately.

Uniform seems to be a peculiar blind spot with some private schools: there is one near us where the boys where 3/4 length knickerbckers and sleeveless puffed jackets FFS. While I may have made the decision to educate my children privately, I'm not sure that I have made a decision that they have to look wildly different from the norm (and shorts all year round just creeps into te bottom of that category IMO).

Having said that if that was the only thing that pissed me off, I would live with it.

BudaBabe · 23/01/2006 13:08

Why would schools not let little girls wear tights????

Surely in this day and age it should be about common sense? Winter - dress warmly. Summer - wear light/comfortable.

DS is at a private international school and I have already had issues about the insistence of the school crest on white polo shirts - they are so hard to wash properly. So head has agreed that they don't have to - Reception anyway.

RTKangaMummy · 23/01/2006 13:08

I am presuming they are quite long shorts

What about a kilt for a boy?

I did a google and found some schools that have kilts for boys and quite a few that did cordory shorts

harpsichordcarrier · 23/01/2006 13:10

poncey in the extreme
quite quite ridiculous
I spent most of my professional life wearing ludicrous clothes and I say PAH to it
I actually think uniform AT ALL for primary school children is not a good thing unless it is VERY comfortable indeed.
yes it would put me right off

daisy1999 · 23/01/2006 13:12

I think the headmaster deserves a jolly good spanking

cod · 23/01/2006 13:12

Message withdrawn

Original poster

lionhearted · 23/01/2006 13:15

Everything else about the school seems greata very nurturing, stimulating and caring environment. Glad I'm not thinking about this for a girl 'cos they all have to dress like Madeleine! (warm, though). I thought that there was a case a few years back of a girl taking a school to the European Court of Human Rights because her school insisted on skirts and socks and no tights in the depths of Wintercan't remember the outcome. I suppose you could go for thermal vest, long woolly socks and the next size up in shorts to minimalise the gap but perhaps I am being a bit wuzzy (sp!) about it. Maybe it's a strategy to toughen them up. It would certainly get you moving in the playground.

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