the fatuities school uniform

[francer65]

Just wondered if anyone knew if it is legal for a LA school to exclude a child for a minor breach of school uniform code? I cannot find my Yr 7 son cotton trousers (won't put him in man=made all day every day for health reasons) which fit and do not have patch pockets. School says patch pockets are FORBIDDEN!! They can give me no logical reason for this, indeed decline to discuss it at all .. that's just 'what's been decided'. (For an establishment created to teach children to think rationally, a disappointing answer). I asked what might happen down the line if he continues to wear patch pockets and was told he would be excluded. Can anyone advise me if this would actually be legal? He went to a non-uniform (rated 'Good') primary, and before that a primary in France, where they don't have uniforms, so we are bewildered by the whole thing.

damn that should have read 'the fatuities OF school uniform'! sorry, rather cross!

m.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-boys'-pure-cotton-adjustable-waist-straight-leg-school-trousers-black/p/396646?sku=231882291&s_kwcid=2dx92700013399441601&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=CNvd75zT0M8CFSpGcgod1nkOjw&gclsrc=ds

Thosego to an age 14 if any good.

www.marksandspencer.com/boys-pure-cotton-skin-kind-straight-leg-flat-front-trousers-with-new-and-improved-fabric/p/p22450770?image=MS_04_T76_3621S_T0_X_EC_90&color=GREY&prevPage=plp&pdpredirect

Could you unpick the pockets?

from the DfE:

A head teacher, or a person authorised by the head teacher, may ask a pupil to go home briefly to remedy a breach of the school’s rules on appearance or uniform. When making this decision schools need to consider the child’s age and vulnerability, the ease and time it will take, and the availability of the child’s parents. This is not an exclusion but an authorised absence. However, if the pupil continues to breach uniform rules in such a way as to be sent home to avoid school, or takes longer than is strictly necessary to effect the change, the pupil’s absence may be counted as an unauthorised absence. In either case the pupil’s parents must be notified and the absence should be recorded. If a school is considering excluding a pupil in response to breaches of uniform policy then this must be in line with the legal requirements for exclusion.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/514978/School_Uniform_Guidance.pdf

Yes, they can exclude for breaches of uniform policy. Or breaches of any other school rules.

Sometimes, you just have to take the rough with the smooth - this may not have been your first choice school (or if very unlucky, one that was not on your preference list at all) but if he's doing OK otherwise and you don't want to move him then there isn't an option but to live with it, I'm. Afraid.

Ours has this rule too; it's a way of distinguishing jean-type trousers from 'smart'. I agree it's absurd. Looks like those JL or M&S options are a goer though - thank you Unicorn! I commend your refusal to tolerate man made fibres next the skin all day long but it's an impossible battle to fight here - don't shirts have the same problem?

The shirts the school requires are quite good - cotton polo shirts - or I would have been fighting that battle too I suppose! One of the reasons this got my blood up was because the teacher I spoke to couldn't give any rationale for the ban on patch pockets. It was just 'that's the way it's been agreed' - and in an institution supposed to be training children to reason and justify their reasoning, that's not good enough.
I've now unpicked the offending pockets, as suggested by a poster above (thank you) and will be sewing them to my son's backpack instead.

I've now unpicked the offending pockets, as suggested by a poster above (thank you) and will be sewing them to my son's backpack instead.

Why ?