[Closed] Schools and kids uniforms Why the need for them

As the new term starts , the cost of school uniforms is a huge price for a lot of lower waged and unwaged families.

If the school allows you to buy from Asda, Tesco etc,. then I would say the uniform costs less than the normal clothes they would need to wear in it's place.  Lower waged and unwaged should be able to get uniform vouchers if buying from an expensive and mandatory uniform outfitters is required by school.

<i>Because if that happens then school clothing becomes the arms race of labels and fashion putting more pressure on low income families</i>.

Funnily enough this is response I get when I ask a lot of my students here in Germany, where it is practically the only area of life that people don’t wear a uniform, whether they think a school uniform is a good idea. They all think it would be a great idea in Germany..

Belonging…?  To a school…?  Who really gives a "shit about belonging to a school…?  "

This is your opinion . Meanwhile the opinion I posted was the overwhelming one at the wife's previous school.

Another local school went uniform free as an experiment a few years ago it's back to uniforms as of this term .

This is your opinion . Meanwhile the opinion I posted was the overwhelming one at the wife’s previous school.

Another local school went uniform free as an experiment a few years ago it’s back to uniforms as of this term .

Wearing a uniform as a leveller I totally get and am all for and as I said, I hope it works  Bit let’s face it, how many people do you know who really look back and say “I’m so glad I felt a sense of belonging at secondary school”?   You may have had a great group of friends or some inspirational teachers - and I know many people who look back with pleasure to that, including myself.  I understand your wife is a teacher, but knowing more a few teenagers in a less formal context, belonging to the school isn’t a priority for them - even if education is.

if the whole belonging thing is important, let’s get the teachers in a uniform too.

When you put down your list of 5 schools in order of preference, that’s called choice.

No, choosing a school based on uniform would be idiotic.There are also no schools within our catchment without very stringent uniform requirements.

I don’t actually have a problem with uniforms.  I have a problem with schools specifying precise shops to buy any item of uniform from them - creating a bit of an expensive monopoly.  Whether I can afford it or not, I surprisingly object to paying through the nose for average quality clothing.

Its also interesting that most schools - in our city at least, seem to have uniforms that are more formal than modern business attire and certainly more formal than teachers clothing...

My old school did, and still does, have a uniform but it's designed to be affordable.

Plain trousers, black shoes, white shirt and black socks can all be from wherever.  The only bits that say what school it is are the jumpers, tie and the polo shirt for PE.  These are sold direct from the school for not a big mark-up and any profits are used to either give uniform to underprivileged students for a discount or even free but if there is any surplus at the end of the year it is given to a charity.  They also have a 'trade-in' scheme where any branded uniform can be returned to the school when the kid grows out of it and if it is in good condition they get a discount on the new item with the old clothing going to anyone who needs it.

Even when I had to obey those rules you still had the minefield of which shoes to wear.  If you didn't have Kickers or DM's back then you were an outcast!

how many folk commenting have School aged kids?

Not me... the price of school uniforms put me off 😜

how many folk commenting have School aged kids?

proper lols are we going to make riding a bike compulsory to commenting in the bike threads too!!

In other news it is possible to listen to the arguments, points of views and facts before coming to an informed conclusion. You don't need to have skin in the game for that one.

I'd also wager a good number of the people posting have some kind of first hand experience of school life 😉

Mikewsmith nailed it on the third post for me - kids can’t stand out for lack of choice or quality.

We both work full time, and have two kids, so we buy five t shirts, five jumpers and five pairs of trousers each so we can lay them out on a Sunday and not have to think about it through the week.

Shoes and coats not included (neither are prescribed), the cost per child is about £100 per year. We’ll need to top up later in the year, but we could have bought half the amount of clothing if we had time to keep on top of it every mid week. We don’t always.

Some local authorities offer support to those that can’t afford it, and some schools use some of their pupil premium money to help those that can’t afford it.

I’m aware some schools may have much more expensive uniforms, but out of all of my friends, I haven’t come across any of them.

As a parent of two boys, I’d take uniform over free choice every time, without hesitation.

proper lols are we going to make riding a bike compulsory to commenting in the bike threads too!!

I see a certain irony in this thread; having people-watched at various cycle centres I'd say MTBers are well qualified to debate uniforms. Even without a compulsory uniform people often identify either consciously or  sub-consciously with  their own group by the way they dress.

In my experience of schools, the non-uniform 'uniform' created by fashion causes a lot more issues of cost and status than the official one.

School I work in has no uniform policy and beyond offensive messages on t shits etc and indecency(and that is a contentious one) there is no dress code. As a teacher who worked in uniformed schools for 10 years beforehand it's blooming brilliant - no tedious telling kids to tuck in shirts and do up top buttons. I remember as a youngish form tutor in a very ordinary state school being instructed I had to line the (16yr old) girls in the form up and inspect their skirts, informing the head of year of any where I could see a bit of thigh! Like that was not at all pervy!

But, and its a big but, this is a very high fee paying school - like Eton level fees. Whilst to my middle aged eyes they all look equally disheveled I understand there is some oneupmanship and bitchiness about brands and clothes. It's not universal however and limited to the sort of kids you'd best avoid anyway.

So I can see uniforms make sense. But any school that is persevering with blazers and specific shades of gray for the trouser need to have a word with themselves. Also with transgender issues currently very pressing for most schools, new gender neutral policies for uniforms need to be written pdq by those that don't have them yet.

