Why can't reception children just wear a jogging suit ?

[AngelaChill]

My poor little mite hates her uniform, shirt, pinny and cardigan and had a complete melt down this morning (her first day). She's only just 4 and I can't see why they can't just wear comfy clothes surely that would make the teachers life easier too ?

of course you need uniforms, can you imagine all the kids (or parents) trying to out do each other. argh. at our school the nursery children wear jogging suits, they're so cute! they start off all baggy and by the end of the year they are all skin tight

interesting that some of the teachers/ex teachers on here are pro-uniform. I am an ex-secondary teacher and personally hate school uniforms to Spidermama proportions. It annoyed the hell out of me to have to stop children, who were otherwise behaving, in the corridors to get them to tie their ties properly or do up their top buttons on their shirts, or send them home because they had trainers on instead of school shoes etc. Honestly don't think it makes any difference to how kids behave and treat each other - and they only reason they go overboard with interesting clothes and make-up on non-uniform days is because the only have them about once a month. Obviously when weasel goes to school I will put him in whatever is required - but be silently seething!

There is no "outdoing each other" at dd's primary school...think this is a bit of a misconception. The kids all look brightly coloured and relaxed.

Maybe more of an issue at secondary age? But primary kids have other concerns.

I went to a non uniform school and would've loved to wear one ,it would have made mornings so much easier!I could not imagine a worse hell than dd yr10 trying to decide what to wear every morning.
I think a strict uniform is good fro the school and affects behaviour,but on the other hand I think infant school kids in boaters and old fashioned uniform is purely catering to the snob value of the parents.

It is funny though. Here in the UK most people go on about all the advantages of having a uniform, non-uniform schools being the exception . As mentioned in "my" country it is considered very odd. Just like havig boarding schools and single sex schools.

primary schools are only allowed to request a uniform, if they are state schools.
i don't like the idea of dehumanising dd, so she'll wear a plain white top & grey skirt/shorts, but if i haven't got the washing done, it might be a white top & jeans!

kickassangel - i didn't know that, very interesting.

As it happens my DD refused to put the uniform on so I sent her in a sweatshirt and jogging bottoms in navy blue and took the uniform on a hanger to see if they could get it on her later which they did, but if we have the same fun and games tomorrow she might well just go in baggies and a top.

TBH I don't get some of these arguments. Drab colours - DS has red sweatshirts and polo shirts - although I don't let him wear both together. What brighter colour is there than red? Maybe yellow? Some schools have this colour.

Yes he is hard on his clothes but that is because he is wearing the same 2/3 pairs of trousers all week, every week. When at nursery he had about 10 pairs on the go. As someone has mentioned the trousers are at least half elasticated. So I think they are practical. They are cheap to buy and you choose whether to go for the teflon.

We moved a year ago to a primary school with uniform from a school that didn't. Some children in the non uniform school would wear uniform clothes that their parents chose to wear, but in whatever colours etc as there was absolutely no rules on clothes other than health & safety. Even though dd was only in reception and year 1 - she would get upset if she couldn't wear something 'pretty', it had to be a skirt, preferably pink why? because that's what her friends did. I hate to think how it would have been as she got older. I love having a uniform too and so does she. It's definately cheaper and easier to care for and simpler to get ready in the morning.

Oi! My spelling and grammar are just fine thank you!

but sarah if you popped a blazer and felt hat on it would improve instantly

My boys go to a private school with a totally OTT uniform, DS1 7 has just joined middle school and is wearing a tie! FGS (His games kit alone cost over £100). Still he does look smart and he likes it. At least the shirts are grey and dont show the dirt. Unfortunately we are moving house and their new school has a uniform which is totally different, with pretty much only the shoes the same, even the trousers are a different colour But I would say all the kids look the same regardless of how much cash their parents have

Don't you mean:

But Sarah, if you popped a blazer and a felt hat on it would improve instantly!

We'll just never know!

I also don't accept the "s/he didn't want to wear the uniform, so I let him/ her wear X instead" argument either... It's back to the classic abdication of parental responsibility and boundary & expectations setting.

I'm with you 100% Humphrey on this.. sounds suspiciously like the "my kids don't want to eat healthy food, therefore why should they" line.

For me, uniform is not about suppressing individuality, it's about

• shared identity / community
• sense of belonging
• respect for rules
• pride
• external recognition (linked to pride)

And jogging suits/ shell suits, whatever, they're all shapeless, tasteless pieces of clothing best confined to sports fields. (Which, of course, is the irony, since those people most likely to wear them 'socially' are those most in need, yet least likely to be seen doing sport!)

Pah... society is definitely 'dumbing down' - what hope is there for the educated?

Message withdrawn

Tellithowitis - she's 4 for fuck sake.

Poor DS1 now has ties, button uyp shirts and laces on his games kit, he cant tie any of them and neither can his friends, bet the teacher is having fun as they all seem to come home properly dressed

LittleSarah:

"None of the state school uniforms are cute anyway - not wear (sic) I am! - horrid material, awful shirts and polo shirts."

Ahem!

(But yes, sorry - I wasn't mostly referring to you!)

Ignore this thread clearly it's moved completely off the subject and is beyond ridiculas

I don't think it is anything like whether or not kids eat healthy food, being as that is an important health issue and uniform more of a personal like/dislike.

I didn't need a uniform to have a shared identity, respect rules, etc. But I accept some people may not be as naturally respectful and disciplined as I!

I prefer the relaxed uniforms as well. Ds1's (aged 7) is a different colour t-shirt each day, ds2's (aged 4- in reception) tie and proper shirt- much prefer ds1's!

Yes I noticed that as soon as I posted, may I be forgiven? I feel that mumsnet is a fairly casual setting, and we were talking about clothes!

oh fio you've had me rolling at your ds thinking its a costume. ;)

Picked up ds2 today, half way home "ds2 where's your jumper" "err don't know I begottened" Oh great. He's only been there 2 weeks.

I sooo much prefer ds1's t-shirt.

Angela - so, she's 4? What better a time to get into good habits?

I also have a 4 year old who started school last week. He couldn't do his buttons, so we practised. He's actually very proud of his school uniform - to him it's all part of 'growing up'; becoming a 'big' boy.