Work wear for school office job - advice pls :)

[WhenTheyComeForYou]

Hi, please can I have some help from all you stylish people 😊

So I have been offered a job in a school office and, without children of school age, I'm not familiar with what would be suitable to wear?

I'd like to be smart but not stuffy.

Any pics of ideas would be REALLY great! Thank you!

Is it primary or secondary op? Makes a difference op because at primary you might have children coming in with sticky fingers or be cleaning up wee/poo/sick.

In my school we are told what not to wear, low cut tops, short skirts without tights or leggings, no bra on show… comfy clothes, office gets hot. Smart casual

Comfy shoes! The admin ladies at the school I work at can be anywhere across the school.
Then smartish top and trousers, or Jersey dresses and thick tights/leggings. The parents dont often see what's on the bottom half, so practical bottoms, professional top. Dont remember seeing a jacket on any of them.

Something like this would be ideal. Comfortable stylish has pockets- can add a cardy or vest if needed
Wear with heels flats or boots.

www.next.co.uk/style/st816877/M11315#M11315

School office work tends to be more casual than other kinds of offices I think.

There's lots of very boring work wear in evidence in schools (I work in one): plain black trousers, 'comfortable' shoes, button up shirts, shapeless cardigans.

If you can elevate it slightly - say cropped wide leg trousers in a non-black colour with a toning/contrasting blouse. If you avoid vest tops, skin tight anything (these are usually forbidden in the dress code anyway), bobbly jumpers and any shoes that could be mistaken for trainers you'll be golden.

Ooo I love the sound of wide legged cropped trousers @crappyxmasmarket

It's a small primary school.

I'm usually a super casual dresser so struggle with going smart but not boring (in the past have worn black trousers, cardigan combo but find it a bit stuffy for a school).

Any ideas of dresses that would be good in all weathers (with tights in winter and cold weather obviously).

@Clammyclam - lovely dress, thank you for the link. I would love to feel comfortable in something like that but I'd feel a bit of a fraud in it I think...I'm just a bit too casual

Flat, supportive shoes. Heels are for SLT to swoop around in, not for anybody who is on their feet for 10,000+ steps every day - you can do 3,000+ by 10.30am with trips to the photocopier and general moving around, never mind taking messages or if the photocopier is upstairs/the other end of the building.

Other than that, it varies greatly. Always have a blazer on the back of your chair in case of visitors if you don't actually have to wear one at all times. Seethrough, sleeveless or spaghetti straps are generally a bad idea. Until you're there and see what people actually wear, stay clear of above the knee skirts, very light coloured trousers, very wide or very close fitting ones and leopard/animal print; the latter will often only be accepted if the HT/Deputy wears it to work herself. It's good to have a formal style coat in case the fire alarm goes off, rather than a puffa/anorak/hoodie.

My safe bet is for a dress (I don't do chintz, ditzy or other prints, I'm a knitted/houndstooth/block colour fan) that goes to my knees or lower, skirt and top or tailored trousers and a softer shirt or top. They've been happy with a tweedy pair of trousers and a pale turtle neck as well.

Bear in mind that the most casual a man may be able to do is a Tattersall shirt, jumper and tweed blazer (ie, full on country casual). And many will have to wear at the least a standard blue or grey suit and jumper over a plain shirt - if it's a fancy academy, it's more likely to be very strict, as they piss parents off with the price and rules for the pricey uniform, so think the parents won't be happy if their staff aren't kept to almost identical rules to the children. Faith schools can also often be a little more formal. It might sound shit, but I suspect that for some places, what they actually want is Kate Middleton on a relaxed official visit with Kate Middleton on a walk with the dogs for INSET days. And some expect Kate Middleton at Prince Philip's funeral every single day. Others are fairly relaxed daily but expect you to frock it up a bit (no, skirts aren't compulsory, I mean look very smart) for official events, celebrations and anytime there might be a VIP around.

It's not what I'd wear in my own time. But it's not my own time. It's work time.

I like Seasalt dresses with leggings or thick tights and flat ankle boots. Can be swapped out for sandals and bare legs when hot. They do some long dresses so no worries if you have to crouch down to speak to a small child etc. They are on the casual side but I think that's OK in a primary school. You could always add a jacket instead of a cardigan if you wanted to smarten the look.

