Not allowed blazer off at school- normal?

[BedBugs5]

The DC’s school has recently toughened its uniform policy and one rule in particular is causing controversy. The policy used to be that blazers had to be worn between lessons, but could be taken off in class with permission of the teacher. That seemed fair enough.

However, now the school has a “zero tolerance” policy whereby blazers have to be worn at all times on school premises, including in lessons. They can only be removed in class if the headteacher allows removal in exceptionally warm weather- DC aren’t allowed to ask permission.

The DC have complained about being warm. Is this policy normal for secondary schools and they just need to suck it up?

Normal at my kids grammar school unless the teacher gives permission.

I have fortunately never worked in a school where students had to wear blazers all the time - what a stupid rule.
My classes know not to bother me with silly questions like “may I take off my blazer” - they are at secondary school and old enough to know if they are too warm.

I hope you’re refusing to send her there.

Just imagine if we treated other groups of people in society this way… imagine how it would sound if we said ‘black people can’t wear coats’ or ‘women can’t wear coats’ over their uniform.

Somehow it’s perversely acceptable to state ’Children/teens can’t wear coats’ 😜
adultism at its very finest.

Yes. It’s so stupid. As a rebellion I’m refusing to buy my dd a new blazer. She has had her current one since year 7 and is now in year 10. It’s falling apart and the ripped. But the whole thing is stupid. Even when it’s hot she can’t take it off so it gets really sweaty and I’ve washed it hundreds of times.
She is my forth child to go to the school and none of the others had blazers - a new head brought them in.
How can a bloody man in his office dictate when my child is hot ffs.

@twoboyssolucky it's the closest school to us by 6 miles. The next nearest school 6 miles away) is all girls and she doesn't want to go. I'm tempted to send a letter when she starts asking for the rationale for this decision as it makes no sense.

I pass kids going to school and they wear a hoodie under their blazer which they remove when they get to school to stay warm bit of course this doesn't keep you dry.

She will be able to get the school bus but the bus stop is still a 10 minute walk.

No lockers at school either so bag likely crammed with books so no room to even shove a coat in plus she'll have sports gear and musical instrument at times.

Do it. Our kids need someone to advocate for them in stupid unfair situations such as these.

Good luck 🍀

I am horrified at these rules. It is downright cruel. Student should be allowed to regulate their own temperature and take the natural consequences if they lose their blazer, coat or jumper.

My youngest has just left secondary and we had none of this nonsense. Dyed hair was allowed and kids could take off jumpers and blazers at their will. The only loosely adhered-to rule was that pupils had to have their shirts tucked in, but I can live with that.

This was a private school, I wonder if that makes a difference to how strict schools are. Results were certainly not affected.

There's never been a time in history when uniform rules were this strict. What is going on in England? I read about this constantly on Mumsnet.

We don't have weird rules like this in Scotland. The school will have a uniform and you can remove layers if you're hot. Why have English schools lost common sense? What's the benefit of the blazer always being on?

I had to wear a uniform in my last job but was allowed to take my cardigan on and off as I needed!

No, we are not allowed to give permission for a blazer to be removed. I think it is stupid. Parents, please complain loud and long

DD’s school says they have to have their blazer with them at all times and should be worn in corridors and ask permission to remove it in class. She likes the pockets.
The reality is that all teachers say don’t bother asking permission, just take it off if they need to - the school is fairly relaxed.
There’s also a very clear heat and uniform policy - if it is forecast above 25 no blazers, above 30 they can wear PE kit. We get a message from the school to confirm early that morning. (Or to confirm arrangements if it’s going to be hot all week.)

As for the coats, DD very rarely wears a coat - don’t get me started. She has an umbrella in her bag and occasionally deigns to wear a fleece or waterproof if it’s really cold or wet but most of the time doesn’t. She has a proper coat……

I really hate this rule. DD is a fainter and this obsession with not allowing kids to regulate their own body temperatures is not helpful.

Can you imagine trying to impose this sort of rule in a normal workplace? No one would tolerate it.
Adults are allowed to dress for comfort. Lots of uniforms have different options too.

If schools cared more about the kids welfare as much as they do about presentation, there wouldn't be such an issue with school refusal. I honestly despise the schooling system these days, too much emphasis on league tables and how they appear.

It is insane, and I don't know why parents accept it. I have resigned from a school over this

I'm having a flashback to the first thing we were taught in French and German in yr7.. how to ask for permission to remove your blazer!

Insisting they wear it in lessons is ridiculous.

I recently discovered what I thought was a silly rule at DDs school... she has PE, then lunch, then Dance at the moment. They have to get back into their uniform for lunch, then back into pe kit for dance 30 mins later. But at least they are allowed to regulate their body temperature in lessons

My son's school have very strict uniform rules and gave the kids a big spiel about 'preparing for the workplace' but for most of the students, they know it's ridiculous. Most of them have been waved off in the morning by a parent in joggers working from home, or in smart casual office wear. Even cabin crew uniforms are more relaxed now on a lot of airlines. Of course there are some jobs with uniforms for practical/health and safety reasons like a surgeon's scrubs or chef's whites but there is no hygiene or safety reason for kids to be in blazers and ties. And a decreasing number of jobs where they'll ever have to wear them!

Its a ridiculous rule. My middle daughter went to a private girls school and apart from morning assembly and registration or any formal events her blazer stayed in her locker.

It is standard and nuts. The only practical reason I can think of is to make sure the kids don't lose them, but a reminder to put on blazers at the end of a lesson would achieve that too. Luckily DD likes her blazer because of all its pockets, but even she baulks at wearing it in a heatwave

My 90s English state secondary had this rule - permission was usually granted on hot days after at least one person had fainted.

They still had rule when DN went there - she finished last year - but in really hot weather we've had in last few years most teachers were sensible and in their classrooms said to take them off.

My Dc secondary could get very petty about uniform - three times suddenly deciding something they'd previously list has as uniform or hadn't specific like coat colour was suddenly changed and enforced - but they never had blazers. They got cold with very thin jumpers or cardigans and no coat rules - so really like thermal underwear.

The no coats rules is an example of batshit in the opposite direction. Within school ok but totally ridiculous to expect kids to wait for a bus in minus 2 in January without being able to wrap up properly.

And yet people from countries without school uniform are capable of wearing a work uniform if required to do so as adults. How on earth do they manage that?

DD'S school have these ridiculous rules. I've no issues with uniform having to be worn, but there is no benefit to anyone to make kids sit and sweat because the teacher doesn't think it's warm enough to warrant taking their blazers off. There is one teacher in particular who has a thermometer in his classroom and has set an arbitrary temperature at which he will allow them to take their blazers off.

We all know if we're too hot or too cold and should be able to adjust our layers accordingly, why are kids / teenagers any different? Surely overheating will have a negative effect on learning and behaviour?

This is why schools are failing. Because they are prioritising things that are stupid and don’t matter.

I remember getting hot when I had period pains as a teenager and i’d rather not have to ask permission to take off a blazer every time that happened.

My son's school is like this. It's too much. Their uniform is heavy polyester and unbearable in the summer although most teachers do tell them to remove blazers. My son wears short sleeve shirts all year round as it feels more comfortable according to him. I personally think it's ridiculous. Also that shorts aren't allowed in summer (unless 40 degrees and then they can wear PE kit). Girls must have tights on all year round too. I am fully supportive of uniform but I do think the rules are quite restrictive when you're trying to learn and are uncomfortably hot.