In the rare instance that there was only a 6th choice available AND there was a major issue with the uniform policy, then you have to abide by the expectations and standards of the school.
If that means buying a £40 skirt because that's the requirement, and it means that you cant buy a £20 skirt instead, then that's something to budget for (10p a day, but probably more than covered by not having to buy additional clothes for school).
In the rare instance that there was only a 6th choice available AND there was a major issue with the uniform policy, then you have to abide by the expectations and standards of the school.
If that means buying a £40 skirt because that's the requirement, and it means that you cant buy a £20 skirt instead, then that's something to budget for (10p a day, but probably more than covered by not having to buy additional clothes for school).
It's not a scam. It's about pride, identity, discipline.
Head teachers in state schools are perhaps the least likely cohort to be part of a scam that punishes working class parents for the benefit of manufacturers and retailers.
The cost of schoolwear, when amortised over its lifespan, is likely to be the best value item of clothing a parent can buy their child, and it comes with the added benefit of ensuring that there is a degree of equality between pupils, irrespective of their background.
Every school has a fund in place to support parents that may be in financial hardship, and most schools have a PTA/ equivalent that will organise sales of second hand (good condition) uniform.
Most schools have a decent balance between generic wear that can be bought in the high street, and school specific items that are part of their identity.
Many other countries operate equivalent principles around uniform, and other countries don't have them at all - there are historic and cultural reasons behind that, but in the UK they are part of our culture that brings a real benefit to kids of school age.
Nothing wrong with a school wanting a uniform and school identity. Where it’s a scam is when the children must wear a eg. A certain tartan skirt which can only be bought from a specific supplier. When the jumpers or sweatshirts have to have the school logo embroidered, also from a specific supplier. A school bag with logo. It’s bollocks and ridiculously expensive and unnecessary. My granddaughters schools “colour” is royal blue. No specific requirements for logos or to wear a blazer with badge. White blouse and grey or black skirt or trousers. All can be bought relatively cheaply in any high street supermarket. It fits all the requirements for a school to achieve identity, children’s dress equality and is generally affordable. Anything else over and above is completely unnecessary. In contrast, her first school uniform required a tartan skirt which was specific to that school and for the year one size was £40. Don’t tell me that’s not exploitative and ridiculous.
I don't believe it is either. The school has the choice of uniform and expected standards, the parent has a choice of school.
What planet are you on. Parents do not in many cases have choice of school.
It’s an impossibility to give all parents a choice of school, you can say a preference, but it’s not a choice as that’s not feasible. A local authority has x amount of places a year in x number of schools for x number of pupils, a criteria is set (generally siblings, distance etc) and then places are distributed.
you may get lucky if your preference school is next door to your home, or you already have a sibling there.
its better than it once was, but it never has been, nor ever will be a true choice.
on uniforms im in favour, however the practice of a monopoly of where you can buy should be stopped. Chislehurst school for girls tried it, but then non approved places started stocking the uniform at much cheaper pricing.
I'd abolish school ties for a start. In fact I'd abolish ties all together as they are a pointless piece of clothing who most people wouldn't miss. Apart from Jacob Rees Mogg who probably keeps his on when he's having a bath.
It's not a scam. It's about pride, identity, discipline.
Head teachers in state schools are perhaps the least likely cohort to be part of a scam that punishes working class parents for the benefit of manufacturers and retailers.
The cost of schoolwear, when amortised over its lifespan, is likely to be the best value item of clothing a parent can buy their child, and it comes with the added benefit of ensuring that there is a degree of equality between pupils, irrespective of their background.
Every school has a fund in place to support parents that may be in financial hardship, and most schools have a PTA/ equivalent that will organise sales of second hand (good condition) uniform.
Most schools have a decent balance between generic wear that can be bought in the high street, and school specific items that are part of their identity.
Many other countries operate equivalent principles around uniform, and other countries don't have them at all - there are historic and cultural reasons behind that, but in the UK they are part of our culture that brings a real benefit to kids of school age.
Nothing wrong with a school wanting a uniform and school identity. Where it’s a scam is when the children must wear a eg. A certain tartan skirt which can only be bought from a specific supplier. When the jumpers or sweatshirts have to have the school logo embroidered, also from a specific supplier. A school bag with logo. It’s bollocks and ridiculously expensive and unnecessary. My granddaughters schools “colour” is royal blue. No specific requirements for logos or to wear a blazer with badge. White blouse and grey or black skirt or trousers. All can be bought relatively cheaply in any high street supermarket. It fits all the requirements for a school to achieve identity, children’s dress equality and is generally affordable. Anything else over and above is completely unnecessary. In contrast, her first school uniform required a tartan skirt which was specific to that school and for the year one size was £40. Don’t tell me that’s not exploitative and ridiculous.
I don't believe it is either. The school has the choice of uniform and expected standards, the parent has a choice of school.
