Making a complaint to the Governors - worth it?

[spiritmum]

I've posted on here before about this but I am so angry about the change to a new uniform at our dc's school and I think I have grounds for complaint.

The parents were consulted over the uniform change but I know that this was just for appearances because a Governor told me that at the metting where this was discussed they were told there had been no letters of objection whereas I know several parents who objected. The second meeting just waved the change through on a show of hands with no discussion.

Cost has not been considered. The new jumpers are more expensive than the old ones. Although this is a middle class area many parents have been made redundant or are facing losing their jobs and to introduce an unnecessary uniform change at the moment appears to me to be in breach of the guidlines making it necessary to consider this factor.

All KS2 children need to wear a tie and I wonder if this discriminates against children who may find ties difficult. The jumper is 100% acrylic and is replacing a cotton mix one. Two of my dc have excema and if the new (very itchy) jumper makes their excema worse there is no provision for an alternative which again strikes me as discriminatory.

There has been no transition period as recommended by the DoE guidelines. Every child needs to have the new uniform on Sept 2nd or not be allowed into school. Dd1 has unworn uniform (3 jumpers) that I bought last year that I now have to dump because I'd bought big believing she'd wear them at some stage. Ds i sstarting school so I have had to buy three new uniforms in one go whereas I had old stuff for the dc to grow into or pass down.

The school is the only outlet for the uniform and profits go to the PTA. We need to buy ties, jumpers and PE kit (compulsory) and can also but fleeces and raincoats. We can't shop around.

Initially the changes were suggested to apply only to yrs 5/6 in order to 'boost their self-esteem' and 'prepare them for transition to secondary school'. Then the changes got made across the board. Parents were not given any say over the change to the PE kit or the intriduction of 'real' ties as opposed to elasticated ones. I also questioned with the head the wisdom of encouraging children to associate self-esteem with appearance but got ignored.

No provision has been made for collecting old jumpers to pass on or recycle. One can be used as a PE layer (they've never had a PE layer before) but that means we have 10 jumpers to dump. No effort has been made to follow the suggestion that uniform changes shoudl be 'sustainable'.

Do I have grounds for complaint, and if so, should I? Or is it too much hassle given that we've all been forced to buy the uniform anyway?

Thanks in advance for any help, I am but will do what is best for the dc.

I would complain - but I doubt that they'd listen, I'm afraid. Our governors are just as dogmatic about uniform, but in the other direction.

Primary schools cannot legally enforce the wearing of uniform anyway though - nobody has to wear the old or new uniform. I appreciate, however, that now you've bought it this information is of no use to you!

I don't mind the principle of a uniform, the old one was a great balance between smartness and informality. The new one is just like something out of the ark.

I don't think I will change anything by complaining, I just want it made clear that the school has breached several guidlines, and maybe fire a shot across the head's bows so that he stops being so manipulative and power-crazy (this isn't the first time he's done something like this).

Ok. Quite a lot of this you can prove. You can ask to see the minutes of the governer meeting, and you know that these objectiosn were made.

There will be no point complaining to the governers - because you are effectively complaining against them. You need to take it to the next level - the LEA.

I definately think you should. I was a school governer. We wouldn't pass a change to the school day because we didn't feel the parents had been sufficiently consulted. Governers shouldn't just pass stuff that the parents don't want.

And all the other points you mention, about it being phased in and discriminatory etc.

I would complain to the LEA ( and let the school and the governers know you have done this) and send my kids in in the old uniform.

But obviously you have to really object to it to take such a strong stance.

YANBU but I think you should leave out the stuff about the tie as I don't really think you have a valid point and it muddys the waters imo.

The other stuff about sustainability/choice of suppliers/cost is all very valid.

HistoryGirls - the tie is valid. My DS can not do a tie because of his dyspraxia. He has had OT sessions about things like shoelaces, buttons and ties. If he had to wear a tie to school every day it would add to his stress immensly.

People also struggle with buttons, zips, shoes etc but they are all part of most schools uniform. It is not discrimination anymore than a pinafore or a polo shirt or a pair of tights is. Ordinary ties can be made into elasticated ties in less than 5 mins with a needle and thread.

Trying to ban an ordinary items of clothing on the grounds of discrimination leads the arguement away from things that the governors have actually done wrong wrt to govenment guidelines which state that there should be consultation with parents, they are obliged to seek good value, they have to have a reasonable time period for phasing in the new clothes, they should ensure that uniform is widely available in high street shops etc.

After uniform policy has been decided then the school has to consider modification on the grounds of religion or SN. They are not under obligation to consider these things until on deciding uniform policy until a specific request is made about a specific child for a specific reason. It might be nice if such things were considered at the planning stage but the governors aren't obliged too so have done nothing wrong by not doing so. They are obliged to properly consult, consider costing, availability and timescale.

Thank you both for your comments.

I think I will go for the middle ground - make a complaint but go for the new uniform unless dd1 and ds get itchy.

Indigo, you are right, it was children with dyspraxia that I am thinking of in terms of discrimination. I hope that they will make the elsticated tie available to them but who knows?

