Teachers and Teaching Assistants - do you have a dress code at school?

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Had a TA meeting at school today and were told we could no longer wear shortish dresses, leggings or flip flops.

No jeans anyway but wondered what your dress code was and whether you think it was reasonable to tell us what we can and cannot wear.

Do the teachers have the same rules?

Yes, we have a dress code. No low-cut necklines, no strappy tops, no flip-flops, no jeans, no leggings and no cropped trousers. I agree with most of it but am not happy about the last one as I have some very smart linen cropped trousers, not tight-fitting. I can't see what the objection is to those. Also, the leggings one doesn't always make sense. I have a shortish dress which I wear with thick tights and boots in the summer and that's fine. If I tried to wear the same dress with calf-length leggings and pumps/sandals in summer, it wouldn't be allowed.

Not as far as I am aware. Nothing in my contract anyway. Never have in the past either - have worked as a teacher and a TA since 1996.

So, I can come to school dressed as I wish. Today I wore long leggings, with a long tunic top. Totally acceptable imo. I have worn shortish dressed with thick tights or leggings in the past too. Oh, and Birkinstock sandals, and FitFlops.

I have known some teachers and TA wear denim. I don't and never have done, but I have known art teachers especially dress down like this.

I dress in clothes that are practical and comofrtable for te type of work i am doing with the children each day. For example, business attire is not suitable for working with infants especially.

So, what are you allowed to wear?

Do the other school staff - teachers, support staff, etc. have the same dress code?

Who has devised the dress code and were any staff involved in these changes?

Have the unions been consulted yet?

At my last school the dress code was no jeans, no strappy tops, flip flops etc but i did see some teachers/tas in the strappy tops. I think the men got fed up as they had to wear a shirt and tie but if got really hot the dress code relaxed.

At my latest school (all girls) the dress code is similar. I don't tend to wear leggings and tend to dress quite conservatively. Not bothered about flip flops.

Well the teachers were told yesterday that they couldnt wear flip flops or low tops and I totally understand that. I get that jeans are casual and only for non uniform days and I am not a fan of denim skirts.

However, I do love leggings and dresses and wear them 2 or 3 times per week. I wear long tunicy tops or short dresses and find it more modest and comfy when working with little ones (Y1) and sometimes crawling over the floor!

When we left the meeting I went to Foundation Stage and saw the Team Leader there in leggings and long top. She was furious when someone told her leggings were not allowed!

The 2 SLT members of staff who have complained about dress codes are over 60, rotund and so far removed from anything fashionable!!! This will end up being called 'Leggingsgate'!!

I just do not know why it is different from wearing a short skirt and tights in winter.

I dress quite smartly for school. I'm Head of VI Form and head of a dept, and feel that my clothes should reflect that. Also, I've just gone back full time after 4 years wearing sloppy jeans, t-shirts, trainers and baby vomit, so it's quite a treat to wear smart trousers, dresses, jeans and heels. It makes me feel like I'm "at work".

Quite a lot of the middle management dress smartly. There's no dress code, as far as I'm aware, but we have a real mix. On the whole, TAs are less formal, but I've never seen anyone in jeans. Leggings seem quite common though.

I've taught in two other schools. In the first, the "young" staff were spoken to at a special staff meeting about dressing more smartly than we did - that put a few noses out of joint. It was my first job, and I hardly had the cash for new clothes as it was. At the other school, dress was very informal - several (including me on occasion) wore jeans and no one batted an eyelid.

TBH, I've always assumed schools will leave it to staff to use their own judgement about what to wear - anything else seems a bit patronising!

BTW, is the no flipflops thing being touted as Health & Safety?

I'm slumped here, trying to get up the energy to have a shower.
I am spattered with glue, glitter, ink, miscellaneous gunge and have several paper cuts and scratches. There is a lump that may well be modrock somewhere about my person.
If they issues dress regulations, I'd be claiming for damages and making tax deductible requests.
We have a loose rule about clean and decent, with no denims. Most of us use our common sense, although we've had problems with work experience and students.

Sounds like SLT are being a bit overbearing if they are having to dictate specific items of clothing! Fwiw I wouldn't wear leggings and a tunic, I don't think it's office wear which is the guidance all secondary schools I've worked in use. Knee-length dress and ballet pumps or heels fine IMO. You just wouldn't see any smart environment where staff wear leggings, and we're providing an example to students. It's already a lot more flexible for women than men, so I'd never take the piss.