What planet are you on. Parents do not in many cases have choice of school.
There's plenty of choice. If I think about the area I grew up in, there's Eltham College, Colfe's, St. Dunstans, Dulwich College, Blackheath High to name just a few.
In the rare instance that there was only a 6th choice available AND there was a major issue with the uniform policy, then you have to abide by the expectations and standards of the school.
If that means buying a £40 skirt because that's the requirement, and it means that you cant buy a £20 skirt instead, then that's something to budget for (10p a day, but probably more than covered by not having to buy additional clothes for school).
In the rare instance that there was only a 6th choice available AND there was a major issue with the uniform policy, then you have to abide by the expectations and standards of the school.
If that means buying a £40 skirt because that's the requirement, and it means that you cant buy a £20 skirt instead, then that's something to budget for (10p a day, but probably more than covered by not having to buy additional clothes for school).
I'd abolish school ties for a start. In fact I'd abolish ties all together as they are a pointless piece of clothing who most people wouldn't miss. Apart from Jacob Rees Mogg who probably keeps his on when he's having a bath.
I had a row with my (now) wife many years ago about me not wearing a tie for a wedding. We had a huge shouting match and I stood my ground. We eventually turned up at the wedding and the groom was not wearing a tie. [Engage Smug Mode] [Smug Mode: Engaged].
One of my proudest achievements was getting my former boss to finally give up on making me wear a tie and eventually changing the dress code in our staff handbook.
lot's of jobs will be lost from the school uniform shops and embroiders if this get's pushed through, in the past it was so everyone looked the same and you couldn't tell the wealth side of families apart. Times have changed I suppose but this will have a wider impact.
You could always tell though...
Especially on photo day where the rich kid would turn up in a blazer. There were also a few kids would were allowed to not wear school uniform and would wear out of fashion tracksuits.
I went to Darrick Wood which had a uniform that looked like an elephant and pissed then shat all over us. School trips were great with the other schools laughing at us.
Personally what i wear doesn't dictate how hard i work and the biggest issue with school uniforms is the price. Darrick was also too strict on that front, we had to wear a lab coat for science classes, WTF?
Lab coats are actually a really good idea, cheap and protect the more expensive clothes underneath.
I recall playing football on our concrete playground and my trousers would get holes in the knee part after one day. My mum just sewed on patches from an old pair. I also recall we played a game where we jumped off the back of a routemaster bus and I was a bit too brave (stupid) once and the bus was travelling faster than I could run when I jumped off and I had holes in my blazer elbows and the knee part of my trousers and a lot of blood. You could patch up a uniform in them days and nobody thought anything of it.
lot's of jobs will be lost from the school uniform shops and embroiders if this get's pushed through, in the past it was so everyone looked the same and you couldn't tell the wealth side of families apart. Times have changed I suppose but this will have a wider impact.
You could always tell though...
Especially on photo day where the rich kid would turn up in a blazer. There were also a few kids would were allowed to not wear school uniform and would wear out of fashion tracksuits.
I went to Darrick Wood which had a uniform that looked like an elephant and pissed then shat all over us. School trips were great with the other schools laughing at us.
Personally what i wear doesn't dictate how hard i work and the biggest issue with school uniforms is the price. Darrick was also too strict on that front, we had to wear a lab coat for science classes, WTF?
Lab coats are actually a really good idea, cheap and protect the more expensive clothes underneath.
I'd abolish school ties for a start. In fact I'd abolish ties all together as they are a pointless piece of clothing who most people wouldn't miss. Apart from Jacob Rees Mogg who probably keeps his on when he's having a bath.
I had a row with my (now) wife many years ago about me not wearing a tie for a wedding. We had a huge shouting match and I stood my ground. We eventually turned up at the wedding and the groom was not wearing a tie. [Engage Smug Mode] [Smug Mode: Engaged].
One of my proudest achievements was getting my former boss to finally give up on making me wear a tie and eventually changing the dress code in our staff handbook.
Comments
If that means buying a £40 skirt because that's the requirement, and it means that you cant buy a £20 skirt instead, then that's something to budget for (10p a day, but probably more than covered by not having to buy additional clothes for school).
you may get lucky if your preference school is next door to your home, or you already have a sibling there.
its better than it once was, but it never has been, nor ever will be a true choice.
on uniforms im in favour, however the practice of a monopoly of where you can buy should be stopped. Chislehurst school for girls tried it, but then non approved places started stocking the uniform at much cheaper pricing.
In fact I'd abolish ties all together as they are a pointless piece of clothing who most people wouldn't miss.
Apart from Jacob Rees Mogg who probably keeps his on when he's having a bath.
One of my proudest achievements was getting my former boss to finally give up on making me wear a tie and eventually changing the dress code in our staff handbook.
You may have gathered, I'm not a fan of ties.
(scruffy get) 😉