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Original poster

Notice period regarding uniform changes?

28 replies

Stinkle · 16/02/2015 11:51

DD's school sent a letter out on Friday (dated 13th Feb and posted on the school website so I know it's not been festering in her bag for weeks) stating that when they return to school following the half term holiday all students will be expected to wear ties.

School are kindly providing 1 tie each, which is brilliant and will be handing them out on Monday morning

However, regulation school uniform shirts have always been the revere necked ones (like these which can't be worn with a tie.

Is there supposed to be a reasonable notice period regarding uniform changes? It's an academy (who actually promised when they took over there'd be no more changes to uniform Hmm) if that makes a difference.

In the long run, I'm actually happy with the change in shirts, I live in the arse end of nowhere so have to order the revere neck ones, whereas I can get the normal collared ones fairly cheaply in Matalan/Sainsbury's, but I only bought her a whole load of new shirts at Christmas so not overly happy at having to buy another load so soon

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noblegiraffe · 16/02/2015 13:19

I'd be tempted to send her in in her normal shirt and see what the school does when it realises its monumental balls-up. You'll have parents refusing to buy new shirts, ones who didn't realise that they would need new shirts and a few parents who have trekked to the shops.

Some senior leaders just don't think through their decisions do they?

I would bet that compulsory tie-wearing is postponed till September.

TalkinPeace · 16/02/2015 13:39

wear the tie St Trinians style - very loose Grin

Original poster
Stinkle · 16/02/2015 13:46

DD says school have been made aware of the issue with shirts - she's on the school council and they've pointed out to the school several times that revere neck shirts can't be worn with ties.

I knew school had been talking about making ties compulsory, but had assumed that it would come in in September

I am tempted to send her in in her normal shirts, but DD is having a panic over it as they've been told anyone not in a tie after they've been handed out Monday morning will be sent to the learning support unit to be taught in isolation.

Although, knowing school they won't have ordered them in time so won't have enough anyway

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Original poster
Stinkle · 16/02/2015 13:49

wear the tie St Trinians style - very loose

Grin she already rolls her skirt up

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tribpot · 16/02/2015 13:53

Yes she needs to channel the early series of Gossip Girl and wear it loose. What a complete cock up.

We had at least six months' warning of a change of jumper colour, one jumper was provided by the PTA and the old colour is still allowed for the whole of this year too. Round here with a significant number of families on low incomes that's as fast as it could really be done.

noblegiraffe · 16/02/2015 14:01

So what did the school say when the shirt issue was pointed out?

Was there any mention of shirts in the newsletter? If shirts weren't mentioned then they haven't got a leg to stand on if they want to put students in isolation!

MillyMollyMama · 16/02/2015 14:08

Do you have a Parents' Forum? Surely this is the sort of thing that should be agreed with parents? I only had two school shirts. You can do a bit of more regular washing to save buying loads of shirts at the moment. They drip dry pretty quickly.

Original poster
Stinkle · 16/02/2015 14:11

DD doesn't really know. It's been discussed in school council meetings on and off since September. No dates or anything we're put forward, and each time it was bought up the teaching representative was going to take their comments back to the head. That's it as far as DD knows. It wasn't common knowledge, I only knew it was being discussed because DD mentioned it had been discussed

Shirts aren't mentioned at all on the newsletter. Just that school ties are compulsory for all from half term and that school will be providing 1 tie per child.

When DD2's primary (not an academy) changed the uniform it was done over the course of a couple of years.

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MillyMollyMama · 16/02/2015 14:11

M and S long sleeved shirts are £15 for two. Less for short sleeved. They have a 20% off sale starting on Thursday. That's £12 or less. Cost of a pizza!!!

tribpot · 16/02/2015 14:14

Yes but the existing shirts will go to waste. It's unnecessary.

I would take the TIE on day one if I were her, and just ask how to wear it. Bloody ridiculous.

noblegiraffe · 16/02/2015 14:20

Are they also expecting the kids to know how to tie a tie?

I'd love to be a fly on the wall on tie-handout day!

MillyMollyMama · 16/02/2015 14:23

I agree, it is a waste. Could the school parcel them up and send them to a deserving cause? A school in Africa? Good could come out of this.

OddBoots · 16/02/2015 14:28

Are these tie on ties or clip ons? Around here it is clip ons which will be even more of an issue with that type shirt.

Original poster
Stinkle · 16/02/2015 14:30

We used to have a termly parents' coffee morning, but we had a new head in September and it's not been run yet this school year.