Final though - as a kid at school yourself did school uniform really disguise the fellow pupils from a difficult background from you? They still stood out sadly - a bit smelly, unironed shirt that was grubby as hell by the end of the week and trousers wafting around above their ankles.

Dad of two lads of primary school age, who’s schools uniform policy is of the more progressive ‘Sainsbury’s  sourceable’ type, and I agree with the above posters who assert that it’s the best value and least stressful all round way to clothe the kids at school. Black or grey trousers, navy jumper, light blue polo. Logo’d Versions available but not required. Simple, smart, effective.

Bit let’s face it, how many people do you know who really look back and say “I’m so glad I felt a sense of belonging at secondary school

Well, I did. I’m still proud of my school, then and now, two decades later and notwithstanding living hundreds of miles away

Edit: two primary age kids, btw, wholeheartedly in support of (Asda & M&S* purchased) uniform.

*Asda skirts aren’t “spinny” enough. Important when you’re six.

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Uniform should be a bit like a kit list. Just a list of items and specifications for each item. No school branding should be needed except perhaps a tie, allowing parents to buy to suit their budget. What’s wrong with just specifying black trousers/skirt, white shirt/blouse, navy blue polo shirt, black shoes etc, no visible branding or slogans permitted.

Strangely nobody has commented on the need for teachers to wear a corporate uniform of the school.

As an ex school boy  i sometimes used to wear a blazer and jumper and shirt, the tie soon got binned as did the red hat, and never worn a tie or a blazer since.

As a schoolboy we knew the poorer kids we lived near them, we understood their problems, about lack of cash flow, we didnt mock them or be little them most of us where in the same situation, we went to school had a laugh, played around and learnt stuff.

Strangely nobody has commented on the need for teachers to wear a corporate uniform of the school.

Nope several people have been bleeting on about it. Staff dress code wear appropriate clothes for you job. That should cover it.

My daughter's secondary school requires that pupils wear specific trousers or skirts which have a school badge on them. These are not as cheap as Asda/Sainsburys but the reasoning behind them is that is stops the trend of girls wearing miniscule skirts which barely cover their bottoms.

I think this is a good thing and makes girls less sexualised (and helps the pubescent, hormone raging lads be less distracted).

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As a schoolboy we knew the poorer kids we lived near them, we understood their problems, about lack of cash flow, we didnt mock them or be little them most of us where in the same situation, we went to school had a laugh, played around and learnt stuff.

Staff dress code wear appropriate clothes for you job.

This is sort of thing helps with attention:

https://m.imgur.com/t/op_is_a_virgin/13xIekl

I think it stifles individual expression

And I think it enables it. Expression through clothes is a very narrow concept, and for many people trying to decide what to wear is a chore, and a stressor. If you are going to enable expression through clothing then it works both ways. Those who want to out in the effort to look good will do so, but that will simply make those who don't, or can't, look worse. And they will be judged, and feel miserable because of it. It will create a heirarchy and school kids don't need another one of those.

Kids should express themselves through words, deeds and art, not through something as shallow as clothing. Kids will be less willing to express themselves when they are not confident, because they are being made to feel inferior.

Wonder how many contributors now go to work dressed as they where aged 11, shirt tie blazer or jacket and black shoes, then propogate the idea that the above somehow makes the school dress code all ok.

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Wonder how many contributors now go to work dressed as they where aged 11, shirt tie blazer or jacket and black shoes, then propogate the idea that the above somehow makes the school dress code all ok.

If I turned up for work like that they'd send me home to put some pants and trousers on...

Wonder how many contributors now go to work dressed as they where aged 11, shirt tie blazer or jacket and black shoes, then propogate the idea that the above somehow makes the school dress code all ok.

I wear quite a strict uniform for work. Nothing like a school uniform as that would be just daft.

I work in a school and have kids, so can see it from all sides.  Enforcing uniform is a massive headache for staff, but it ensures students are appropriately dressed and, to some extent, reduces perceived inequality between students from different backgrounds.  Uniform doesn't need to be expensive, and is often cheaper and harder wearing than 'normal' clothes.

Schools, unfortunately, are also in competition with each other - many parents want their child to go to a school with smart uniform, even blazers etc.  Heads have a lot of things to consider, particularly when losing students to competing schools can have such a big impact on budgets.

Interestingly I have been talking to our staff recently about some form of staff uniform, rather than a dress code - without exception they have all been keen, which surprised me.  We are looking at polo shirts with logos as a trial.  On the flip side the argument often used is that students need to be in 'business dress'.  My recent experience is that very few 'business people' wear ties these days, never mind jackets/suits.  Also for those without kids please don't base comments on your experience 10, 20 or 30 years ago - schools are very different places now.

I have to wear a kind of uniform at work, as do most men. Smart trousers, shirt, smart shoes. You'll say there is choice in exactly what clothes you wear, but not a lot.

It's simple in my view.

Uniform should be strict in terms of colour /skirt length etc. But parents shouldn't have to be forced to buy from an official supplier. Dark grey trousers are dark grey trousers. Plain White shirts are white shirts..knee length skirts or calotts... Same.

It levels the playing field socially.

I'm not and have never been a fan of branded blazers etc, it all seems a bit twee to me.

I could cope with a tie if it was responsibly priced, say 3-5 quid.

I have to wear a kind of uniform at work, as do most men. Smart trousers, shirt, smart shoes. You’ll say there is choice in exactly what clothes you wear, but not a lot.

So a uniform clothing range then......

Enforcing uniform is a massive headache for staff

Indeed and thats why it is often so prescriptive. Give any room to manoeuvre and it rapidly becomes a nightmare.