From my personal point of view a big concern is that dd1's teacher has some real problems controlling her temper (she has poor health) and I don't think she'll be able to cope with a class of kids trying to cope with buttons and ties which they've never had to do before. DD1 has been trying over the holidays but can't get it.

With one or two exceptions the Governors are pretty much in thrall to the head. The chair of the Govs' described him as 'visionary' because he proposed siting the pre-school on the school site (after the pre-school approached him).

Thanks again to everyone who has replied. How to I complain to the LEA?

If you go to your County Council's website you will be able to locate the 'education' department. Usually, from there, you will be able to link to a 'how to complain' section.

Be warned though - my experience is that LEA are very reluctant to intervene until 'due process' has been followed. With any complaint (this is what they may tell you) it should firstly (the informal stage) be taken up with the Head, then if your not satisfied, it should be escalated to the Governing Body and only then, if you are still dissatisfied you can take it up with the LEA. This sucks.

You have nothing at all to lose IMO by going straight to LEA because even if they kick you back, you have brought it to their attention.

Maybe I would encourage other parents to do the same.

If I were you I would continue to send your kids in your existing uniform too. The Head cannot do anything about it and your childrens classmates will not even notice - betchya.

Good luck.

PS. Heads and Governing Bodies - a law unto themselves - upon your head be it if you should dare to try and infiltrate!! Go for it girl!

My experience with Governors has been awful and that was wrt bullying so I have no confidence in them over school uniform concerns.

If you have other parents on side, would it be worth putting up a petition and handing it over?

I honestly think that the only way you are even likely to be listened to is to gain the support of other parents. I fear too that the LEA will refuse to get involved, regarding it as an in-house matter about which they cannot interfere.

I quite see your point though and would be very unamused if I were you. Being the bolshy moo that I am, I wouldn't hesitate to complain and do what I could to obtain a solution.

Good luck.

Is the school state or private? If it is state then uniform is not legally enforceable in the primary sector.
I am in Wales and our assembly government has published guidelines on uniform and I suspect they will be very similar to those published for England. Ie availability discrimination and cultural issues etc. Uniform it is compulsory in secondary and there are also guidance on exclusions for non compliance with uniform policies and if I recall correctly generally exclusion is considered a last resort for uniform issues, and that's in secondary.
Therefore the heads threat to exclude children not wearing uniform is I suspect illegal and most probably unenforceable legally. What would happen if your dc turned up on the first day of term in the wrong jumper?However, how would your children feel if they were only ones? Would you be able to go through with it? The head may be relying on on herd mentality and parents all wanting their dc to conform rather than objecting.
would do a bit of homework and then write to the head, governors and lea. You could also garner support from any similar minded parents as this will strengthen your position.
The press may also be interested however I would leave this as a last resort.

What threat to exclude children - did I miss something? Of course that wouldn't be legally enforceable.

Reading the posts makes me believe that this is a school where the head is god and they believe that they can do anything they want.

Well they can't and the Governing body is the first body who should not be allowing this head teacher to get away with ignoring both the law and best practice recomendations from the DfE.

Firstly the best practice rules around uniform are quite clear, they must be available from more than one source and certainly not just the school.

Secondly why a uniform is expected it is not a legal requirement and the head is wrong to be saying no uniform, no school - that is illegal under the exclusion guidelines.

Thirdly if there were written objections and these have been "lost" by the head and he has subsequently lied to the GB, this is a disciplinary issue.

If you can honestly prove those three issues then I would write to the Chair of Governors making an official complaint. You are actually wasting your time complaining to the LA at present because they will simply bounce it back to you because you have not followed the complaint procedure - you need to get hold of a copy of the school complaint procedure. Only when a panel of governors have investigated the complaint will it will be appropriate to go to the LA.

I rather suspect you will end up having to go to the LA as this sounds like a school where regretably the GB is not doing their job, but at least give them the opportunity to prove me wrong.

Thank you everyone for such succint and helpful replies.

Yes, the Head does think he is god - it is very much his school and he expects everythng about it to be moulded around his values and beliefs about what the world shoudl look like.

It was made quite clear before the holidays that schildren without the new uniform will not be allowed into school. Interesting that can't be enforced. I've noticed that the parents at the school do tend to comply with whatever the head wishes, whatever they say behind his back, so I guess he knows that none of us will risk 'creating a scene' or upsetting our children. I've tried to get other parents to join me in complaining but they either can't be bothered or are too worried about the implications of upsetting the head. The mum who handles the uniform sales did approch him to raise her concerns about the number of people complaining to her and got shouted out of his office.

He has been known to exclude children from PE if they do not have the correct uniform, too.

I've spoken to dh and he wants me to write to the Governors first because he thinks if we make too much fuss things will be made difficult for the dc. For example dd1 misses swimming because she's very phobic (we pay for her to learn privately and once she is confident she will rejoin school lessons) and dh thinks this will be stopped. I know a friend of mine had a run-in with him and his partner (who also works in the school) and it made life very difficult for her whenever she needed to approach either of them about her child.

Right, lots to go on. I'll get writing ready for the start of term and keep you posted.

Many thanks, to all of you.