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Definitive List of Non-Uniform (no uniform) Schools

113 replies

buttmonki · 27/06/2020 11:58

I’m trying to put together a definitive list of non uniform schools.

I see the uniform/non uniform debate has been done numerous times so am hoping to just put together a list of schools without a debate, just an information resource.

If you know of a non uniform school please post name, region, level, private/state, especially interested to find any non-uniform schools outside of London thank you.

London

Walnut Tree Walk, Primary, Lambeth, State
Ashmead, Primary, Lewisham, State
John Ball, Primary, Lewisham, State
Edmund Waller, Lewisham, State
Camden School for Girls, Secondary, Camden/Islington, State
Dallington School, Islington, Primary, Private
Grasmere, Hackney, Primary, State
Yerbury, Islington, Primary, State
Eleanor Palmer, Camden, Primary, State
Muswell Hill, Haringey, Primary, State
Rhodes Avenue, Haringey, Primary, State
Horniman, Lewisham, Primary, State
Bousfield, Kensington, Primary, State
Fox, Kensington, Primary, State
Brindishe Lee, Lewisham, Primary, State
Columbia, Tower Hamlets, Primary, State
Fairlawn, Lewisham, Primary, State
Henry Maynard, Waltham Forest, Primary, State

South East

Hampton Court House, 3-18, Surrey, Private
Rochester Independent College, Kent, Secondary, Private

Scotland

James Gilliespie’s Edinburgh, Secondary, State

OP posts:
Tanith · 30/06/2020 11:20

Frensham Heights (Private, Surrey) has no uniform.
Wiinchester College has a dress code, as I think someone else mentioned.
They do have a tie that no-one wears until after they've left, and the College scholars have a gown (a bit like Harry Potter).

BikeRunSki · 30/06/2020 11:24

Nether Edge Primary has a very flexi type of uniform. It’s a polo shirt and School sweatshirt in any of several colours, and whatever sensible bottoms and shoes - when I lived nearby, this was largely interpreted as joggers and trainers.

BikeRunSki · 30/06/2020 12:25

in Sheffield

IHaveBrilloHair · 30/06/2020 18:54

Dd went to one of the schools mentioned.
There was absolutely no pressure at all to have expensive brands.
They all seemex ti gravitate towards their own uniform of jeans/t-shirts/hoodies/converse/DMs.
The only rules were no offensive slogans, and no sports colours.
Her uniform cost me £0.
Its one of the best schools in the city.

ChloeDecker · 30/06/2020 18:59

Queen’s College, London doesn’t have a uniform.
Secondary girls school in Harley Street.

Peregrina · 30/06/2020 19:13

I can never understand the 6th form obsession of non uniform but 'business dress code'. Not everyone is going to work as an estate agent!

Delta1 · 30/06/2020 19:41

Queens College does have a uniform. But only Yr 7-9.

IHaveBrilloHair · 30/06/2020 20:39

I don't understand people saying it gets them used to working life.
Yes, put them in uniform from 4-18, oh and then comes Uni!
Why do they need to get used to it so early in life anyway?
If they've an ounce of sense they'll manage to follow a dress code/wear a uniform when needed, even if they haven't at school.

ChloeDecker · 30/06/2020 20:53

@Delta1

Queens College does have a uniform. But only Yr 7-9.
Doesn’t it? It didn’t have a uniform at all when I went there. So sorry!
mathanxiety · 30/06/2020 21:33

My DCs went to both uniform and non uniform schools in the US.

I far preferred the non uniform high school.

None of the arguments put forth here for uniforms hold water.

MsMaestro · 30/06/2020 21:43

Little Ealing Primary School, Ealing, London, State

FraterculaArctica · 30/06/2020 21:52

All those who support the "it's an essential leveller" and "it prepares them for dressing appropriately at work" arguments - why do neither of these arguments appear to apply to most other European countries, then?

(grumpy parent of lovely state primary which recently sold out and introduced uniform, a term after DC started)

avocadotofu · 30/06/2020 21:52

It's interesting that so many of the schools seem to be in London. This is a great thread! I would much prefer my son to go to a non uniform school and it's good to have this list. I've also like to add
Myatt Garden Primary, Lewisham, State.

Peregrina · 30/06/2020 22:48

I really can't see the point of uniforms in primary. I can see it more for secondary schools where you get the competitiveness, with girls at least. I don't know if boys are so bothered.

