School uniform in sixth form

[theae]

Just beginning to think about possible sixth form options (that is A Level: do they still call it sixth form?) for dear daughter (1st year GCSE). Exploring with her what she is likely to want and it seems that a major factor is freedom of clothing.

At her current school (independent day school) they have to continue wearing the same uniform but with a different tie in the sixth form and this shocked me. Surely the beauty of the sixth form is some more freedom?

I attended similar school in another part of the country 20+ years ago and we had a dress code of essntially smart skirts and blouses for girls, any colour suits and ties for boys - not much different from a school uniform granted but still we were given some freedom.

Is it now more normal for schools to insist on uniform in the sixth form?

Back in the 90s, the official line on sixth form wear was 'smart business attire' which was mostly interpreted as wearing what we wanted to, but not jeans.

DD's selective London indie doesn't seem to have a sixth form uniform policy as far as I can tell from looking at them (whether they have one and it's being interpreted very loosely could be another matter).

DS1 (Scottish state) stayed in school uniform in the 6th Form - with a different tie and we had to sew braid onto the blazer.

DS2 (English academy) had strict uniform requirements in the lower school (detention for untucked shirt etc). In 6th Form they can wear what they like within reason (sportswear is kept for sports lessons) and must respect that 6th Form is a workplace. They are required to wear smart dress for particular days (like today’s Remembrance Day service).

School uniform in my children's sixth form.
My daughter is a September birthday so will (hopefully) be driving soon after she starts. It is funny the thought of her driving a car to school while wearing a school uniform.

well, both of the school sixth forms my kids go/went to blow the odea of smart dress= well behaved kids out of the window.

Both are super selective grammars.
Both have had a very sensible uniform policy all the way through. Not expensive, and not stupid with enforcement. General common sense has been there all the way through, no draconion measures for wearing the wrong shoes for example.

Now in sixth form
boys school has some rules, eg no ripped jeans or hoodies, no blue jeans. But are quite relaxed, as long as they don;t look a sight.
girls school doesn't really seem to have many rules at all.

Both schools have extremely good behaviour reputation and high results.

The one I hate is business dress, the idea that you have to buy a whole set of sixth form clothing that won't get worn at uni and which you only need for 18 months is silly.

Our local 6th form is part of the school but has no uniform and a very relaxed dress code. We're in a low further education participation area, some serious pockets of deprivation, but the school gets good results and behaviour is much better than at the attached secondary with its strict adherence to unifoiform. Both my DDs got good A levels, got into their first choice unis and turned down a RG uni in the process. It really isn't all about appearances and I'm still baffled by the UK's obsession with uniform and conformity. I'm from the Netherlands - no school uniform and somehow we manage to turn out functional, educated young people.

Our local top performing girls' grammar has no uniform in 6th form.
The boys' grammar has 'business dress.' Nonsense in this day and age.

Our local comp makes them all wear ties and horrible polyester blazers.
Once they leave they'll probably only wear a tie at weddings and funerals!

So outdated

Yeah, l don’t know anyone who wears ‘business dress’ anymore.

@ufucoffee

My child's uniform in 6th form was business dress. There is no way I'd be choosing a sixth form for my child based on being able to wear what you want.

Why would you be choosing at all? It's your child's choice, not yours.

OP, most around here are in the 'wear what you like' camp.

DCs at different Independent London schools with strictest uniform policy y7-y11. In both 6th forms anything goes ( within reason). I think DS’s school used to insist on ‘business wear’ but gave it up a couple of years ago.

strict- ish uniform not strictest!

Local private school supposedly has a ‘strict’ dress code; business wear. However, whilst the boys are in suits and ties, the girls seem to have much more leeway. I tutor some after school and the girls lately have appeared in everything from a red, midi length bodycon dress with a thigh high split to a tiny mini dress in net.