What's the rule on ties/top buttons at your child's school and how do they wear it?

[cuntrybumpkin]

My friend has just dropped her children off so I can take them to school and she made the comment 'you don't let them go to school like that do you?' and pointed out that I was seemingly being lax in not making my children do up their ties and top buttons like she does with hers.

Now I do know that her children aren't the sort to modify their uniform the moment that their mother is out of sight because I've seen them at school and they still look as tidy as they did when they left the house.

It's not something I've really ever thought about, and not considered that I might be in the 'wrong' for not making mine do up theirs. I've always just assumed that the school would do something if there was an issue.

My younger son is starting in year 7 at the same high school as my other three next month, his sisters are starting year 10 and year 11, and my older son is starting his first year of sixth form, which has the same uniform.

Their uniform has until now consisted of a sweatshirt and a choice between either polo shirt or shirt with school ties being optional. But the school has changed the uniform for September so that all those starting in year 7 must only wear polo shirts and that although older pupils still have a choice between shirts and polos, older girls should no longer wear school ties although ties are still optional for boys.

The school is pretty relaxed about ties, my eldest three and most pupils at their school have their top buttons permanently undone with their knots of their ties as large as possible and still visible under their sweatshirts.