Ok help with uniform definitions here please

[GloriaVanderbilt]

Can I ask you please, what are 'school trousers'?

We have been told that we can only wear 'school trousers' and no other sort of trousers presumably will do.

Does this have to mean polyester or do you think there are alternative candidates we might get away with? How can we prove they are school trousers? I want my children to wear cotton, furthermore friend's children need to wear cotton because of eczema.

So how do we work around this (petty) issue? Having a word with school is not currently an option as they are On My Case iykwim.

Ironically at our new school DS is encouraged to wear black joggers because 'three year olds tend to get mucky'.

I like our new school's approach tbh. We've been told 'grey, black or navy bottoms of any kind bar jeans, youngest kids need joggers or sturdy trousers', tops are white. School jumper. That's it.

Oh I like that. That's a proper approach. Child-up instead of top-down 'look nice for the visitors' type thing we seem to have been landed with.

They don't get that it's not about what they look like. It's so much more than that. and I refuse to put d1 in some hideous thing that hurts him, every day. If he is more comfy in joggers then so be it...they're not all one shape.

Nursery teacher said to me that she hates seeing tiny boys in proper trousers because for the first half of the year they are falling down and the second half they are too short in the leg. Also if they are only recently potty trained it's quite hard to go from elasticated trews to do up trousers I think.

Trousers are always too long in the legs for my boys. I now buy them school trousers from next's 'plus' range. So for example, ds1 is age 6 but wears 5+ trousers. Ds2 (age 4) wears 3+. They fit perfectly and save hours of tedious hemming :)

that sounds good. I will investigate! Thankyou.

...Hemming?
do they ALSO need to be a certain lenght? (real panic now)

The hemming is only an issue if you have dc with freakishly short legs :)

Well, I have DD1 in M&S black yoga pants - technically speaking these are sportswear and school stipulates 'tailored black trousers' but they look like well-cut bootlegs on her and we have been getting away with it. In fact she has had merits for always being dressed in correct school uniform . They are also 100% cotton and very comfy, not to mention affordable.

I hate the teflon coated polybloodyester standard uniform stuff.And cords do look very smart if they are in a smarter style,rather than a jeans style. Anyway primary school uniform is a choice,your HT cannot force you to put your child in anything as legally it is optional (unless he is at a private school).So if you find black ones that suit,buy them.Far better than teflon.

The trouble is Helly, they can jolly well try.

I got advice on this - the school can only take action if the problem is defiant or persistent, or something like that, but yes they can send a primary school child home for incorrect uniform.

shocking isn't it

Pointy they sound nice! I'm guessing you aren't already on the HT's blacklist regarding uniform, which I am (sadly) or I might get away with stuff too!

Crikey-how can they send a child home for incorrect uniform if legally they are not allowed to enforce uniform? It is optional. Of course most parents comply,I hate uniforms on little children but mine have gone off today in the 75% polyester polo shirts (uggh).But when it is an issue of health,as in skin problems,then I would insist on putting them in whatever I could get that was vaguely appropriate. I emailed John Lewis et al last year about all the teflon and easy iron coatings,and the lack of plain cotton,but they weren't madly helpful.Although this summer they did do one cotton dress. www.cambridgebaby.co.uk/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=184&zenid=qpktu6h1mhd3gf47l982cquga4 sometimes they have suitable things here.
or here www.eczemaclothing.com/

Is it really legally unenforceable?

I'd love to have this info to print off and distribute.

The trouble is, people do want to comply and don't want their kid to be the odd one out.
Our uniform just got changed, and it's being phased in but the hT didn't want it to be, so didn't tell the parents till about 3 days ago by which time they'd all chucked their old stuff (perfectly good condition, what a waste) and bought the new hideous colours.
My child was the only one I could see wearing the old stuff today and I felt awful for him. Hope HT is pleased with herself.witch

Gloria I might be on the head's list if things get any more difficult with finding DD1 boots for winter. School specifies nothing higher than ankle and must be black - it is so far impossible to find something suitable that does not look completely boyish. Have found one pair on the Clarks website that look both practical and feminine, but they may not fit - DD1 has awkward feet, high instep and very narrow heels.

So if these ones don't work, she will be getting high black winter boots from our lovely independent shoe shop and will be wearing them under trousers, and if anyone says anything I will be giving them hell - especially if we have a winter like the last two.

Oh, and there is no rational for not allowing kneel-high boots - I've asked. They don't care about skin problems either, their logo's incredibly expensive school polo is 60% polyester. Fortunately early summer was not that warm so no flare-ups but if we have a warm spring, logos will be cut from crappy polyester polos and attached to nice cheapo cotton ones from Sainsbos.

I get really annoyed about the synthetic thing.Not only is it terrible in terms of the planet but it goes against the principle of a uniform,which is that it should be inclusive and suitable for all. For anyone with excema the horrible poly based polo shirts are dreadful. And they look bobbly and awful after a few months,where pure cotton ones would have got softer and nicer. I was told by dds last school that uniform at primary level is legally optional,and I've read it here on several posts-I wonder how you could get it in writing ? I'm not sure who to contact.

It isn't correct to say that primary school uniform is optional - once a school has opted to have a uniform, there are things they can do to enforce it. Recent discussion of this point here.

Gloriavenderbilt

What is wrong with straight forward school trousers like everyone else wears- your child isn't allergic to synthetic fibre and you "prefer" cotton....

You seem to be out to rub the HT up the wrong way about some thing that really is a non issue, as others have said the teflon coated polester trousers are fine- they wash/wear and last well. Cotton ones take ages to try and crease /wear fast

' and I refuse to put d1 in some hideous thing that hurts him, every day.'

This from further down the thread, if you'd read my posts you'd probably not have assumed I'm out to 'rub the HT up the wrong way'.

Ds finds 'school' trousers really uncomfortable. They don't fit him and don't stretch. They hurt him. Often he's come home with them undone as they were hurting too much.

I hope that's a good enough reason for you.

Also in the OP I mentioned it wasn't just about my own child.

I disagree that teflon is "fine" btw. It is toxic. Not something I want on my toddlers skin .www.townsendletter.com/June2006/healthrisk0606.htm .