We have a parents' Facebook group and it's being rather vigorously discussed on there. Seems most are sending the kids in on Monday in their normal shirts and letting the school figure it out. Which is what I'll probably do, if I can convince my worry-wart DD that she won't be locked in detention for the rest of her life.

It's not so much how much the shirts cost, in the long run it'll be easier, and cheaper for us to buy the normal shirts. I live in the back end of beyond and couldn't get the revere neck ones unless I travelled to big Town or ordered them online, whereas I can get a pack of 3 normal collared ones for a fiver in Matalan.

But what about the year 11s who are expected to buy new shirts for a term and a half (having only worn the new shirts bought for them in September for a term and a half)? Or those with a few children in the school and don't have any spare cash and a weeks notice? I bought new shirts at Christmas so the ones she has are only 6 weeks old.

It would be better for them to give notice now that from September ties would be compulsory

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Original poster
Stinkle · 16/02/2015 14:32

Oh, I don't know if they're clip on or not.

My friend's DS is at a different school and they have elasticated ones.

They really haven't thought this through at all have they. Hmm

I wonder if I could fabricate an excuse to be in school for when the ties are handed out

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5madthings · 16/02/2015 14:37

I would send her in in her normal shirt and the school can see the problem themselves.

I don't care how cheap shirts are if you have perfectly good ones don't replace them.

Also you may be able to get two shirts cheaply but they are white... Therefore they need a clean one for each day. The madthings at school have a shirt for each school day and a spare and then I just soak and so a white wash once a week.

For the two in high school that would be £36 each. So £72 on shirts! And as op points out, yr 11 are leaving soon. Ds1 is yr11 no way would I spend £36 on new shirts, and his would be more expensive actually as despite only being 15 he needs adult sizes. The largest m&s school shirts age 16 are too small.

When our schools have introduced new uniform there has always been a transition period of 6-12mths.

Lottie4 · 16/02/2015 15:20

I'd say if they haven't stipulated that other styles of shirt should/can be worn, then you could argue you DD will be in trouble for wearing another style. I would send her back in her usual shirt, but put a short letter/email together saying that you are happy for her to wear a tie, but are don't feel the revere style shirt is suitable and ask them if they have any comments on this - that way they can see how things go on the first day and let you know exactly what they require.

Original poster
Stinkle · 16/02/2015 15:25

Yes, we have a shirt per day. I put DD1 and 2's white shirts through a hot wash all together once a week. I find they go grey and horrible otherwise.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the 6 week old shirts she already has

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Original poster
Stinkle · 16/02/2015 15:29

Sorry, got interrupted by the phone so crossed posts.

Yes, it doesn't mention changing shirts, so technically she will be wearing the correct uniform shirt.

General consensus among other parents on the FB group is that they're sending their kids back in the normal shirts.

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Hulababy · 16/02/2015 15:30

When Dd's prep school had a uniform change we were given about 18 months change over time.

I would have thought there would be some recommended time frame but assume they are avoiding this by giving each child a tie for free. But they clearly haven't addressed the issue with the shirt. I guess you just send them with the tie and their current shirt, even if it looks wrong.

TheFairyCaravan · 16/02/2015 15:33

M and S long sleeved shirts are £15 for two. Less for short sleeved. They have a 20% off sale starting on Thursday. That's £12 or less. Cost of a pizza!!!

Hmm that's really not the point, is it? For a start, I don't ever pay £12 for a pizza, you need more than 2 shirts, there are lots of families who can't afford to buy more shirts now and the OP has just bought some new ones!

I'd send her in her old shirts. IMO they should be making you aware now of proposed uniform changes for September.

5madthings · 16/02/2015 15:34

Yes I was going to say, who pays £12 for a pizza?!!

ShipwreckedAndComatose · 16/02/2015 15:46

Anyone who goes to Pizza Express round here would pay £12 for a Pizza.

But it's not the point. The school haven't thought it through! Why are they changing now? Odd time to pick

Original poster
Stinkle · 16/02/2015 15:56

It is an odd time to pick, no idea why now.

Most of our local shops don't carry much uniform stock this time of year anyway.

It would make more sense to notify us all now, ready for September. Then get tough with enforcing it

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jeee · 16/02/2015 16:01

It is an odd time to pick.... I'd find 'that' parent, and tut about how terrible the school's decision is. 'That' parent would then go into school and make a fuss, leaving me well behind the firing line.

Actually, I'd sigh, and buy a couple of cheapo-shirts. And if I happened to see 'that' parent I might mention the situation to them

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