School Uniforms - Good or Bad??

[Deleted User]

Hi all,

I wanted to get your opinions on whether you agree with school uniforms or not. Whether children should be able to wear their own clothes for individuality, or should wear a uniform for smartness. Or even taking it further should schools resort back to the shirts, ties and v-neck jumpers instead of polo shirts and sweatshirts.

Just a little debate topic, we were discussing this at work last night.

MATH

School uniform is good. The first set of school jumpers are now on my youngest having done his older bro & sis. I never could have done this with regular clothing. It's cheap, lasts forever, largely non gender specific, and easy to wash/look after.

tiff

School uniforms for me. It saves arguments in my house. My two are 7 and 4 and want to wear trainers or ear rings but its not allowed and I can say so. If they were allowed to wear their own clothes they would be wanting to wear all sorts that arent appropriate for school and I would have a daily battle on my hands. I buy 2 sweatshirts, cheap plain polo shirts and skirts and trousers from Asda or Tesco that are really cheap. If you buy using coupons its cheaper still. I would say shirts and ties at senior school. My son wears a shirt now instead of a polo shirt but doesnt like it so wants me to buy polo shirts next time. I think they should be comfortable but smart.

pin

School uniforms hands down. Saved me time worrying about what to wear when I was younger. Also didn't have to worry about buying extra clothes just to wear to school.

JayS_3

I agree, school uniforms stop the competition between the schoolchildren in respect of different styles, designer labels, gang membership, etc.

In my town, one headteacher changed the white school shirt for bright yellow, because they could be spotted if they misbehaved and reported to the school.

Types of school uniform affects the children's behaviour too. I agree with infant/juniour/primary school uniforms being more relaxed in sweatshirts, they are more practical too, and last long for passing on. But, as the children progress to secondary school, wearing a more formal uniform such as a blazer and tie appears tp make the older children act more responsibly. Several schools in my town have changed their uniforms to incorporate the blazer rather than just a sweater - in an effort to change behaviour.

School uniform also gives the child a sense of membership and, hopefully, pride in being associated with the school.

Queenie

Agree with above reasons.

Would also like to add:-

~ it lowers the have/have nots divide as there is no peer pressure/fashion pressures to distinguish between them or their budgets in expensive contests.

~ also, should (God forbid!) any school child be involved in an accident to or from school/on trips - a uniform *does* make for a speedier identification.

~ uniforms are an identity which extends even into many walks of adult life

I don't especially feel that shirt/ties/blazers/boaters (yes, we had boaters!) are particularly necessary or need reverting to and love the ease of wash and wear of polo shirts and sweatshirts.

I was one of 5 kids being brought up by our widowed Mother and in those days it was far harder to get uniforms outside of specialist shops. These days, aside from the embroidered sweatshirts, I can purchase the trousers, polo shirts, gym clothes all from my local supermarket if need be. Much easier than in my day when we had to travel to London to the only supplier of our summer uniform dresses, specialised gym knickers/skirts et al.

Crikey, we parents soon get the strops and tantrums over "designer" gear to fill to coffers of over rated fashion wear for outside school hours soon enough without having to cope with that same pressure when it comes to school wear if non uniform were the vogue in all schools.

Spendless

I prefer school uniform, it has to be worn from school nursery onwards. Not thinking about what to put on etc.

My one bugbear is that the sweatshirt can only be bought from the school. It has the schools name printed on it. It cost £6.50 and i think i do well. A friends school charges £13 for a sweatshirt and £9.50 for the polo shirt with the school name on.

My friends with kids at secondary school say the prices are steeper there.Also at the local secondary school, shoes which aren't part of a strict uniform code, the children are requesting Rockports from their parents!!! (at a £100 a time!!)

JayS_3

Spendless wrote:

My friends with kids at secondary school say the prices are steeper there.Also at the local secondary school, shoes which aren't part of a strict uniform code, the children are requesting Rockports from their parents!!! (at a £100 a time!!)

:eek:

Shoes for £100!!!!

I've always told my children, if you want them then I'll pay what I would have paid anyway (£40 ish usually) and you can pay the difference. That usually sorts the argument, if they REALLY REALLY want it they cough up, but usually they decide they didn't really want it that much!

JayS_3

Carrying on about secondary school, and blazers.

My sons' school has just changed their policy. When my eldest started school, we could buy a school badge which we moved from blazer to blazer. Now my youngest has just started (and I had kept the blazers to hand-me-down), the school blazer has to have a machine embroidered badge.

Guess what, the new blazer can only be bought in the school supplier's shop, is more expensive, and I can't use the hand-me-downs!!!!! :mad:

Every time I buy I new blazer, I will have to pay more and it will niggle me as it will remind me each time. :mad: I hate spending more than I want to.

Spendless

JayS wrote:

:eek:

Shoes for £100!!!!

I've always told my children, if you want them then I'll pay what I would have paid anyway (£40 ish usually) and you can pay the difference. That usually sorts the argument, if they REALLY REALLY want it they cough up, but usually they decide they didn't really want it that much!

Yep. I know of 3 kids with them all children are aged 13 to 14! One of the children claimed you were bullied for not having them!

Mine is only in reception year, so some time to go yet!!

JayS_3

Queenie wrote:

Agree with above reasons.

I don't especially feel that shirt/ties/blazers/boaters (yes, we had boaters!) are particularly necessary or need reverting to and love the ease of wash and wear of polo shirts and sweatshirts.

I was one of 5 kids being brought up by our widowed Mother and in those days it was far harder to get uniforms outside of specialist shops. These days, aside from the embroidered sweatshirts, I can purchase the trousers, polo shirts, gym clothes all from my local supermarket if need be. Much easier than in my day when we had to travel to London to the only supplier of our summer uniform dresses, specialised gym knickers/skirts et al.

I had a bloater too, for the summer, and a 'wren's' hat for the winter. Summer dresses, winter jumpers and skirts. Summer socks and winter socks. Oh, and a bright red, yes red, blazer in the summer, and a grey CLOAK in the winter!!!. Plus, all the sports uniforms.

Then the head's daughter decided to change the uniform, and we ended up with a A-line grey smock, signal toothpaste strip shirt, and ...... an enormous red droopy artist's bow (on and elastic)!!!! What a bloody mess, still gives me nightmares.

Yes, I know, you can tell it was a private school - they are always more ridiculous.

They don't make uniforms like they used to..... Thank God.