As for the levelling business - it's already been said - the poor ones will have the cheaper garments and will wear them until they drop to bits, or are stupidly small on them. The richer ones will have new each year.

Delta1 · 01/07/2020 07:05

@ChloeDecker me neither!! I was there way too long ago to admit to tho ;) Yes they have a really nice, smart but casual uniform now in the school And a dress code in the College. I fervently wished for one when I was there. So much cattiness about clothes and appearance. It definitely scarred me!

CountFosco · 01/07/2020 07:24

This just doesn't happen in Scotland apart from the fee-paying schools.

Scotland has less of a school uniform culture than England. So you can add to the list of non-uniform schools:
Every school in Shetland
Every school in Orkney

User260486 · 01/07/2020 07:29

Another issue is the quality of uniform, especially if there is no option and it should be branded. I would never buy polyester clothing for a small child (cotton only for items next to the skin) if it was not required by uniform, but most uniform items are polyester or mixed fabrics. And if the child is sensitive to polyester, good luck trying finding natural fabric trousers or polo shirts...

audreyand · 01/07/2020 07:32

Westways primary, sheffield

Gwynfluff · 01/07/2020 07:39

Think my kids are in one of the northern state schools with no uniforms mentioned on the thread. Actually, uniforms being abolished was historically a left wing thing partly due to high costs of purchasing them.

I don’t particularly like them, but don’t mind the unbranded polo/sweatshirt approach. Hate the blazer,shirts and tie - hot and uncomfortable, to be worn even in summer. Outside the high corporate world, very formal work attire is dying out. So you don’t need to ‘train’ it in at all.

jackparlabane · 01/07/2020 07:46

Halstow Primary, Greenwich. Wouldn't recommend it otherwise, though.

Primaries local to me have polo shirt, sweatshirt and trousers/pinafores uniform which is dirt cheap compared to other clothes (and loads available second-hand). If someone turns up without uniform or in wrong shoes because they lost/outgrew them, school tries to provide from lost property but the child is not in trouble.

It's the secondaries approach to uniform where kids are excluded for shoes or trousers that aren't 100% approved, when the acceptable items don't work for every body type, and the uniform is horribly expensive, that way more people have a problem with. That's an enforcement issue rather than a fault of uniform per se.

ChloeDecker · 01/07/2020 08:18

[quote Delta1]@ChloeDecker me neither!! I was there way too long ago to admit to tho ;) Yes they have a really nice, smart but casual uniform now in the school And a dress code in the College. I fervently wished for one when I was there. So much cattiness about clothes and appearance. It definitely scarred me![/quote]
I hear you! Oh the clothes choices I made . Particularly country and western style patches on jeans. Shame that one made the school year group photo to be immortalised in print! Wink
I think we were just constantly told off in assemblies for showing belly buttons/midriffs, as far as I can remember Grin

Delta1 · 01/07/2020 08:29

Yea yes! Us too! My school photo crime was lumberjack shirts. Oh God!

modgepodge · 03/07/2020 19:41

My class are currently back in school in non uniform (due to needing to wash clothes daily). The number of discussions I’ve heard in lesson time about what they’ll wear tomorrow is crazy - I never once heard this when they were in uniform. Then there was the day 4 of them turned up in matching named hoodies, a couple of girls felt a bit left out they didn't have one. Then one girl decided a particular way of dressing was her ‘thing’ and got really annoyed that someone else was considering wearing something similar the next day. This is 11 year old girls. Maybe if non uniform was all the time this wouldn’t happen - but it’s been 5 weeks and the novelty/discussions haven’t stopped yet...

ComeBy · 03/07/2020 20:09

Modgepodge: they haven’t been brought up to attend school in their own clothes.

I suppose our non uniform primary did a lot of work on using your power to help each other. Popular kids are publicly praised for sticking up for less popular. Loads of work designed to promote empathy.

In secondary (which did have uniform but no logos were allowed on bags or coats) they had lots of discussions about children being used for advertising. It was stated in the policy that the school uniform rules supported children not being used to advertise big companies.

It worked. There was no hoo ha about fashion, and my kids and their friends have swerved the whole ‘brand’ thing.

They find it goes against their environmental zeal, apart from anything else.

OxfordMum1983 · 03/07/2020 20:20

Oxford has loads
Cherwell
Phil and Jim’s
St ebbs
St barnabus
East oxford primary
Larkrise

Personally I like the ease of no choice, smartness and creation of a sense of belonging that comes with uniform.

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