Let's talk School Uniform - Matalan would love to know what you think - £300 to be won NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

Following winning a Mumsnet Rated badge for their range of Teflon coated school uniform, the team at Matalan would love to explore further with Mumsnetters their general views on School Uniform.

Matalan say "we all know uniform can be expensive and time consuming to keep clean/ keep on top of - at Matalan you can kit your kids out for less with our school uniform range, it's packed full of new features and benefits that will mean less ironing and washing for parents - better still, shop the full range online and collect in store for free! We'd love to know your tips and views on uniform in general and how you help your child feel confident at school"

Please share on this thread your views on all or some of the below:

Your general thoughts on school uniform items - what do you want to see in a uniform? What's important to you when picking school uniform for your children? What features do you look for? What styles do your children like/ hate?

Do you think a school uniform helps your child feel confident during the school year? How?

How do you encourage your children to go back to school after school holidays with confidence? What concerns do you have - if any - about sending your children to school for the first time/back to school after the holidays?
What tips do you have for helping your child get the most out of school all year round?

At what age do your children start getting dressed themselves for school: what tips can you share for encouraging this?

And for those who do a school run - how much - if at all, do you care or think about what you wear to drop off or pick up from school?

Add your comments to this thread and you will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win a £300 voucher to spend in Matalan (a Love2Shop voucher)

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight T and Cs apply

I've just been looking at the Matalan school shop but, unfortunately, it's of no use to me as our school uniform is navy. I could get a navy sweatshirt on the website but no corresponding trousers or shorts

I do the school run every morning and I must say I enjoy it and feel very lucky that the school is little and I only have another two mums to meet in with daily they are nice and keep themselves to themselves (Just what I like)
My daughter is 5 and dresses herself every morning, I am impressed with her uniform it is smart, comfy and of good quality!
I wouldn't cope if she had to wear her own normal clothes to school as she is a country girl and always coming in with grass stains lol :)
My daughter really enjoys school but by wednesday she is asking when it will be the weekend?! I encourage her to work hard and enjoy the rest of the week and she gets rewarded with something on the friday evening!
I must admit I find it a struggle finding clothes to wear on the school run, because I am out daily I am beginning to get sick of seeing my clothes! (I am used to being in my comfies at home)

polo shirts or sweatshirts, and no ties. and not too much hassle about what shoes they have to wear

I love school uniforms I think it gives a sense of being part of and representing the school. I like clothes that can be machine washed and tumble dried for convenience.

I think uniforms are by far the best idea to save morning arguments over what to wear, avoid pressure to buy the latest gear and bullying at school.

I like a smart uniform but prefer a plain dark skirt or trousers, as these can double up for other uses later on. Good quality is essential as to minimise repairs (I am not great at sewing!)

I am all for school uniform; not only does it eliminate one upmanship it conveys a sense of identity and discipline

Didn't realise Matalan did school uniform (never been in to be honest) but will give it a try now. I have a very skinny boy, so need slim fit trousers with adjustable waist. Also love the feature that M&S do where there is a good turned up hem that you can easily snip and let down when your child has a growth spurt. Wish more brands would have this feature.

My little boy started nursery in September and I feel like him having the correct uniform was so important for making him feel like he was part of his class and the same as the other children . I made sure he had trousers with elasticated waist to make going to the toilet easy for him , and his school requested a light grey which was suprisingly difficult to get hold of. I brought him several white polo shirts so he had spares to include in his bag incase of an accident , and also packed spare trousers and underwear .
My son loves nursery but I try to encourage him by getting myself involved with his homework and interacting with his friends outside of school so he feels like school and home are both happy places.
I like a nice soft sweat top that is of good quality so that it washes well and I'm willing to pay more for this quality .
My little boy tries to dress himself every morning (he is 4) but I sometimes have to help him if he gets in an tangle .
I am conscious that I like to dress well to take him to school to represent him well , although some days if I'm in a rush I do just go in my jeans and a t shirt .

I like the uniform - but I think the price of the tops with the uniform emblem on them can be ridiculous. H has plenty of plain tops bought from a local clothes store and standard bottoms. But I only bought her one cardigan with the school emblem as it cost £16 which is ridiculous. If I wanted the emblem on the polo shirts too then I would have ended up paying out £30-50 for it and shes only in reception

I think the main thing is that they children are comfortable in it as they won't mind wearing it so much

I would want to see:

Pinafores and skirts that are non-iron and ready pleated.
Shirts with easy buttons
Tights that actually last!

