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Secondary education

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Original poster

Sixth Form Dress Codes

47 replies

Talker2010 · 03/09/2011 13:59

Teen girl is starting Sixth Form at a new school with an "office dress" code

The cost of kitting her out has been, imo, ridiculous but nothing she had was suitable ... jeans, casuals, etc all no-no

I was okay with trousers/skirts and shirts but she has to wear a jacket too

All this alongside books/the usual stationary and a massive increase in travel costs

Getting us ready for the cost of university I guess Sad

Are we all in the same boat?

OP posts:
adamschic · 03/09/2011 14:06

Mine bought new stuff to go into sixth form last year but fortunately they don't have a dress code as such (no short shorts rule etc). She mainly wears jeans and hoodies but occassionally dresses up in officey wear. She got a nice short black jacket which dresses up any outfit.

We are lucky to still get EMA, was £30 last year but this year it's £20, still cannot complain as they tried to take it off her. This pays for books, travel, school trips (all her friends have cars now, and she mainly got lifts) lunches and other stuff. She also has a part time job.

Does your DD have a job? Eases the burden if she does.

mrswoodentop · 03/09/2011 14:09

Ours is office dress as well and in my opinion ridiculously retractive for the girls ,nothing they would wear elsewhere.I have boys so it's just a suit which whilst expensive is easy.

hocuspontas · 03/09/2011 14:09

I've been silently seething over the girls' dress code. As you say, they haven't anything suitable already. Who would? This is dd2's narrow brief - navy, black or grey suit with skirt or trousers. Skirt 3cm above the knee. Formal shirts with collars only. No dresses. The school can change/ban anything they don't like with only a day's notice. Apparently pin-stripe not allowed but not confirmed yet. We have bought a black pin-stripe!
I wouldn't mind but the teachers wear dresses, jeans, flowing tops etc!

Original poster
Talker2010 · 03/09/2011 14:13

She has applied for a few jobs so I hopefully will not have to buy any future outfits

Hocus ... we have the skirt length thing too ... apart from no shoulders showing there seems little else in terms of restrictions thankfully

We have gone for a black jacket and a brownish one ... both mix/match types rather than suit ... then a range of trousers/skirts and shirts

OP posts:
Original poster
Talker2010 · 03/09/2011 14:15

Re teacher dress code ... the school she is going to do seem to have a code there too ... unlike the school she has come from

Of course the dress code there for Sixth is "if yoUr shorts are really short you must wear thick tights!"

OP posts:
StopRainingPlease · 03/09/2011 14:35

No experience of 6th form, but is this really "office dress"? In my office we all wear jeans! I've never had to dress like that in my life!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 03/09/2011 14:40

DD1 has to wear a navy, grey or black suit but can wear any top providing it doesn't have writing on.

Where are people getting the suits from? I've only bought her one black jacket and a pair of black trousers so far and she has a couple of black skirts but I think she'll need at least one more.

Agree re costs - bus pass/shoes/suits/bag/pens etc really does add up!

Loshad · 03/09/2011 14:41

We have a dress code - smart office type wear but neither sex need wear a jacket, the girls view it as a constant challenge to see how short their skirts can be before being told off - sample comment from last year
Me "x do you actually have a skirt on?" (she had on v short coat and i could see nothing beneath it).
X "sorry miss", pulls and tugs and wriggles and a skirt is miraculously pulled down to at least cover her knickers.
The 2 different sixth forms my boys go to both require suits, but they do look fab in them, and they enjoy wearing them.

PonceyMcPonce · 03/09/2011 14:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hocuspontas · 03/09/2011 14:50

We went to Next outlet store at Freeport in Essex. They have a huge range of mix and match jackets, trousers, skirts and dresses. We picked up a couple of black jackets for £10 each which I thought was a bargain. Dd has been to Primark for blouses and a couple of skirts. I have no idea why they can't wear cardigans. It's galling that the sixth form colleges are all hoodies and jeans! And most of the students in the school will go onto University or drop out so the 'introduction' of the business outfit will be worn by the minority. Think I feel a whinging email coming on....

