What to wear as a teaching assistant

[Rainbowmum32]

I’m a TA in primary, my work wardrobe needs updating any suggestions?
we aren’t allowed to wear trainers

Something washable!
And comfortable in all situations, bending, kneeling, sitting on the floor/low chairs. As pp said, check cleavage coverage and definitely nothing see through.
I once worked with a teacher who wore a short-skirted black suit with a see through white shirt and a black bra under it. She looked completely unprofessional.

I'm surprised she wasn't spoken to.

In my experience, many years ago though, if a Head spoke to a female teacher about her dress standards all hell would break loose! An art teacher wore what could only be described as clubbing gear, bare midriff, very low cut tops, micro skirts but when someone had a quiet word with her a large percentage of the other women went ballistic!

Dress over legging is perfectly fine. Your fashion sense isnt relevant.

In what way did they go "ballistic"? Surely that's against professional conduct.
Yes, HT and other members of SLT do speak to staff if they break the dress code, appear inappropriately dressed or otherwise don't meet the standards.
That's the way it is. Everyone knows what the code is.

I did preface my words with 'many years ago' when dress codes were not expressed in specific terms but the men were expected to wear a jacket, shirt and tie and the Head, who had a cooling fan in his office, wouldn't let them remove their ties, though jackets off was allowed in classrooms but not on the corridors! The women accused him of 'blatant sexism' by speaking to this teacher about her clothing choices and the Union got involved, women like me, who didn't back them up, were also given a rough ride. As the saying goes The past is a foreign country!

Right. A slightly different story, then.
Yes, it's all very different now.

I was told at college you shouldn't wear anything you can see up, see down or see through!

It's all about practicality, surely. Clothes which are not dry clean only and can stand up to repeated washing. Things that you aren't devastated about if you spill paint on them, or if a child throws up or something. Clothes which clover arse and boobs. I wouldn't be spending lots of money and would be sticking to basics from supermarkets, Primark, M&S at a push. Work clothes as a "uniform".

when i was actively working as a TA, my go-to was either black vest or t-shirt & jersey type trousers with a more colourful shirt over the top (left open), and ankle boots.

Or i was in a dress over leggings with a cardi or shirt on over it, and ankle boots.

The kids don't give a shit how you dress, just make sure it's comfortable, practical, easy to move in, not going to flash anyone if you bend over or have to get on the floor, and is easily washable and not expensive.

Depending on the age of kids you'll invariably get covered in paint/pen/snot/sick/dirt, and be vaguely sticky at some point.

It's not knees or chests that need to be covered but knickers and bras! Some younger TAs seem to think that leggings no thicker than tights and a short jumper are appropriate to wear at work. They are not.

Wow. This thread.
Leggings and dress is fine... and will in no way affect the mental health of the poor children having to suffer these dowdy TAs.
Dress how you want as long as it is comfortable, practical, majes you happy and is within school policy... oh and if you can afford it on the shit wages.

That's odd, because I associate it with women who respect themselves enough to want to have warm legs without the itchy, thrush-inducing, ladder-prone, Satan-created torture known as "tights".

Those trousers look like the wearer went shopping in the children's section and considers Charlie Chaplin and Bill and Ben to be style icons. They are too short by far and the pockets look like the wearer works on a building site, not in a school.

wide legged cropped or full length trousers

Having caught my toe in the opposite trouser hem at a gig and:

• caused over £100 of damage to my instrument despite trying to protect it during the consequent fall;
• injured myself in a way that took three months to heal, in part because I was trying to protect my instrument by putting the affected limb between it and the floor;

do notwear wide legged trousers in an environment where your mind will not be 100% on what your feet are doing.

Nothing that looks like you are going to a festival.
No cropped tshirts with thin cheap see through leggings.
No slouchy granny jumpers or cardigans hanging off the elbows.
Look like you are going to a place of work!
I despair at the attire of some of my kids teachers. (esp Miss J)....... they look like Bridget Jones on another solo birthday (though thankfully without a wine glass on school premises)

I am amazed there is a dress code. I work in an international school and anything goes. Most of us wear jeans and trainers as running is important (special ed) and invariably get covered in some bodily fluid, food etc!. I notice teachers in high school dress smarter. We have so many themed dress up days it is exhausting to keep up with. A lot of people wear school branded sweatshirts etc.

My school is very chilled - trainers are ok everyday and leggings on PE days. Just no bra straps or too short things.

I tend to wear a uniform of dark, cheap polyester trousers that take a battering, nicer quality knitwear jumpers (roll necks and round neck button up cardigan with a sleeveless top underneath) and striped cotton shirts tucked in in warmer weather. Stuff that hides stains and is capable of lots of laundering.

I do like a nice necklace 😂 and wear trainers for comfort.

Well I'm getting ready for work now and in my day I will be...
Sitting on a teeny tiny chair, crawling around doing OT exercises, painting, probably helping an 'intimate care' situation, trudging around a field of long wet grass, washing up in a roasting hot kitchen, out on the playground (in any weather... possibly quickly pulling on waterproofs if its wet/muddy), probably on my knees dealing with a bloody knee and many many other completely unpredictable events.
I am wearing leggings, a short dress and dms (trainers on pe days) as I find it generally suits all these things.
Merino jumpers and £100 barrel trousers aren't going to hack it (and I can't afford them!)