Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

I'm 'against' school uniform is anyone else??

206 replies

zazas · 06/02/2006 13:41

Recently at my DD and DS primary school the majority of parents voted to introduce a uniform. Unfortunately I am in the minority! Is there anyone else who feels strongly about this subject.....I don't want to loose perspective but I really don't want my children wearing a school uniform! Give me your views please.

OP posts:
Spidermama · 06/02/2006 15:25

I'm sorry about your dd rhubarb.

Schoolkids can be horrible. I was picked on at school for having wholemeal bread in my lunchbox, others were picked on for having 'funny voices', fat mothers, old cars ... you name it.

I maintain though that clothes are a red herring. The need to slag off others appears to be a bi-product of school in general. I doubt there's a school where it doesn't exist at all. It's the flip side of this precious socialisation which is apparently one of the functions of school. (Its the one people always point home educators miss out on).

JoolsToo · 06/02/2006 15:40

am I against school uniform?

big emphatic no

harpsichordcarrier · 06/02/2006 15:44

Rhubarb - I do understand the issue, really I do. I went to a secondary school with a uniform policy and I can assure you 100% that having a uniform did NOT stop any mockery about clothes etc. because someone's uniform will always be smarter/newer. And someone will always be dressed NOT in uniform, because their parents can't afford it.
really, IME I think the issue is categorically NOT about uniform.

doormat · 06/02/2006 15:46

agree with posters in favour of uniform
some people can afford designer clothes
some cant and kids can be cruel

MarsOnLife · 06/02/2006 15:46

nope!

Aloha · 06/02/2006 15:49

My experience of secondary is that uniform did not make people blind to class or income.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 06/02/2006 15:57

When I was at High School I wore a uniform. Lots of kids wore 'labels' for their uniform. ie Ben Sherman shirts instead of asda own make, Kickers trousers instead of ones from the local market.
It doesnt stop there - What about trainers at PE time? Or the Puma / Head gym bag? Oh yes and the latest shoes or coat?

Cant say I agree on the fact that a uniform helps with the 'designer' clothes issue, at least not in High School anyway.

Maybe with First/primary age it's different?

I myself have no obejection to a School uniform, although I dont think it is a cut and dry issue.

sunnydelight · 06/02/2006 16:04

I'm not hugely bothered either way, having experienced both at different schools, both my boys (1 primary, 1 secondary) currently have uniform and that's fine by me. The only thing I am adamant about though is that, having chosen schools with uniform, I will make sure they wear it. My DH still vividly remembers the experience of himself and his brother being the only kids in the school who never had the right uniform - his French mother didn't believe in it (no uniform in France) so didn't see why she should bother here. It was pretty indicitive of her parenting style in general!

Rhubarb · 06/02/2006 16:14

Aloha, she's 5.5. At the school where I work fashion is everything to them. They treat school like a fashion parade and those who are different stick out like a sore thumb. I think it might bring some of those empty-heads that I teach back down to earth if they all had to dress the same.

daisy1999 · 06/02/2006 16:20

completely in favour of uniform:

  1. it's cheap (just as well as dds always fall over!)
  2. you don't have to think what to put them in on a morning
  3. no competition between children regarding fashion (or should I say no competition between the mums).
Aloha · 06/02/2006 16:27

Ah, is she big or small for her age? I don't think I have anything - all of sds's outgrowns have gone to charity or to friends I'm afraid, but if you want me to scour the local charity shops (some are rather upmarket - dd and ds both get nice Oshkosh, Next and Gap stuff from there) for you I will happily do so.

Rhubarb · 06/02/2006 16:32

Aw! Thank you! She's 5.5. I'm going to try and go into the sales in Bordeaux this week to get her some stuff. They don't really have charity shops here which is a shame. I got her some plain jeans from the supermarket today for 5 euros, but they're boys! I thought I could jazz them up a bit for her!

Don't go out of your way Aloha, seriously, I'll get her something!