My DD, age 5 can dress in most of her uniform herself, apart from her shirt top button. She has been capable of this for 6 months or so.

I found talking about school about a week before and going through what will happen each day helps with confidence

I love school uniform but I wish the kids could keep them clean

I work Ina primary school and I think uniforms are a good idea, when not enforced to the absolute letter. So I'm happy with a green sweatshirt even if it's no time the exact shade of bottle green. I would object to a red sweatshirt.
Great competition, thanks for the chance to win such a fabulous prize.

I love school uniforms there are some children whos parents wouldnt be able to afford to keep them in the latest up to date fashions all the time.. having a easy to keep clean and cheap uniform means that everyone is equal.. also just have to say i love matalan trousers they are the only ones that sit right on my little boy

Although i know my children will all disagree with what im about to say , i think the schools having an actual uniform is a good idea. It stops any child being singled out for looking different, not having the big brands or even bullied for having their own unique style.

A good uniform needs to wash well and be practical for the age group that the children are. Such as i dont like children in infant school in blazers and shirts but children in high school wearing these items look really good and smart and ready for the adult working world wearing such items.

My children who are still in primary school have gone from wearing jumpers, ties and shirts recently to wearing polo shirts and sweatshirts. It looks so much better and is so much more comfortable for the little ones playing in class and easier for after pe lessons etc.

School uniform needs to be hard wearing and in my experience quick drying too (able to be put in a dryer too helps). Jumpers that arent going to shrink or go really baggy.

Polo shirts and shirts need to stay bright white as some ive had discolour really quickly.

I dont have any problems with my children going back to school after school holidays. They love school and everything about it.

i think uniforms are great. Gives the children in the school a sense of unity. My ds is primary school age but wears uniform everyday. He loves it! x

I don't like buying items of clothing with the school logo on it as the children grow out of them quite quickly and would then need to buy the next size up. I wish it was just the tie that was specific to the school and everything else was plain so that I could have more choice of who to buy from

I never know when it is appropriate to Change my daughters school uniform from the winter version to the summer dress!

I REALLY struggle to buy school uniform for my kids. Their school is the only one in our area that has navy trousers/skirts instead of black or grey. It is a complete pain!!! I cannot find navy anywhere and so I have to order it in with click and collect and the choice is very very limited. I would love it if there was navy stocked properly in Matalan as it is so difficult to try and clothe them for school. My kids arent really too fussy about what they wear for school, although my daughter will not wear trousers so it would be nice to have more of a choice in navy pinafores for her. Hard wearing trousers and adjustable waistbands are a MUST for my long and slim boy, and I prefer trousers with a metal clip fastening rather than a button cause he finds those much easier to use.
My kids are generally both very happy and confident I have not met any issues regarding school and confidence with uniform. They are both happy to go back wearing whatever I have picked for them, although I do give them a choice in style, so they get to have a say in which they prefer.

As for the school run, I usually try and make myself presentable. I don't want to feel like I'm being judged for rocking up to the school gates looking a mess. I think that could reflect badly on my children and so I try to at least make some effort to look human. We all know kids can be cruel, and I'd rather, if possible, not give bullies anything to target mine for. My son already has issues at age 6 with older children who pick on him because he chooses to have long hair, although I am so proud of him for standing up for himself and refusing to conform, He is happy and confident with who he is, and his hair! :)

I'm glad my children attend a school that has a school uniform as it makes things easy, they all look the same, it's smart, means they belong to the school and represent the school but I'm also lucky that my children's school don't insist that children have logo jumpers and cardigans. If find these to be very expensive! I much prefer buying uniform for high street stores or supermarkets. I have both a boy and girl in school and would love to see trousers that last a little bit longer, Velcro top buttons on shirts and shoes for girls that don't get ruined so quickly. My daughter is 5 and is on her 3rd pair of shoes since September! They are already ruined again! I wish I could find girls shoes that had a rubber toe cap as I find girls shoes don't last very long. My kids love returning to school after a holiday, we make the most of our time off, having fun days out etc. I think it's important for parents to be positive about them returning as it rubs off on the children.
My children get themselves dressed (my 3 year old also tries to join in with easy things- he finds tops and socks tricky) we have a marble jar ad they get rewards for getting dressed quickly, doing their homework to their best potential etc. When they fill the jar they get £5 to spend or save. They fill it up usually once every 4-6 weeks.
I do the school run both in the mornings and the afternoons, I wake up before the children and make sure I am dressed suitably and do my hair and make up. I want to feel confident and prepared for the day ahead. I find preparation is key, I enjoy having a routine and so do my children.

