Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

sixth form uniform

41 replies

bourboncreme · 05/10/2009 21:06

My ds is at a school where currently there is a sixth form dress code but no uniform as such,there is a proposal to introduce a uniform suit for both sexes (different stylkes obviously)After 12 years of uniform ds is looking forward to wearing his own clothes and frankly I've had enough too,I also think that this is a bit renegade after all they will only customize it .How many sixth formers wear uniform and if your ds/dd does how do they like it.

OP posts:
wicked · 05/10/2009 21:21

My DS wears a business suit (charcoal-ish) to school. He has to wear a school tie - his is a prefect tie, but equally it could be a team colour or simply sixth form tie.

The girls also have to wear a business suit, but for some reason they have a much wider choice of blouse colour. The boys shirts are very conservative, but the girls can be quite colourful.

DS accepts his dress code. He doesn't fight it, or try to customise it. He doesn't care if it is ironed though, so the effect can be a bit lost.

Original poster
bourboncreme · 05/10/2009 21:37

Thats pretty muich the dress code at the moment,the girls have to wear a suit(not dfress or skirt and jumper).The school are proposing a regulation dark suit,I actually don't think the boys will customise it ,the girls thats another matter,can definately see the skirt lengths being an issue,alos the no make up or jewelry ,all the other schools around here state and independent have no uniform so could definately put some off staying i think

OP posts:
badgermonkey · 05/10/2009 21:55

I hate sixth-formers in suits. They have enough years to dress for work, and it doesn't prepare them for university. I enjoy seeing ours come in wearing all their weird and wonderful outfits! If you can't wear odd stuff when you're a sixth-former, when can you? It cheers me up to see them enjoying being young and dressing in such a fun and bright way.

wicked · 05/10/2009 21:57

You don't need to hate it on their behalf. Wearing suits doesn't faze them at all.

QOD · 05/10/2009 21:59

suits

Original poster
bourboncreme · 05/10/2009 22:03

Actually I think (and up until sixth form I am a big uniform person)that it slightly infanticiles them,what next will the staff wear uniform at what point do people start to learn about choosing their own clothes.

The girls and their parents moistly hate the dress code as finding clothes acceptable is very difficult,one girl was sent home last week for wearing a boden dress and jacket!Hardly exotic,so maybe a regulation suit will be better ,I just think it is rather sad that the staff feel that at 17 they can't be trusted to dress cleanly and smartly and in accordance with a dress code.

OP posts:
Original poster
bourboncreme · 05/10/2009 22:07

Sorry they mostly not moistly! hate the dress code.Actually its not so much the suit,quite a few of them have the same or similar ones but seems a pity not to be able to choose own shirt and tie.Out local state school has no code they can wear what they want and perversely look smarter ,I think becasue they take ownership of what they wear,if they have to wear uniform and they look bad they can just blame it on the uniform

OP posts:
ABetaDad · 05/10/2009 22:28

Our DSs not very posh ndependent school can choose ther own suits (boys) from a limited range of colours and a white shirt and school tie.

Girls have to wear a skirt, white blouse and jacket from the range of colours as the boys but no tie. Frankly, it looks smart and business like without looking like a uniform.

There has been a crack down on skirts that are too short and girls seem to have agreed to comply.

Pyrocanthus · 05/10/2009 22:39

'Business wear' at our local 6th form. DD is in year 7, and is a bit at the girls' skirts.

ramonaquimby · 05/10/2009 22:40

our 6th formers don't wear uniforms -smart clothes

frogs · 05/10/2009 22:43

At my dd1's state catholic convent school pretty much anything goes in the sixth form, though the uniform lower down the school is v. strict. They do have a dress code, but jeans etc is fine. I think the dress code is just to pre-empt people coming in with knicker-skimming hemlines or ultra low-cut tops.

We're looking at other 6th forms, and dd1 is refusing to consider any school that would require her to wear a uniform or 'business wear' arrangement.

And fairy 'nuff, I reckon. They've got the rest of their lives to wear dull suits.

frogs · 05/10/2009 22:53

One of the schools we looked at for dd1's 6th form make the girls wear this splendid arrangement. Dd1 couldn't get us out of there fast enough...

seeker · 06/10/2009 04:47

At my dd's high achieving grammar the 6th formers wear anything they like, within reason, in the 6th. They have suits for formal occasions, but apart from that, anything (ish) goes. I think it's brilliant - and dd can't wait!

