Primary schools with no uniform in London

[Rad555]

Hi guys,

I am wondering whether there are any primary schools in London that do not wear uniform (state or private). We're based in East London and looking for an alternative primary education provision.

Thanks in advance!

I think it helps if you can define what you mean by well rounded. It also helps to know what you hope for the future. Would be aiming for a selective secondary?

We've had two in state and one in private. One went to an AMI certified Montessori because I thought it would be well rounded when in fact I would say it was very rigid. The children could only "play" or work with the materials in certain prescribed ways. During a settling in session with my child I witnessed a teacher warn and chastise two 3 year old girls because they had invented a fairy game using the color chart blocks (I can't remember the correct term for them now). I was fairly shocked. What it did succeed in doing was teaching three and four year olds to read. In my opinion though it was just another version of hothousing.

All state and most private schools will be using the EYFS curriculum b whether the children are dressed in clown suits or uniforms. The most alternative school I can think of king Alfred's. It's a very marmite school though. If you have a very self motivated child it may be fine if not.. We've known a few who pulled their kids out because of their lack of progress.

What has turned out to be the most well rounded education in my opinion is the private prep. The small classes and boatloads of resource mean they can go well above and beyond the standard curriculum. At the prep DC do ballet, art, all kinds of sport, forest school, swimming etc all taught by well qualified specialists. The country preps outside London are less pressurised in general especially if it's an "all through" school. By choosing an all through school you bypass SATS and any type of entrance exams.

One of ours went to a Steiner school for nursery but in the end it was too disjointed with the rest of the system and very unclear what would happen after age 7. We pulled out before reception. A child that isn't reading or writing isn't going to pass the 7+ and if you go state then youre at the mercy of an in year place coming up.

In the south of Islington, William Tyndale and Hanover, which are state schools, and Dallington and Charterhouse Square, which are private.

Brookfield, Gospel Oak, Eleanor Palmer, Yerbury, Torriano, Fleet... none of the primaries round us have uniform and they're all good/outstanding. I don't understand why any primary school needs a uniform, tbh. Secondary, maybe but even then not entirely convinced.

Henry Maynard in Walthamstow is no uniform - and by reputation quite laid back and 'rounded' (as much as you can be when you're following a set curriculum anyway)

King Alfred in NW3 if you're looking for alternative. Private. no uniform. kids call teachers by their first names.

DD doesn't wear uniform to school - that was the case for 3 of the 5 primary schools we looked at for her (not in London, another English city). However the one she's at is known for being pretty pushy academically, and the school which was in some ways most rounded did have a uniform. I can understand your thinking, but where we are it doesn't match what we saw.

William Patten & Grasmere in our part of Hackney have no uniform. However both have tiny catchments & in the case of Grasmere in particular you have to live practically on the doorstep to be offered a place.

If you are prepared to move very close to the state primary of your choice then go for it. If that's not possible then you would obviously need to check out the private options.

Which part of East London?

Columbia Primary
Bonner Primary
Lauriston Primary

In the E2/E9 area all have no uniform. Columbia in particular is an amazing school.

I went to non uniform schools - it was awful. i spend my complete school life being bullied for not having the unofficial uniform (diesel jeans, nike trainers etc, several pairs of each) . teaching was very narrow minded. have a very, very good look around the school! My son's school has very strict uniform, but is otherwise very "out of the box". Uniform/non uniform says nothing

I went to the French Lycee in South Ken. We didn’t have uniform. At least not in the 1980s.

my children went to a non uniform school for a while, and there were some really choice characters who would turn up in full official football kit every day, and actually grab my son's shirt neck to read the label and declare it 'fake'.
It was a fucking nightmare.

@tethersend I'm interested in your views on Columbia being a great school? We considered it for my DC and I loved it. DH however wasn't convinced it was strong enough academically. (Sorry to hijack post OP!)

DD is at a non uniform school in North London which I like. It is so nice seeing the kids in their own things all different colours and patterns. A lot of parents clearly buy the 3 for 2 at H&M!
Most of the no uniform schools around here are the higher performing and outstanding schools. We are one of the few countries with so many uniformed schools-why??

@schoolworrier have PMed you

Just as an aside but it’s really interesting to read that certain areas have schools where most or all have no uniform. I can’t think think of a single school, primary or secondary where we live that doesn’t (Leeds)

My children go to one of the 'non uniform' schools mentioned on here. The non uniform part is the only alternative part about it. People imagine that the school is creative - but it is less so than other schools in the area. So don't expect a non uniform school to be any different or more special, I'd say.

Forest Hill has a few non uniform schools - Fairlawn, Horniman and Kilmorie are the ones I know of.

Another vote for Columbia primary school, I have children there who are very happy, no uniform which I love, it's very close knit too.

Several schools in the borough of Greenwich are non uniform. They also cal teachers by first names and have a lovely caring ethos. The 3 I'm aware of all high performing; above average results and good it outstanding ofsted.

Not having uniform is fantastic in my view. Kids turn up in all sorts; are dressed comfortably to learn and teacher time isn't wasted on uniform" issues".

No uniform can often be a left over from a more relaxed approach to education but in my experience everything has changed except the lack of uniform!!!

Personally I'd differentiate between very rigid, must have uniform, must be logoed, rigidly enforced uniform and the "this colour top, this colour bottoms, don't be ridiculous with shoes" approach that is more relaxed about it.

John Ball in Blackheath
Brindishe Lee in Lee Green

Both schools are state and neither is what you would describe as alternative

I think it must be a right pain not having a uniform