Archaic school uniform rules

[Nannyof2boys]

Hi all what are your thoughts on school uniform in secondary school as in blazer button up shirt tie jumper etc?
Why not just have plain black trousers with polo top of the school and maybe an outer jacket with school logo? Surely in today's climate its cruel expecting kids to wear all that and not just the weather the cost?

My kids loved their blazers as so many pockets. I’m not convinced of need for ties but at a lot of high schools they denote year group or house so not a hill to die on

Why is it cruel? A set of typical school uniform is cheaper than standard clothes most teens wear anyway

Because of the weather in the summer, the ridiculous rules surrounding it for example if you forget the tie you get a sanction of whatever its called etc. And no its not cheaper where Di you live? A blazer a tie a white button up shirt & school jumper are not cheaper than a polo top

How is it cruel? I’m all in favour of school uniform as I think instills a little bit of discipline at least and the old argument that if you didn’t have it then those kids from less well off families would stand out. Having to do something that you don’t want to (that isn’t in the slightest bit harmful) is a good learning experience for kids imo.

When i taught in asecondary school witb a polo shirt & jumper uniform, the kids said it made them feel like small children rather than teenagers.

My DD loved her uniform. My son did too. Felt it made them look smart and while my DD was happy they ditched the tie for girls in secondary I notice at 21 she occasionally wears a tie (all her clothes are thrifted and she’s quite the fashionista). There first school it was polo shirt, sweatshirt (with logo) and skirt or trousers (girls had the option) and shorts in summer and it seemed very appropriate from that young age but I think they preferred the formality of blazer and tie as they got older.

White shirts are cheap as chips. Ties £5 and jumpers optional. OP you seem to have a firm view but not all will agree

Of course it’s not cruel. Don’t like the uniform send your child to a different school

Our high used to have polos and sweatshirts but the kids voted to go to shirts and blazers

As a genetal note... i thonk the Government should have set a price limit for compulsory items, rather than a number of items. A blazer is £30 at some schools, £130 at others. That isnt equality. Thats selection through the back door.

Maybe most teens; but not the ones who are most adversely affected by expensive uniform costs - the kids whose parents can only afford supermarket clothes for everyday outside school.

Also, a lot of kids - boys especially - aren't actually bothered about clothes and wearing expensive brands.

We were discussing blazers the other day. They're a pointlessly expensive, impractical, restrictive garment.

Their only purpose is to look smart - which is all well and good if that's what you've chosen as part of your carefully thought-out outfit; but as a default for everybody - especially kids - they'd be much better choosing smart-but-practical clothes like jumpers instead.

Ties are also a weird thing, especially for girls. More and more men never wear them, and when did you last see a woman wearing one through choice? We're preparing kids for an adult world that won't actually exist now - we may as well make them wear ruffs or powdered wigs to school and exclusively use quill pens and abaci!

I don’t think it’s cruel, but I suppose if the school is hell bent on ties and blazers in 35+ degrees like we had this summer then I’d be complaining. Luckily our school was sensible and said no ties needed, they don’t do blazers anyway so not a problem there.

I do think this penchant for sixth formers to be in business dress is ridiculous though and so out of touch. I work in corporate, we do jeans, trainers etc.

I also find it tone deaf how many schools have obstinately decided to comply with the minimum basic requirements of the new ruling, but no more.

We all know that expensive clothes with logos that can only be bought from one shop are a struggle for many parents - hence the new ruling - but not many schools seem to have embraced the spirit of the acknowledged need and gone for fewer than the maximum branded items.

It's a bit like a school version of national minimum wage - where you know that any employer strictly paying NMW (not even a penny more) doesn't care about you, your value or livelihood, and is only paying you that because the government has forced them to.

Hate it. I would love active uniforms as an option. Joggers/sports leggings/shorts/trainers/polo/sweatshirts. Still uniform but let the kids choose. I hate hate it at primary as well

I loathe school uniform. It seems to cause more issues than it solves I think it looks ridiculous and isn’t fit for purpose.
I hate having to spend money on it and having to waste time and money trying to find suitable trousers and shirts to fit my kids as well as trainers to fit the schools criteria. The compulsory stuff is poor quality and you have to jump through a million hoops to go to the shop to try it on.
I stick to the rules and make sure they have what they need but would get rid of it in a heartbeat given the choice.

It's mad that one major justification for uniform is that it supposedly takes pressure off poorer families, not having to keep up with the latest fashions if that's what their kids and friend groups are into; so instead of paying a lot of money for fashion items that can be worn any time outside school, parents now have to pay a lot of money for branded and unnecessary uniform items - even the ones whose children would otherwise perfectly happily live in clothes from George at Asda.

Blazers are cold in winter (especially if, like me, you attend/ed a school where coats weren't allowed...).

Ties for girls. The last woman I remember wearing a tie was Avril Lavigne in the Complicated era!

Branded items for everything, so that everyone looks exactly the same, because conformity is essential. I was a weird kid who stood out and got bullied no matter what I wore! I like that schoolchildren in the Shetland Islands don't have to wear uniforms.

Many schools have a winter uniform and a summer uniform.

somewhat to my surprise my kids also loved their blazers. Lots of pockets and warm in winter

We ruled out a primary school when we saw the reception children in ties. Absurd policy imo.

My kids go to a private school and they have a summer uniform which is the polo and shorts. And then winter uniform is as you have described. I’ve never had an issue with mine sticking to the uniform. It really is lovely to see kids all smart and neat.
My kids have been used to a school uniform since 2yo. No issues.
it’s an issue because parents have a problem with it and allow their kids to make it one too

Same, the pockets are a huge bonus for kids . Mine have all sorts in there.

The other thing that really annoys me, and which is often overlooked, is that most schools have not one uniform but two (or even three if they have separate ones for summer and winter, as PP said).

My DS is studious and academically-minded and he enjoys the 'main' subjects, but he hates PE. Now he's gone into Y10, he's started with his options - meaning that some interesting, enjoyable subjects have had to go - but he still has to do PE. For him, it's the one thing that spoils school for him, which he otherwise really enjoys - especially as the head of PE is one of those PE teachers who think that sport is all that matters, and cannot possibly comprehend that some people aren't interested in/hate it.

Of course, they have to have a PE kit - some branded items and some not, but they have to be particular 'sports' versions of things (which always seem to cost a premium) that he would never wear elsewhere. At one point, they told them that they needed a pair of football boots AND a pair of rugby boots, as well as the gumshield, shin pads etc. We put our foot down and got him one paid of second-hand boots - presumably either football or rugby, but none of us know how to tell the difference or care) and that was that.

Another way they get around the limit on branded items - which is a really nasty decision and blatantly discriminatory against pupils from poorer families - is to make items 'optional' but with no alternative allowed.

Thus, when it's very cold weather, your choice is either the expensive branded sweatshirt or nothing. Wealthy kids stay warm and poor kids stand and shiver. They aren't even pretending that they care about demographic diversity or equity - and this is a very standard state school.

I like school uniform but prefer the dress codes that only have boys wearing the ties.