I think the 'getting them ready for work" argument is a bit silly. How about "getting them ready for being students"?!

Original poster
bourboncreme · 06/10/2009 08:07

Interesting to hear different experiences,my heart just sank at another 2 years of DS looking scruffy because if forced into a uniform he will treat it as such,also I was looking forward to being able to buy him something that fits properly,currently the uniform can only be bought in the school shop,belongs to school,tghey don,t do alterations and therefore if you are not a standard size like ds is you always seem to be in ill fitting clothes .

ds has a birthday in september so will be able to drive but not to choose own clothes !I suppose it is the same if you have a job which involves a uniform but most people don't.

i do think that its all a symptom as well of trying to make childhood last as long as possible ,no wonder children arrive at university unable to make decisions for themselves if they are not even allowed to choose what to wear in the morning.

OP posts:
sarah293 · 06/10/2009 08:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mumoverseas · 06/10/2009 12:38

DS has just started in the lower sixth and they have to wear suits. In L6 it has to be a plain black, grey or blue one with white shirts and either the school or house tie or the scholarship/prefect one. Girls have to wear skirt suits of a reasonable length

In U6 they can wear suits with a subtle pattern and can wear any tie

Ivykaty44 · 06/10/2009 12:40

No - local schools with 6th form - none have uniform, on has work style dress.

Ivykaty44 · 06/10/2009 12:42

TBH i would be very against school uniform after 16, it becomes very suggestive with older mature developed girls and I feel a tad tatcy at least and prokocotive to unwanted attention at worst.

webwiz · 06/10/2009 12:50

DD2 is in year 12 and they have a dress code - the boys wear suits but coloured shirts/ties are allowed and the girls have to wear a matching jacket with skirt/trousers/pinafore/dress. DD2 absolutely loves it and plans her weeks outfits on a sunday night

JustGettingByMum · 06/10/2009 16:54

My sons both attend the local catholic comp where there is a strong uniform policy, inc 6th form. tbh, I think its a good idea as there is no pressure to wear certain outfits, or spend particular amounts on clothes, plus everyone knows the policy when they start so its nothing new. btw, having read an earlier thread on what to wear to a Uni interview, I remeber feeling relieved that their uniform would be be just right.
Boys - black jacket and trousers with striped shirt and tie with school logo.
Girls - black/grey 6th form skirt with white blouse and black jacket.

Milliways · 06/10/2009 17:56

DD's school had a "wear what you like" policy, and there were some weird outfits

DD wore shorts over coloured tights most days! Some girls wore not much at all - so they are now thinking of introducing a dress code at least.

DS goes to a Boys Grammar and they wear a grey suit from Yr7, and then a "dark" suit with 6th form tie in 6th form. Saves them worrying about suits for interviews etc!

cory · 07/10/2009 07:59

Our secondary doesn't have a sixth form so pupils go on to the local college, which is non-uniform. Fine by me. I agree with Ivy that some of the more babyish uniforms can actually look a bit suggestive on a curvy 17yo. I think this is a good time to get used to putting together your own smart but sensible outfit.

BonsoirAnna · 07/10/2009 08:01

I think it is awful when sixth-formers are made to wear uniform. Fine to have some kind of dress code for school, so that the boundaries of good taste are not infringed, but 16 and 17 year olds need to learn to dress appropriately for life in the world beyond school. And, as others have pointed out, school uniforms can look suggestive (as well as tasteless) on post-pubescent adolescents.

stealthsquiggle · 07/10/2009 08:10

We had a bizarre rule that in the first year of sixth form we could only wear blue & white - and in the second year any colour we liked, but it had to be skirts (old-fashioned girls school) and it had to be "suitable"

I think there is a middle ground here - it seems reasonable to set standards ('business casual' equivalent) but suits seem a bit silly to me - I mean, outside the City, how many people really wear a suit to work every day nowadays?

BonsoirAnna · 07/10/2009 08:17

I agree that wearing suits to school is silly and inappropriate. My DP, who has a very responsible, grown-up sort of job, doesn't wear a tie to work and often doesn't wear a suit, just a smart jacket and trousers. And he wears lots of different colours.