Do you have children at school in Wales? The Welsh Government is consulting on school uniform guidance

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

We've been contacted by the Welsh government, who've asked us to flag up that they are currently running a public consultation on statutory guidance for school uniforms policies in Welsh schools.

You can find out more about the consultation and find the response forms here - the deadline for filling it in is February 21 2019.

Children and young people are encouraged to fill it out too, so feel free to pass the link on to your DCs if they're of an age to have an interest in official forms

Launching the consultation, Education Secretary Kirsty Williams AM said: 'Families face many different costs when it comes to school uniform and I want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to make uniform more affordable and more available... By putting in place statutory guidance, my expectation is that governing bodies will have a much more consistent approach to issues such as cost and also show a much greater degree of flexibility when it comes to very hot or very cold weather. But this also goes much further than just practical considerations; this is about equality and pupils’ wellbeing. I don’t want our learners, for whatever reason, to feel uncomfortable about wearing their uniform."

As ever, do let us know what you think (but if you want the Welsh government to know what you think, please fill in the consultation response too)

Thanks
MNHQ

[icouldbewrongicouldberight]

Blazers should be optional not compulsory imo. I see kids in tatty old blazers frequently and so many get cautioned in school for not having the right uniform.

[welshmercury]

I think Primary is about right and easy for lower income families as you can purchase it all cheaply from supermarkets. However secondary uniforms with blazers, specific colours, having the same rucksacks, sports kit then it is costing £300+ I don’t live in Wales so cant answer the questions. But parents need to stand up and take action.

[posthistoricmonsters]

@HelloJackieYouLookNice you're Swansea based, I take I? We were mortified, I was in the RCat valleys then, but have friends in Swansea. I hope they sort that out. That was grossly unfair to the families.

In our valleys, kids often wore parts of the uniform with whatever trousers, skirts and trainers they wanted to. Mine only ever wore non uniform when I cocked up which day it was (mufty days) or I failed to wash their jumpers and cardis.

[startingafresh1]

I wish this could be addressed in England. My son's secondary has a single uniform supplier and the blazer in particular is horribly expensive. He is growing like a weed and has already grown out of ghetto one I got him at the beginning of term.

He's only allowed to wear a shirt beneath his blazer, so it gets sweaty when he is hot and doesn't wash well.

It's hard to fit a coat over his blazer and when it's cold he needs an extra layer as it's a considerable walk to school. So He also needs an oversized coat to fit over the blazer.

[Alex4476]

So..... me and my partner keep arguing and every time we do he threatens to leave, tells me i’m mad, everyone hates me. I read some stuff online about people threatening to leave you and it said to call their bluff. So I did and he’s gone, have I done the right thing?

[FormerlyFrikadela01]

Not Welsh but the idea that uniform is an answer to poverty, a social leveller or whatever is utter bullshit that gets paraded on uniform threads all the time. I went to a school with uniform and mine always looked a bit threadbare, a bit more worn and just not as nice as my peers becasue my parents couldn't afford even the basics of the uniform. I couldn't hide that we were poor even if I tried, all wearing uniform meant was that my mum had even less money for any other clothes so I would often wear my school uniform trousers on a weekend too.

A good representation of this is to watch the first Harry potter film and notice that in a see of black Hogwarts robes Ron weasleys looks faded and washed out compared to the others becasue he is poor.

[sparklydust]

I didn't know about this so thank you! Diolch

[Shellbell1980x]

Is anybody going through ivf

[usernamenamename]

Blazers need to be gotten rid of, £30-40 for something my child will grow out of in a few months and hates to wear. They are uncomfortable and not practical at all. Most people aren't wearing blazers as adults, even in offices a lot are more smart/casual now. I'd also get rid of white shirts/ polo shirts as they're impossible to keep white for very long and you have to keep replacing them.

[Rubusfruticosus]

Grow out of a blazer in a few months? I wouldn't have thought that was typical. The blazer I bought at the start of year 7 is easily going to last until the end of this school year and into the next. I have a average sized child in year 8.

[Jannali]

Uniform is actually a brilliant solution to poverty.
It is, within reason.
However, when they change the school uniform to one that costs a fortune and you have more than one child to kit out the cost can be prohibitive.

