Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Preschool education

Get advice from other Mumsnetters to find the best nursery for your child on our Preschool forum.

What do you think of a Nursery having a uniform?

43 replies

caroline29woohooo · 23/11/2016 19:51

Just been to look round a nursery that is attached to a junior and infant school. My 3 year old will be starting in jan just for 5 hours a week to play and socialise with kids. I have been told she will need to wear a school uniform...shirt and tie etc (same as all the school kids) Not sure what I think of this. It's gonna cost a fortune as I'll need more than one won't I? Anyone think uniforms are a silly for pre-schoolers? Maybe it's me just not being used to it. What are your thoughts?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
KarmaNoMore · 23/11/2016 20:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Abecedario · 23/11/2016 20:40

Nursery teacher here. My current school has an optional uniform for the nursery of joggers, blue polo shirt and sweatshirt with school logo on. Lots of parents do send their children in uniform or part of it, but a fair few don't. I don't tend to notice much either way except the odd tut when a child comes in in something clearly expensive and unsuitable (I work in a naice school with children whose wardrobes are probably worth as much as my car) for the day the child is going to have.

Last school the 'uniform' wasn't optional, but it amounted to a polo shirt, dark trousers, skirt or dress (or shorts in summer) plus a red jumper or cardigan - could be the school logo one but could also been the plain supermarket ones. That applied to reception too, then the more formal uniform from Y1 upwards. Lots of parents there chose to send nursery /reception children in the more 'proper' uniform either because they just thought it looked cute or because it was passed down from older siblings.

To be honest, I'd be worried the school didn't have a good early years ethos and that the setting might be more formal than I would like. Nursery children should have free access to the outdoors - in all weathers, they should be exploring and experimenting with paint, chalk, sand, water, dough, mud, flour etc etc. They need clothing that's fit for purpose. And more importantly should be developing independence in helping to get themselves dressed and undressed, toileting, changing for PE if that happens, or for things like dressing up in the role play corner. A full on shirt and tie uniform is not supporting them in that - too many fiddly buttons.

motherinferior · 23/11/2016 20:41

I hate uniform at any age. Secondary is the least awful as they subvert it. The idea of tiny children in uniform is horrid.

ceeveebee · 23/11/2016 20:44

The nursery my twins went to has a full on uniform - shirt, tie, blazer, cap or straw hat, checked pinafore or trousers, regulation coat and raincoat - it is in a very affluent area and think they are trying to appeal to the type of parents who like everyone to see how rich they are - we kind of went there by accident as we relocated and was the only place with vacancies - it was a lovely nurturing place but very full on!

KathyBeale · 23/11/2016 20:50

I think uniform is completely unnecessary at nursery. At the most it should be a polo shirt that'a optional.

I can't tie a tie - I've never had to wear one!

TiggyD · 26/11/2016 21:23

I work a lot in a nursery attached to a naice (but not as naice as it thinks it is) school. The uniform is a pain in the arse.

  1. Some parents don't label their stuff. Things get lost in a regular nursery, but if there are 30 identical coats the staff have no chance.
  1. How are children going to locate their coats? 30 identical coats on pegs. Some children can't read their name and most children can't be bothered to hang their coats on the right peg, making it even harder when they go back and want to put them on again.
  1. It's 'one size fits all'. Not literally, but the design is the same. Some children have big heads that are a struggle to pull through the hoodies, but that's the uniform they have to wear.

All that means the staff have to devote a couple of hours a day sorting out coats, jumpers and finding missing stuff, instead of teaching. And it's more expensive.

Littlefish · 27/11/2016 23:45

If your child is accessing the 15 hours NEF, it has to be provided completely free. They cannot insist on a uniform.

ElizaSchuyler · 27/11/2016 23:51

Every single state & private nursery around here has a uniform of polo shirt & trousers/skirt/pinafore.

However the local state Catholic primary & nursery has a shirt & tie combo. Another Catholic nursery/primary the ither side of the city is the same.

I think ties in nursery are bonkers personally.

TreehouseTales · 27/11/2016 23:55

Completely bonkers. Not the thing at all here. Own clothes in preschools and nurseries. I dont think I'd have sent mine to a more school like environment.

TreehouseTales · 27/11/2016 23:56

Yet another reason not to send to a school nursery...

originalmavis · 28/11/2016 00:02

DS had a sweat suit and white polo shirt at his nursery. The juniors at the prep had same but different coloured joggers/jumper.

ElizaSchuyler · 28/11/2016 09:58

The problem is treehouse that if you live in area where it is the norm for 3 year olds to attend school nursery full time you have to be brave to go against the tide.

Many of our local playgroups for example closed as there were not enough children to keep them going. At 3 my dd became too old for toddler group. The only alternative is childcare nurseries but they can be very expensive.

SittingDrinkingTea · 28/11/2016 10:03

Shirt and tie is bonkers for nursery. Even the v v expensive private primary near me which has its pupils decked out in uniform straight out of the 1930s (think straw hats for girls, caps for boys and knee socks with ribbons) has their nursery children in polos and joggers or pinafores.

originalmavis · 28/11/2016 16:15

Ours cost a fortune but they didn't attempt to wrangle the kids into ties until year 1. What a mad idea! I assume it's those elasticated ones?

I thought the idea was that the kids wore clothes that they could get off and put on by themselves. I don't think that the average 3 year old could master the Windsor knot!

ceeveebee · 28/11/2016 21:11

Yes they were elasticated ties, not real knots!

originalmavis · 28/11/2016 22:33

Just as dangerous - twaaaaaaaang!

Dizzybintess · 28/11/2016 22:37

mine is in a Church of wales school they have always worn uniform and I found it easier than wrecking lovely clothes. They have to wear ties and tunics and cardigans and tights and school shoes.

Dizzybintess · 28/11/2016 22:42

This was DDs uniform in nursery, its not a private school. the tie was elastic and it was fine x

What do you think of a Nursery having a uniform?
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.