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Original poster

School punishing/excluding children for not wearing 'logo' school jumper, what is the law?

47 replies

littleducks · 25/05/2011 10:12

State primary. School uniform jumper (no cardigan/fleece option) is sold from school office at £7.50

Yesaterday was school photo day. Children in the 'wrong' jumper (plain colour no logo) or who had taken off their jumper due to the heat and were wearing correct colour gingham dress/shirt were made to wear another childs jumper.

As in child A didnt feel hot and was wearing jumper was told to take it off for child B in dress to wear then child C who wore plain jumper had to take off plain jhumper, put on child A's.

Cue whispering in the playground at lunch about parents buying wrong clothes/not being able to afford right stuff.

I thought that uniform for primary wasnt 'compulsary' or allowed to be sold from just one supplier?

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cornsilks · 25/05/2011 10:15

who was whispering in the playground? Confused children weren't actually punished or excluded based on your OP

WeirdAcronymNotKnown · 25/05/2011 10:17

That sounds horrible. I have no idea of actual law though.

At my school (1990s) we certainly had to wear logo jumpers, though I've no idea what would've happened if we didn't. It was a fairly wealthy area.

I think (just IMLimitedE) it's changed lately, as schools are perhaps more understanding of parents' financial struggles. Certainly in my DSDs' school, which was very very deprived, there were no rules about logo stuff - my DSDs just used plain red. That seems to be the case with many schools round here.

Seems sensible to me - nice to have logo stuff of course, but it really shouldn't be compulsory IMO. Poor DCs, being made to feel inferior Angry

Original poster
littleducks · 25/05/2011 10:17

The children were whispering.

The children had to wear others childrens jumpers or be werent allowed to be in the photo (the excluding bit)

OP posts:
snice · 25/05/2011 10:18

so do you mean they swopped jumpers around so everyone was photographed in a school jumper?
so who was excluded?

Original poster
littleducks · 25/05/2011 10:20

I think, a child who refused to wear somebody elses jumper (not mine, so not sure if they were persuaded to or not).

But they weren't given clean jumpers from office, they had to wear somebody elses.

OP posts:
AMumInScotland · 25/05/2011 10:25

I'm not sure I'd say that having to wear someone else's jumper for a few minutes while a photo was taken would count as either "excluding" or "punishing".

The most unpleasant behaviour seems to have been from some of the children whispering nasty comments about things they know nothing about.

I'd agree its a strange situation, and the school should not have been so obsessed with "consistency" of uniform in the photo, but they're hardly excluding pupils for not having the logo jumper.

snice · 25/05/2011 10:27

It sounds like the sort of spur of the moment thing thats done without any thought for the consequences-e.g.
Photographer: 'They'd look better if they all had the same jumper on'
Teacher: 'Oh Ok, I'll get them to swop'

KatieMiddleton · 25/05/2011 10:28

Mountain. Molehill.

FlingonTheValiant · 25/05/2011 10:30

I think a gingham dress/shirt looks much nicer than a jumper, so as a parent I'd rather have had a photo of that. Did they not send a note telling parents that the children had to wear jumpers for the photo?

snice · 25/05/2011 10:30

Harsh but fair Katie Grin

Original poster
littleducks · 25/05/2011 10:30

Thanks for the feedback, its good to get other peoples views.

I think it is excluding to say that the clothes your parent sent arent good enough for a picture so you have to borrow somebody elses or you cant be in the picture (they wanted to be in the picture so that would be a punishment as everybody else has).

I have supported the school's uniform policy up until now, I only buy the logo jumpers for dd. But I am really unimpressed with this. Its not like infant school children have control over what their parents buy is it?

OP posts:
Bramshott · 25/05/2011 10:32

At DD2's nursery there is an optional logo-ed cardigan or sweatshirt which almost no-one has, but they still dress them all in random logo-ed jumpers for the photo.

cornsilks · 25/05/2011 10:34

I do understand your point and I think that schools are ridiculously petty about uniform, but this kind of thing happens a lot in schools I reckon.

Elibean · 25/05/2011 10:35

Bit of obsessive thing going on with image here, by the sound of it - wouldn't happen at dd's school and does sound pretty silly.

I'd be annoyed, personally, and would probably say something if its resulted in chlidren being made to feel less-than - but don't think I'd use words like 'exclusion' or 'punishment'.

Original poster
littleducks · 25/05/2011 10:36

I honestly can see what Kate is saying but for the one child (who is 5) in the class who always wore a cheaper plain jumper being whispered about....it is a big deal.