[Jannali]

nearly £50 for a blazer! Plus everything else comes to over £300 to kit out one child.

[Limelighthydrangea]

One of the questions was about uniform being different based on sex /gender. I believe quite a few schools in England have recently taken away the option of girls wearing skirts now, to make uniform the same for boys and girls.

[Adarajames]

I don’t think any school should be allowed to state a particular supplier and that uniforms shouldn’t cost more than say £50 in total; with it being pretty much the same across the board with maybe a logo polo shirt and or jumper, and everything else available in any one of many supermarket / clothes stores. Sod the idiotic piping edged blazers that the damned academies insist on in whatever weather and that cost a fortune! Keep it comfortable, simple and very very affordable!

[Slothcuddles]

Our blazer is £42. I’ve just bought rugby kit and PE kit from the supplier for £51. I think these prices are fine. Ds is in year 8, and is now 5ft9, and I bought him a new blazer in December. So £21 per year 🤷🏻‍♀️. I just bought to pairs of trousers from M&S at £10 each and pack of 4 shirts for £18.

I think these prices are fine. He only had new shirts, as his others were beginning to look grey.

I would much rather pay this than £60 for a hoodie, and £40 for bottoms X 5 days a week. Because they’d never were the same thing two days running!

I think it keeps them all looking the same and looking really smart. Because you would end up with children wanting things that their friends have but parents can’t afford it.

[OhGodWhatTheHellNow]

Well, I had a letter in school today exhorting heads/governors to respond to the consultation, on the grounds that the suggested new standards (ie generic uniform with iron-on logos etc) would be wildly unpopular with parents and would diminish the school's autonomy, presumably to set stupidly expensive uniforn. Guess who from? The schoolwear sellers association
We pissed ourselves laughing in the staff-room (all the teachers have dc at school) before filing it in the bin. Prompted me to do the consultation though

[CatsPawsAndWhiskers]

Grow out of a blazer in a few months? I wouldn't have thought that was typical.

I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking that. My son has probably grown a foot since starting secondary, now in Year 10 and he's only had 2 Blazers. I didn't buy them particularly big. How much are children growing if they grow out of them within a few months?

[wfhs]

I think this is a good consultation. My daughter personally likes her uniform. She likes wearing her blazer and tie and would not want a cheap tacky polo shirt which is something the school want to add on as summer uniform. Her uniform is not that expensive compared to one set of weekend clothes. My opinion is help should be given to all pupils to purchase a school blazer and a few school ties. But I would not want uniform relaxed. Most kids like their uniform and like being smart, most I know wear it after school also.

[CEL74]

Hi my son is currently in Year 1 although he is an August baby so is the youngest in his year. We have since reception really struggled with his behaviour, he is anxious, overwhelmed and very angry at school. He has kicked/hit his teacher and is defiant. He has been excluded from his class and sent to the head several times. I have been called in and met up with his teachers and SENCO lead. Has had started to get 1:1 and more support but recently his behaviour has escalated. He is a real Jekl and Hyde character- has some great days made some superficial friends and is great on play dates but not in groups. He does get angry at home but I do discipline him, we have tantrums and he does hit me which I don’t tolerate at all . I reached a point where I paid privately to see a consultant psychiatrist due to 18 month wait on NHS and he has been diagnosed with Autism but has normal IQ. My question really is that I feel my son is too overwhelmed by mainstream but I am not sure if specialist school is appropriate. I feel my son is somewhere in the middle. His school are trying but I feel teachers too busy, unskilled in SEN and dispair at the behaviour. His behaviour is getting worse not learning and starting to hate school!. have started a parenting course and are thinking of moving him out of his school but feel no other school will tolerate him. I spoke to couple heads at independent schools who were reluctant to take him on. Has anyone been in a similar position? I was thinking homeschooling but not sure if this would be beneficial. Thank you for any advice gratefully received. Or if anyone knows of any schools in East Berkshire would be great! Thanks

[NoraEphronsneck]

Welsh language has nothing whatsoever to do with school uniform policies.


It's just another box-ticking exercise which will effect no change.