Original poster
Talker2010 · 03/09/2011 15:16

We managed to get one jacket and a couple of shirts in Jane Norman closing down sale

Trousers are from Next as she is "tall"

OP posts:
jgbmum · 03/09/2011 16:13

DS 6th form still has a uniform.
It has cost £125 for the blazer (with 6th form logo), 4 shirts (logo'd) and tie. Plus black trousers from M&S.
Girls uniform is black blazer, white blouse (with collar and at least short sleeves) and school skirt (grey/white/black "kilt" like thing which apparently costs a fortune)

mountaingirl · 03/09/2011 16:41

Business suit for ds. He is not impressed as the teachers can wear anything as well as the u6th ( new sixth form last year some pupils get taught elsewhere). New L6th now have strict dress code. Ordered shirts from M&S that were due to arrive 3 days ago and no sign of them! I'm in France so the most I can do is send stroppy emails to delivery service & M&S.

AgonyBeetle · 03/09/2011 18:53

DD's school, ridiculously strict at KS3 and 4, is Liberty Hall at 6th form. Jeans are fine, indeed de rigeur.

The only nonos are shorts, knicker-skimming skirts, bare midriffs and excessive cleavage. Which seems fair enough, really.

Cupawoman · 03/09/2011 19:24

Bllimey I feel luckly. DS2's sixth form has no dress code at all (state school) so it will be mostly jeans and hoodies and I'm extremely grateful for it after 16+ years of forking out for uniform. This is also the first time in as many years we have not had to shop for black school shoes this week. Hurrah!

Cupawoman · 03/09/2011 19:25

blimey lucky - only had the one glass Grin

Original poster
Talker2010 · 03/09/2011 19:38

Cupawoman ... State School here as well !

OP posts:
jgbmum · 03/09/2011 20:09

Yes us too, state comp.

mumofsoontobelawstudent · 03/09/2011 21:41

DS1's old sixth form (just left) had a strict dress code. In L6 black, blue or grey suits, no pattern, white shirts and school tie. In U6 they could have patterns, ie pinstripe and coloured shirts. Girls had to wear suits (same rules as above) but had restrictions on length of skirt.

jgbmum · 03/09/2011 22:28

Mos - hi! Good to "see" you

chopchopbusybusy · 03/09/2011 22:40

No dress code here thank goodness. DD would definitely not consider a 6th form with a dress code (other than the usual no obscene slogans and reasonable skirt length). Can't say I blame her. She's got years of dressing sensibly ahead of her.

mummytime · 04/09/2011 11:55

The boys private grammar school has an "office dress code", the girls equivalent has no code as do none of the comprehensives.

alemci · 04/09/2011 12:15

I am seething about the school my DC's go to. My dd is going into Y13 and last year I bought stuff. As long as she looked reasonable no jeans etc. she wore dresses etc.

Suddenly they decide to introduce a new dress code a bit like the ones described on here. my other dd will be going into Y12. They expect you to buy an expensive cardigan from the school for £25. I won't as I think it is unecessary and I am not prepared to fork out £50 for the school to make money out of especially when ED is only there until May.

It really angers me when at college they are allowed to wear jeans. Plus I have to fork out for stationery, text books etc. Also I have told the school that I am not prepared to iron any of the stupid shirts. The girls don't help with anything around the house so too bad they will look scruffy.

The parents at the school seem to have more money than sense and will probably go along with it like a load of sheep. Sorry I am so angry about this. The school get extra funding for 6th form students.

Original poster
Talker2010 · 04/09/2011 12:55

The school get extra funding for 6th form students

The school gets more funding for sixth formers but they are usually in far smaller classes so cost more to teach

Not really sure why the funding would affect the dress code though

OP posts:
alemci · 04/09/2011 13:58

I think it was the fact that we have to buy text books. I think the school should provide those with some of the extra funding.

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