I think several posters on here have a rather elevated idea of what working in a small primary school is like.

Unless it's in a very leafy area.

Practical much more important than smart/stylish.

Neverdrop makes a good point though about the ethos of the school. I'm thinking of fairly casual schools where the head wears a suit but no-one else does. Most of the staff are dressed practically and the kids have a fairly relaxed uniform (polos, sweatshirts). Other schools will be much smarter!

For example, when I had an office interview at our primary, which is a faith school and in a pretty naice village, the school bursar/only office staff at the time turned up in jeans and a very old-looking cardi.

I’d go for capris, top and jersey blazer / smart cardigan and keep a look out what the others are wearing. Did you have a job before and is any of those clothes suitable?

Goodness, I'm working in my third school, fairly affluent area, and have never come across anything that neverdrop has said. As for the shapeless boring clothes... .

@Rockbird

Goodness, I'm working in my third school, fairly affluent area, and have never come across anything that neverdrop has said. As for the shapeless boring clothes... .

Did you mean I wear shapeless, boring clothes?

I'm female. Nothing is ever shapeless because I'm not.

I might be boring, though. But it's better than spending on novelty or super trendy stuff only to be pulled aside at the end of the probationary period to be told that you really should have dressed more professionally and they won't be proceeding to a permanent contract.

In my primary today, office staff wore:
Black loose jumper and black joggers with trainers, some light make-up.
Loose open shirt, white t-shirt and cropped trousers and trainers. Very little make-up.
Navy chinos, patterned shirt, long cardi, flat ankle boots, no make-up, but sharp haircut.
Coloured chinos, beanie, sweatshirt.
Almost anything goes provided it's not too revealing or scruffy, and not denim jeans. Denim jacket on the other hand is ubiquitous. Almost everyone is in trainers or flat boots.

Fine knit crew neck, wool trousers, flat shoes. Add jewellery as required. Jacket in case you need to smarten up.

Flat shoes will be a must, the admin lady and man in my school must walk miles! Only SLT seem to wear heels because they sit on their arses all day. Does the school have any social media, could you see what the other staff are wearing and follow suit?

Remember schools have the windows open all the time at the moment. My school is freezing so maybe add some layers.
And I don't wear anything too expensive, or even anything I really want to last. Taking a late child to Reception can result in excited children touching you with paint/glue/food on their hands!

@Fairyliz

Is it primary or secondary op? Makes a difference op because at primary you might have children coming in with sticky fingers or be cleaning up wee/poo/sick.

That would be the cleaning staff no?

I can't imagine admin staff would be expected to clean up (after) dirty children.

It's not about cleaning the floor (although occasionally it could be eg covid absence and no one available to cover. It's about young children naturally holding onto your hem or crying into your shoulder or, indeed, throwing up on you when you're being First Aider.

This is what primary school life is like.

And yes, it's freezing in some schools atm, because the only protection they have from covid outbreaks is opening the windows wide.

@Fairyliz
It's normally the caretaker or TA that has to deal with sick etc, not the admin staff.

I can't imagine admin staff would be expected to clean up (after) dirty children

Do you work in a primary school?

Our admin staff do the first aid so are often dealing with sticky, dirty, bleeding, snotty and coughing children and plenty of sick as well. The cleaning staff come at 7am so aren’t there when the children are.

I’m a dress person
Stripy or plain jersey dress with opaques and ankle boots in winter
Linen dress with pointed flats in summer
I also wear treggings or cigarette pants with boots or flats weather dependent
Plain knitwear in winter
Plain blouse spring and autumn
Plain linen or cotton tops in warm weather
www.brandalley.co.uk/15299737.html

@Howshouldibehave

I can't imagine admin staff would be expected to clean up (after) dirty children

Do you work in a primary school?

Our admin staff do the first aid so are often dealing with sticky, dirty, bleeding, snotty and coughing children and plenty of sick as well. The cleaning staff come at 7am so aren’t there when the children are.

No, that's why I was curious. Snotty is one thing but to have to clean up pooey children is a whole step further.

My experience of primary school office staff is whatever makes you feel smart and comfortable. Whether that’s leggings and a nice jumper or a dress with tights. I teach at a faith school and our office staff dress nice but casual. No jeans and definitely flat shoes but other than that try not to over think it. Good luck, I hope you love the job.