What is the issue with the coats?

[Leffeandolives]

I have heard to be prepared for my DC not to wear her coat from next year that she will go to a secondary school. At the moment she does, so I don't understand what would change next year!

Is it true? Do secondary schools advise kids not to wear coats in winter?

If there are no lockers are there no pegs too?

Could they not place them at the back of their chairs as we do at work?

Apologies but I am not originally from the UK, have not attended a British school and I don't know how it works.

When I went at school, we had pegs in each classroom or put them at the back of our chairs (most of the times). And we always wore them during the breaks that we had to be outside at the playground. Actually we could wear them whenever we wanted to wear them!

Help please!

In my house it’s because costs are uncomfortable over blazers .

My high schooler wears a coat in cold, wet weather. Her school has lockers she can't use and she has to haul everything including a school-issued laptop around, but she will at least see sense about wearing a jacket.

She will not, however, wear waterproof boots in the snow or ice. Would rather slip and fall from wearing Converse trainers on ice. Would rather soak her feet in the snow and let them freeze. Both of these options are more appealing to her than changing into sensible boots with grippier treads.

I went to school in a different country with proper winters. So we definitely did wear winter coats to school. Had proper lockers to store them in too. And I had an expensive jacket or two stolen because I left them out of my locker in the wrong spot for too long. I probably also thought snow boots were uncool at that age (the LL Bean duck boots trend was before my time).

My son is 14 and won't wear his lovely warm (trendy, I checked) coat in the cold weather. But he will wear gloves and a hat. But then he chooses to wear thin shorts and top for PE and to go to the gym, I think he just doesn't feel the cold like us old 'uns.

And they aren't allowed to put them on the back of chairs.
How ridiculous. Do they have hooks then?

You could always get something very light and warm but waterproof, which could wrap up small in their bag?

My son just started high school and he has a thin rain coat he wears if raining and puts it in his bag before school. It's been so cold recently so he puts a hoody on under his blazer and wears a hat and gloves. Everything can fit in his bag. The no coat at school thing is stupid.

No lockers, no pegs. Coats have to be away and in a bag as soon as they are through the door or they have detention. It's easier not to bother, considering the books and kit they already have stuffed into their bag.

There are ones who wear coats it’s just they don’t stand out as much. I’ve actually been surprised at the number I see wearing coats since my daughter started because at first there didn’t seem to be anyone wearing them. Think it also shows difference in those who walk some distance and those who get bus/lift. If some wear them it seems to help others too. Yes lockers are a pain but they are used if not too remote and at lunchtimes are used as a dumping base.

It was ever thus. I remember going on a trip in year 11 and it was snowing. We were all standing around the hall waiting for the coach and our English teacher was fussing around us, telling us to put our coats on... to which we all said we didn't have them. She was appalled and said "but it's snowing! It's been snowing all morning!" To which we all just shrugged. She couldn't get over it. The madness was that I would happily wear gloves and a scarf alongside my blazer, but a coat? No chance. This attitude changed in sixth form and I'm a normal, coat-wearing human now.

Mine is in Y8. I had to buy the North face one to make him wear a coat. I'm glad I did. At least he is warm now.

Same here. Admittedly my DD is not cool at all and too stubborn to get cold just for fashion, but I see lots of others wearing them too. She dies find it a pain as there are no lockers or hooks, so tends to wear a fairly lightweight jacket unless it's really cold. They don't have blazers though - I can see why your be less likely to wear a coat if you did.
I go into schools for work too and definitely see a lot, but not all, in coats.

I've only seen this as a phenomenon on mumsnet. Maybe go passed your local secondary school at start/end or lunch and see what they do near you.
I live in the same village as my secondary school and all the teenagers are wearing coats. Same in other schools locally when I drive passed.
I can understand maybe if the uniform involves a blazer but none of the schools near me have blazers, they wear polos and jumpers

At my secondary, you would hang up your coat in your form classroom and collect it at the end of the day. Barely anyone actually brought coats tho as the rush to get out to the buses on time meant there wasn't much time for going and collecting your coat at the end of the day.

We weren't allowed to carry them/wear them indoors during the day so it was the only option.

And mine! And they’re typical (reasonably) cool teenagers.

I did make sure to get squishy coats that fit in their bags though - the down sort of ones from decathlon. Much more practical than a big winter coat.

DD’s school have no lockers and a no wearing coats indoor rule so lots of kids / including her - just don’t bother taking them.

My ds not only didn't wear a coat but unless it was absolutely freezing he wore no school jumper either . Just sauntered in with rolled up shirt sleeves! He said the school building was very warm and the jumper made him feel uncomfortable. Maybe electricity prices etc has reduced the temperature in schools now. They had ample places to store coats.
When they go to Secondary you will get used to letting things go. And at times coats will be the least of your worries! If he wanted to freeze l let him on as surely its his own decision once l provide ample warm clothes. He was never sick. I didn't even comment after the first few times.
He is out of university now and has fabulous warm coats and is always well wrapped up.
I wouldn't waste any energy even thinking about it.

My DS is 14 and never leaves the house without his coat, I pick him up from school and it's about 50/50 here for coat wearers, they do put them on the back of their chairs in lessons, as always teenagers are a law to themselves

@Leffeandolives I was involved as a consultee in the design of a new school building for my children's school. Senior teachers don't like lockers because they cause too many issues. They often need to be searched as part of behaviour management, and often get very unpleasant due to mouldy food or PE kit. Also, they don't like pegs or cloakroom areas due to fire regulations and space issues (having a cloakroom may mean one less classroom, because they're only allowed a certain maximum footprint). They also don't like coats to be worn in school. So students need to take them off and, as they move around for every lesson, that means they need to carry them around. Kids find this a hassle so only wear them when its unbearably cold. Most secondaries are lenient about the type of cold weather coats that are worn, so there is also a fashion issue, with some kids having very expensive brands. This puts other kids off wearing their less fashionable coats.

DS school, coats must not be seen in the corridors or classrooms. Apparently they look untidy!!. The lockers are generally miles away, so the students don't bother wearing one as they'll end up with consequence points/detentions if they are seen! Totally ridiculous really.

Mine always wore coats. I think it's a regional thing. My kids don't like being cold.

I love this comment 😂

So true.

Iv noticed this , Mine won’t wear a coat for school because there is nowhere for it to go no locker or peg , doesn’t fit in his backpack and he would have to put it under his desk / back of chair , he moves from classroom to classroom for lessons and is worried he will lose it . He wears it when going out with his friends etc so for him it’s not a being cool things just not practical. I feel so bad thought when it’s cold but he won’t take it

Back in the day when I was a teen you wouldn’t have been caught dead with your hood up even in monsoon like rain.

Mine wears her coat when it's cold or wet. I don't think she's one of the cool kids. School makes them wear a jumper and blazer, though, so for much of the year she doesn't really need a coat as well.

My dds had a school uniform coat, they refused to wear it to school but wore it at weekends. 🤔Dd1 wore it til she was about 30!