There was a note saying it was school photo day and look smart, in school uniform, hair brushed etc.

I do think they should have taken photos in the autumn term if they needed to wear jumpers!

OP posts:
neverforgethowmuchiloveyou · 25/05/2011 11:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Annelongditton · 25/05/2011 12:40

I used to change books at DS's school. I would watch the children walk past on their way to assembly, I soon noticed that all of the known troublemakers had something wrong with their uniform, mix of Summer/Winter, wrong jumper etc. It made me realise that these children start each school day with a statement by themselves or by their parents that the uniform policy doesn't apply to them, they are exempt from some school rules.
I know it is not a scientific study, but once you start noticing this you can't stop and ever since I have an obsession with ensuring that my children are always in the exact, correct uniform.
Am I nuts? probably.

cswilliams78 · 25/05/2011 13:24

Or perhaps, Annelongditton, a statement to say that the parent choose to pay a much cheaper price for an item that has the same basic function?! You can usually buy non logo'd polo's and sweatshirts in really cheap multi-packs where as the logo'd ones are mostly over priced. Perhaps the parents have several uniforms to buy and may not be able to pay double or treble the price for the sake of a logo which is not even compulsory. Maybe it's a choice between food on the table of a logo on a uniform..?

I am glad your children are dressed perfectly and you can afford for them to remain so. Hopefully the good times continue for you and you can maintain this otherwise you may, one day have to send your children to school in a non logo'd 'wrong' uniform and know that judegmental people such as yourself would brand them trouble makers who are trying to make some kind of statement ..

nickelbabe · 25/05/2011 13:26

I would much sooner see the gingham dress/teeshirt than the jumper, too.

teacherwith2kids · 25/05/2011 13:36

Annelongditton,

had it ever occurred to you that the children wearing what you call 'wrong' school uniform (no primary uniform is compulsory, so I presume what you mean is 'non standard') might be making a statement about something other than an attitude rowards the school rules?

It might mean that the child gets themselves up and dressed and out of the door because they are a carer / their parents are substance dependent/ mentally ill/ disabled / their parents were out at work at the time doing double or triple shifts to keep a roof above their heads...

It might mean that in that family there is a choice between food or clothes - or between money for the laundrette to wash school uniform and money for breakfast..

It might mean that they are children in short term care who are on their 5th placement this year...

All of the above might be underlying factors in the behaviour you see. Had those children had breakfast? Slept in a bed (or in a bed they could call their own) for more than a few hours? Were they terrified about what might face them (or the condition they might find their carer in) when they get home that night? Do they even know where home will be that night? Even in good schools in good areas, you would be surprised.

vintageteacups · 25/05/2011 13:49

I think the majority of schools try to help parents as much as possible. at our primary, the PFA do a second hand sale once a term and it's very successful. You only have to donate an amount you feel is appropriate for the items but it's a great way fo buying the logo jumpers and cardis.

At other primary schools we've been to, the majority have not worn logo garments and generally, people just wore jumpers/cardis of similar tone to that in the school prospectus.

I had a friend from Germany who hated it there, where the children don't have uniform. She said it meant they were always dressed in normal clothes and she didn't think it helped identify what they going to school for; learning about rules and dressing smartly for a work environment etc.

I guess thet want them to have logo tops for representing the school etc.

meditrina · 25/05/2011 13:53

Group or individual photos?

It seems over fussy for individual ones, but a bit of pragmatic borrowing for a group photo seems OK to me.

Annelongditton · 25/05/2011 14:20

The school I referred to was in a wealthy area, and the children I referred in the main to were not in the incorrect due to lack of funds, but because it just wasn't seen as important. I know there can be hidden deprivation but this was more don't care middle class parents than social hardship. As I said it wasn't scientific, I am probably nuts, but it has left me with a uniform obsession.
I am very sorry if I have offended anyone who is unable to buy uniform due to lack of funds, it was unintentional.
Secondhand uniform is the norm at both my DC's schools, particularly DS's as he looses everything.

cornsilks · 25/05/2011 15:28

'I used to change books at DS's school. I would watch the children walk past on their way to assembly, I soon noticed that all of the known troublemakers had something wrong with their uniform, mix of Summer/Winter, wrong jumper etc. '
what a busybody

hocuspontas · 25/05/2011 15:56

Not sure I'd actually want to buy a photo of my child in someone else's clothes. And someone was excluded because they didn't want to wear one? Is that true or based on 3rd-hand whispers?