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Original poster

Why do primary schools have such horrid uniforms ??

183 replies

mummyloveslucy · 20/09/2008 16:57

When I was at primary school, there was a quite strict uniform of a white blows (not a PE top) a navy skirt and a navy v-necked jumper with a school tie. This was very smart and reasonably cheep, as you pay loads for those sweat shirts with the logo on and they just look slouchy. Somthing you'd ware for lazing around the house in.
When my daughter starts school, she'll wear a lovely white crisp blowse and a nice pinnafore, but it will unfortunatly be ruined by a chunky sweat shirt over the top. I don't think they are any more practicle than a cheeper wool jumper that looks smart.
People always complain about the cost of uniforms but I wouldn't mind paying for the jumper if it looked smart.

OP posts:
nooka · 22/09/2008 23:05

Sory Xenia and MNisstuck, but those are the sort of uniforms I really really dislike. Would you dress your four year old daughters in clothes like that if they weren't the uniform? Do you wear clothes like that? I hate hate hate uniforms for private schools that are quite clearly designed to be "sweet". My ds goes to a school now where virtually all the girls are wearing shorts and t-shirts. None of them choose to wear frills or fiddly things. I think that suggests that little girls do not think blazers and silly hats are ideal clothes.

MNisstuck · 22/09/2008 23:07

Ooh you old misery. What's wrong with a nice hat? I love wearing hats. Can't do it normally, except for weddings of course. S'not acceptable. The maoist funkillers at work in the city ...

seeker · 22/09/2008 23:08

Shorts? Oh ffs!

nooka · 22/09/2008 23:29

Nothing wrong with choosing to wear a nice hat when you want o. My children were in fact required to wear hats all summer. But they got to choose the hat, and boaters were not their taste. I don't like dressing up little kids much anyway though. Clothes should be designed for climbing frames, messy crafts and wrestling in primary school IMO.

overthehill · 22/09/2008 23:48

My dcs' primary school is the only one in our town that doesn't have a uniform (although there is a school sweatshirt) and it's interesting that each year a number of new parents, myself included, raise the question of introducing full uniform due to fears about label-consciousness etc etc. However, after Reception virtually no children wear the sweatshirt (in fact, come to think of it, I don't remember seeing any Reception kids in it so far this year) and it becomes apparent that kids wear whatever they want with no problems about designer labels. The school is, I admit, becoming increasingly Mini Boden (or Mini Boden Sale in our case!), but there's no real bullying and discipline is good. The children, especially the littlies, do look like they might have come from a children's home, especially by the end of the day(!), but personally I think that adds to the charm, and it's so much nicer seeing children in bright colours rather than grey, black & navy. By contrast, the neighbouring (RC) primary school has a very strict uniform with white shirt, tie and horrid brown polyester jumper, and the Reception kids look ridiculous to my mind, especially one I saw who actually had a dummy along with his tie!

AbbeyA · 23/09/2008 07:44

I am sorry but I wouldn't send my DCs to a school where a 4yr old had to wear blazers, ties and hats! I feel so sorry for the poor little things!! I think hats are pointless, way back when I was at school everyone had a rebellion on hats, it didn't get anywhere at the time but it was phased out soon after. Perhaps they ought to have a dressing up box for the first day and parents could take a photo and then they could wear something comfortable and practical! I can't see one good reason for a 4yr old to wear a blazer. I also bet it is expensive and has to be dry cleaned.

purpleduck · 23/09/2008 09:30

seeker, what is wrong with shorts???

seeker · 23/09/2008 09:42

Nothing is wrong with shorts - so long as if they are part of a school uniform the boy wearing them is under about 8 and it's summer!

Nemoandthefishes · 23/09/2008 09:55

DS has a 'traditional' uniform of grey wool jumper with school badge on,white shirt, tie and trousers. It is smart but eh struggles putting his shirt on himself as the buttons are stiff.
Pic on my profile

nailpolish · 23/09/2008 09:56

yes shorts in winter must be horrible for the wee ones

frankly ridiculous

madness · 23/09/2008 10:10

I know that my aversion of uniforms comes from me being non-British; I went to school in 2 different countries where children don't wear uniforms.
So I wonder what British people think when they move to a country without school uniforms. They must be equally horrified having to send their children to no-uniform schools????

purpleduck · 23/09/2008 10:41

well of course no shorts in winter!!!

Why can't boys over 8 wear shorts...surly they are allowed to be cool in summer too

nailpolish · 23/09/2008 10:49

lots of school insist on shorts in winter for the infants

ell maby not lots but a few

fircone · 23/09/2008 11:38

I like uniform.

But I don't like what some parents choose. Trousers for girls are fine, but why buy those skin-tight polyester things you can see their pants through? They're vile. And they also look unhygienic. All the boys wear normal trousers, so why can't the girls?

seeker · 23/09/2008 11:45

fircone - have you ever been school trouser shopping with a dd?!

Mind boggling a bit at unhygenic!

mumeeee · 23/09/2008 15:56

Sorry I think that polo shirts and sweatshirts are more practical for infants then smart blouses and wool cardigans.

MrsWobble · 23/09/2008 16:20

this isn't empirical evidence so won't meet motherinferior's standards but the local secondary school of which dh is governor which teeters on the brink of failing status noticed a massive improvement in behaviour when zero tolerance was applied to uniform rules. the head's logic for this was that it made it much harder for gang loyalties to flourish when they were no longer able to signal gang membership by particular uniform deviations.

can't see any argument for this applying at primary school level though.

ChippyMinton · 23/09/2008 17:48

OK, for a short time only the mini-Mintons are mogelling their traditional uniform on my profile Smart aren't they?

Combustiblelemon · 23/09/2008 18:08

I love traditional uniform. OK, the straw boaters stink if they get rained on, but the uniforms don't interfere with tree climbing or playing football IME. And that's just the girls!

Quattrocento · 23/09/2008 18:14

DS's school insists on shorts in the winter. Little cold knees he has for a good six months of the year. Shorts and a blazer and a cap ought to look entirely ridiculous but in fact looks rather sweet.

FluffyMummy123 · 23/09/2008 18:15

Message withdrawn

Podrick · 23/09/2008 18:18

Like it or not we are living in less formal times and that is reflected in the evolution of school uniform.

The whole point of uniform is for everyone to look the same and not for everyone to look good!

ChippyMinton · 23/09/2008 18:19

Mine are in shorts at the moment - it's up to them though. Their cousins wore shorts all the way through primary, come rain or shine

Podrick · 23/09/2008 18:21

Mostly it is about being required to wear teflon and polyester which is completely gross and smelly to boot - oh yes and mostly manufactured in aptly named sweat shops

eeeeew

(can you tell I hate it?!!)

seeker · 23/09/2008 18:38

OK that's 2 questions no one seems to be able to answer.

Why do girls ever wear ties?

And what the f is the justification for making little boys wear shorts in the winter?