We're not allowed to wear open-toed shoes like flip-flops, some health and safety thing which is probably sensible.

I suppose in primary school you are more hands on with art and craft etc. I don't like jeans but I have seen teachers wear them in p school.

Like Eviltwins I quite like going to work looking smart. Leggings are very fashionable at the moment though and comfortable.

I suppose there's a difference between primary and secondary. Leggings under a dress or skirt give you the freedom of movement that a longer skirt doesn't. Which you do need when working with younger children.

goodegg - I worked for 10 years in secondary schools and never had this kind of dress code.

It is even less practical to wear office wear in a primary school. I spend half my time on the floor working with children, a skirt or dress with no leggings would be far less suitable and smart office wear totally ridiculous at times.

I do remember being scolded long ago for what I was wearing by a much older teacher when we were both on duty. Then the northwesterlies whipped her dress up and everyone admired her sensible underwear.
Likewise when small children are working on the carpet and looking up at you.

Of course it's reasonable. It's a workplace, and the employers are perfectly within their rights to impose a dress code. FWIW I think short skirts, leggings and flip flops are entirely inappropriate in the workplace.

In what way is a dress or tunic over leggings any different to a dress or tunic over thick tights? IME there is very little difference?

And what would be suitable attire for craling over the floor amongst Y1 children?

I think I'm going to have my shower now, then work out if the PVA will come out of my trousers if I soak it. £50 they cost me. I was wearing an apron, but got dribbled on below knee level.
Whilst various people who don't work in schools come out and give their opinions of how they'd like the staff to look.

I'm not a teacher, I work in a hospital, but probably similar clothing needs to be worn as we need to be comfortable for practical work but reasonably presentable.
Dress code basically boils down to clean and decent with no denims, but is actually very long
It does include 'No casual trousers e.g. Jeans, leggings, track suits, combat / cargo trousers'
I take this to mean leggings worn as trousers ie. with a short top, which can look scruffy, and not leggings as an alternative to tights with a dress or a nearly dress length tunic. I can't see a problem with this and would be perfectly happy with my staff wearing leggings in this way.

One advantage of a formal written dress code is you can give it to students before placements etc. Most people have enough common sense not to need it but I do sometimes have staff turning up in jeans etc.

I think it is very different primary vs secondary. The Art teachers wear leggings and tunics etc in secondary schools I've taught at, but suits and professional wear all round for everyone else. Our 6th form are expected to wear smart office clothes and would be sent home to change if they turned up in leggings, so I don't see that I should wear my faves!

"FWIW I think short skirts, leggings and flip flops are entirely inappropriate in the workplace."

Presumably it depends on the indivdal workplace as to wether it is appropriate or not.

A track suit is probably not appropriate for a solicitor, but no dount ideal attire for a fitness coach or PE teacher.

A pair of paint slattered overalls are not ideal attire for a doctor but again no doubt ideal for a builder or an art teacher.

Workplaces and job roles vary massively. The clothes worn should be appropriate for that place of work and that role.

State sector btw

No.

DS raised an interesting point today - he said that one day last week when a male TA was wearing a vest-type T-shirt because he was hot, the HT told him it was not suitable. (I think that could be because he had it on under a normal top and so she said it was a vest, even though it wasn't really) The TA said he thought that was unfair as female staff wear those strappy vest-type tops. I think he was probably right.

Yeah I think men have it much tougher in smart environments in the summer. Short-sleeved shirt + tie = bleurgh!

I admit that I wouldn't wear a strappy top on its own for work. I would wear one under a fastened cardigan or lower cut top/tunic/dress for a layering effect though.

I know very few male teachers/TAs who wear ties. But yes, they are generally dressed smarter.

I'm a teacher and dress differently in different key stages. When I'm in foundation stage I wear clothes which mean I can crawl around the floor, add wellies and a waterproof, wash easily because of paint and glue etc. However, if I'm in year 3 or 4 I tend to dress more smartly. I' ve never worn flip flops to work and don't think they're appropriate work wear.

Like Littlefish I dress differently in my present class (or for meetings) than I would if I was doing forest school in the foundation Stage.