I am all for uniforms to help prevent bullying, teach children standards and to follow instructions eventually ready for some workplaces. I like to see uniforms look smart, but at the same time geared for the outdoor children that walk to school (quite often in the rain) so durable, waterproof where possible and long lasting. I dislike uniform that makes children look way older than their years, follow fad fashion concepts and get teenage children in to trouble as they don't fit in with the schools policy. I.e. School trousers that look like jeans are not appropriate or those with huge zips and pockets. Quite often parents buy them as they are advertised as uniform but school doesn't allow it. Resulting in wasted money and time for both pupil, parents and staff. So uniform needs to be advertised sensibly. I also think their should be a range of leg lengths in girls skirts and trousers as well as the boys. Similarly adjustable waists in clothing would also help parents out and ensure pupils comfort. A range of coordinated hair accessories also look smart, and PE bags, and satchels also look smart too.

I generally don't like school uniforms, but I suppose it does make kids more equal in some respect - less bullying about not having the "right," sort of clothes and there is no deciding what to wear in the morning.

I look for uniforms that are easy to get on and off - particularly because my eldest is autistic. When he was younger, he found the fastenings on the trousers and zips a real challenge. So, I'd buy ones with an elasticated waist, which really helped him become more independent with dressing. We practiced the fastenings and now he can manage a regular uniform, but they have to be comfortable and I have to cut off any labels.

I'm glad my children don't need white shirts, they wear polo shirts, which are easy to wash and clean and no ironing required. My children don't particularly dislike the uniform and have never complained about it. I don't really think it helps them feel more confident though, I think they'd feel better wearing their own clothes and feeling comfortable.

Going back after the holidays can be tough. I tend to make sure we have something fun planned the following weekend after they go back, that way they already have something to look forward to. Making sure they have all their homework done and they know what's coming next at the start of term, helps them to feel more confident.

As for tips getting the most out of school - I think trying to be involved as much as possible with how your child is getting on. Always supervise homework and talk through any trouble and worries and also, try and make their home environment as calm and loving as possible. For me, my home growing up was my safe place - where I felt most comfortable and where I felt loved. I wanted that for my own children.

My eldest took longer to dress himself, due to having autism. But was managing it more from around 6 or so, with encouragement and help. My youngest could dress himself by around 3 or 4.

I used to lay out their clothes and then make sure all distractions were off, (tv etc). At one point, I had a reward chart too, which helped create the routine.

Lastly, I don't much care what I wear on the school run. Often I've just got out the shower and have wet hair and no makeup. I probably would have cared more years ago, but I'm more comfortable in my own skin now and realise that most people are more concerned with themselves than seeing what I look like!

:)

comfortable for them, easy care easy iron for us are essential requirements. Smart is important but not as important as comfort.

I think that a school uniform is VERY important. It helps children to feel included. However being told to buy from a specific place is wrong as not every parent ça afford it. I was also very annoyed that my daughters school changed their jumpers one year for a new design when her old ones still fit her and you had to buy the new ones!
I think that children should be encouraged to dress themselves from as young as possible.
For the school run, I think it's unacceptable to show up in pjs. If only because your child can get bullied but I wouldn't put on makeup ect just to do the school run. Xx

I never know when it is appropriate to Change my daughters school uniform from the winter version to the summer dress!

Oh dear god. Surely just when she's too hot in winter clothes? This is what's the matter with school uniform in that a) there is far too big a focus on what children are wearing compared with non-uniform environments (mufti day is completely different as it's an exceptional event in a largely uniformed environment) and b) arbitrary rules that take no account of children's individual comfort levels.

Good schools manage to make everyone feel included no matter what they are wearing. Lazy schools rely on uniform to do this for them (and it doesn't always work if that's the only thing they are doing).