Spidermama · 06/02/2006 16:35

Rhubarb I find ebay brilliant for kids clothes.

Aloha · 06/02/2006 16:36

I promise I'll have a look as I'm passing. You never know! I'll cat you if anything comes up that's nice. I presume she likes nice girly things?

Arabica · 06/02/2006 16:36

I had to wear uniform for both primary and secondary school and hated it. Felt like a sheep and as if all my individuality was being sucked out of me. I really don't think that any bullying or criticism that went on, was lessened due to the fact all the girls were wearing grey skirts and white shirts. As others have said, if you're going to pick on someone you'll find a way, whatever they're wearing. I got picked on for being quiet and shy (ie a 'snob') and for doing well in exams (swot).
Luckily DS' school doesn't do uniform and staff can wear what they want, too...one dressed up as a leprechaun last week!

Rhubarb · 06/02/2006 16:39

French Ebay is quite expensive, it's 5 euros just to get stuff posted to you!

She's not that girly Aloha! Has refined taste like her mother! Will go into H&M at some point this week. All of her classmates are just dripping in designer, honestly! I saw one of them in a posh shop in the city last weekend, this little girl was just picking out skirt after skirt and her mother didn't even look at the prices!!!!

Skribble · 06/02/2006 16:39

By 5th year I was rebeling and wore a leather jacket, tassely mini skirts and tie die tops, what on earth would I have rebeled against if there wasn't a uniform . Looking back I am glad their was a uniform, one less thng to worry about. Yes some of the ponsy parents still managed to get expensive shirts and stuff, but it would have been much worse if it had been a free for all. Yes I remember the personalising, loads of badges on the lapels and i had paper clips or a plastic monster on my pocket. Ties were something of an art form.

Its not just McDonalds employees that wear uniforms, I have to wear one for work and couldn't do the job if i didn't. Simple as that.

The nursery kids can get t shirts and sweatshirts if they want at our school and a lot of them do, that is purely choice and most parents go for it.

What colours are your kids going to wear anyway if red, blue, green and black are all boring horrible colours.

Hulababy · 06/02/2006 16:51

Not had chance to read rest of thread yet.

I like school uniform, at all ages. But I think it is even more impotant at secondary level. Sense of identy, sense of pride, gives pupils a minor rule to break and be disciplined over (rather than just the big rules), learning to confirm in a small way, looks smart...lots of reasons. I am writing this as a (ex) teacher and a parent.

Hulababy · 06/02/2006 16:56

DD will have a very strict school unform when she starts in September. She loves the look of all ready and I have to say the girls do look very sweet in it, IMO.

Spidermama · 06/02/2006 17:05

Kids only love it because they see the other kids in it and they want to be like the other kids.

I don't think it gives a sense of identity. Mass identity is no identity IMO.

Hulababy · 06/02/2006 17:10

I mean school identity when i use the word identity. Children should be proud of their uniform and of their school.

Makes life easier for schools on school trips/days out too.

Also helps at lunch/break times and before/after school int he community. The community see the uniform and know which school the child belongs too. If being good, they know who to phone and say well done (have known this to happen a lot). If poor behvaiour they also know who to phone and complain (also known done a lot).

Hulababy · 06/02/2006 17:10

I also think that when young, many children do actually want to just be like the others and not stand out too much. It is generally the parents who don't like to conform, not the child, IME at schools.

motherinferior · 06/02/2006 17:12

Hula, 'children should be proud of their uniform and of their school'?

Er, well, I don't agree; I think the school should be one that justifies its students pride in it. I am proud of DD1's school, as it happens, and part of that is its no-uniform first-name policies.

And frankly nobody could be proud of grey polyester.

Hulababy · 06/02/2006 17:15

I just think that if a child is proud of the school they go to, with or without a uniform, then they tend to work better with the school.

I agree that schools should also be proud of their pupils and they should be working to ensure that their are reasons for its children to proud to be there.

motherinferior · 06/02/2006 17:18

I think schools should generate a sense of pride in their students.