My kids school is an !!!!

Oldernotwiser

shirlgirl2004 wrote: »

Probably because what they don't like is being told what to do. Then they wonder why their children behave the way they do.

They never seem to mind being told what to do by their children!

jackieb

My daughter's school is quite liberal with their dresscode. There is an official uniform you can get (and I have). As long as the skirts and trousers are black, the jumpers and sweatshirts are black, and shirts, blouses or polo shirts are white, black or red, they don't really care if they have the school logo or not. Big logos with brand names are banned though. And they get sent home if they're wearing jeans, even black ones.

Although the code is not that strict, all the pupils now wear a uniform of sorts. The school looks a lot better than it used to and the pupils get to be individual if they want (within reason). They don't have to wear ties but a surprising amount of them do, especially the older pupils. The uniform they have now was chosen by the 6th years.

I remember when my eldest son went there and there was no dress code. They used to be made fun of if they wore anything with the school logo on it! It's much better now. No arguments about what to wear either.

mrcol1000

Birdy12 wrote: »

I always thought that respect and loyalty were taught by a child's relations, (as I was), not by the uniform they wore when they were at school. Sorry if that's wrong.

It the parents place to teach loyalty and respect. But Schools also teach loyalty and respect. With some familes the only postive impact they get is at school.

Birdy12

mrcol1000 wrote: »

She does. She can send her kids to another school. CofE schools turn away many students in a lot of areas. The school has decided that kids must wear a uniform that they choose. People can debate if this is morally wrong and jump up and down as much as they want but the school will still have this policy. The majority of the parents seem to have grasped this concept. Maybe if the OP had spoken to the school when she found out they would be expected to wear a uniform rather than just thinking she was above the rules then it would have been sorted before the start of school and she wouldn't have got a letter.
I think the problem is that the OP didn't bother communicating with the school and just assumed the rules didn't apply to her. Like many people who take this attitude to life she has become unstuck and now trying to move the blame away from her. She should just accept that trying to ignore the rules didn't work and she is going to have to follow them if she wants her kids to go to the school.

Yes, point taken, although it seems an extreme measure!

Oldernotwiser, the answer is...unfortunately I don't know the answer.

What I'm trying to say is that, I agree, a dress code for school is a great idea - a tie is mandatory at my children's school as in many others so, Mrcol1000, if you do see children misbehaving out of school, unless they've taken them off, you can at least tell by their tie what school they go to!

However, when you're told that you have to buy your child practically every item from the school shop, and they're all expensive, that's when I think it becomes a little unfair. I suppose I'm looking at it from a financial point of view.

I still think that what we wear when we're young, does not dictate what we become when we're older...

Ivory_Tinkler

OP when you accepted the place at the school were you given a list of rules and regulations (including uniform code) and did you challenge the uniform at that point?

Did you sign to accept the school policies (including the uniform code)?

Did you approach the school to advise that you couldn't afford it?

When you say you want the school to pay for your children's uniform where do you expect them to find the money out of their budgets?

I'm sure that had you approached the school, in advance, instead of assuming that your choice of clothing was appropriate, then an arrangement could have been made. I am in the same position as you with expensive uniform for 2 children (but their uniform is compulsory) but I have purchased items each week over the holidays to spread the cost.

If you challenge the school over this then maybe you will win but you should have challenged before school started. If the school backs down then all the other parents who have forked out for the uniform are going to be cross and wonder why they have bothered to buy the correct uniform. I wish you good luck as I agree, some parts of the uniform are expensive but surely this is only a few items like a blazer and sweatshirt and skirts/trousers etc can be purchased more cheaply and you are now actually forcing your children to dress differently to everyone else.

When you think of the amount of wear and tear a school uniform gets compared with normal day clothes, the pricing isn't really that bad and buy it a little on the large side so they can grow into it!!!!

welshsue

My eldest has just started high school and his uniform has cost us a fortune. He had to have jumpers £15.00, polo tops £9.00, pe top £9.00, rugby top £20, school calculator £5.00 all from the school because of the logos. Then we had to buy black pe shorts, black/grey trousers, black socks, white pe socks, amber football socks, football boots, trainers, black school shoes as well as numerous specialist maths/art sets and welsh and french dictionaries. Just the logo'd stuff from the school cost me £100 (I bought 2 jumpers, 5 polo tops, 1 pe top, 1 rugby top) and then it was approx £100 for the other things.
I am happy with him wearing a uniform as it does look very smart but the prices are horrendous and the logo stitching is not fantastic either. I could have gone to a cheap supermarket and got 5 polo tops for the price of 1 at the school.
Someone somewhere is making a lot of money out of this uniform.

stardoman

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Parents frequently pay an arm and a leg for something with a logo on (think Nike) when their kids make a fuss about it, regardless of whether it could be bought cheaper at Asda.

Why to people dig their heels in at school requirements when they happily give in to their kids? What message does this give out to the children?

Maybe because you are confusing the parents. The ones who kick up a fuss about school uniforms are probably the same parents who don't buy logoed clothes. Basically because they can't afford it.

The school do make money from the sale of the uniform, so this is why they want everyone to buy their uniform. I even heard of one school who sent letters to the parents telling them that they could not sell the uniform at the end of the school year and had to hand it in. As my husband said - to h*** with that! They've paid good money for that uniform, they bought it, not rented it".

I think the problem is that people who are working are viewed as a bottomless pit of money. You earn too much to get any help as apparantly you should be able to afford it.

Mandy.

Birdy12

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

They never seem to mind being told what to do by their children!

They? Who are they? Every parent?

mrcol1000

Birdy12 wrote: »

I still think that what we wear when we're young, does not dictate what we become when we're older...

It does make them ready for expectations of not being able to wear what they want. i.e. a shirt and tie to work (even if its a cheap asda one)

mrcol1000

stardoman wrote: »

Maybe because you are confusing the parents. The ones who kick up a fuss about school uniforms are probably the same parents who don't buy logoed clothes. Basically because they can't afford it.

Rubbish. You just need to go to any "poor" area full of council houses and see all the kids are wearing brand names. Parents will always find a way to buy stuff for their kids even if they have to pay it off a pound a week for the rest of their lives.